Researcher Fran Wilmore has returned from a trip to South Africa sponsored by the Rotary Club.

During the 'incredible experience' Fran spent six weeks at Port Elizabeth on the southern tip of Africa touring local industries, mingling with people from different cultures and making friends.

Fran, a 27-year-old marketing officer at Keighley Laboratories, responded to an appeal from Rotarians in the Keighley News last July. She was one of two Keighley people on the eight-name shortlist from the county for places in the four-strong team. Fran applied to go on the trip because she had always found South Africa interesting. But she says it was anything but a holiday. Describing her experience as a 'fulfilling, rewarding but extremely tiring trip', she says: "In six weeks we took in 13 different towns where we were hosted by local Rotary families. We had to give talks and presentations to rotary clubs and we also spoke at the Rotary district conference."

Fran also visited the Kruger wildlife reserve and companies in various industries.

Even though she has now returned to her own work, the Rotary work is not over. "We have to give presentations to Yorkshire Rotary clubs and write a report on the trip," she says.

New Rotary President, page 7

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