Taunton welcomes Peru

8 Peruvian Rotarians joined those from Taunton Vale for four days of exploring the delights of our part of Somerset.  A trip to the Hinckley Point Power Station construction site was followed by lunch at Hestercombe and a walk round the gardens.  The Museum of Somerset was on the itinerary as was the Somerset Cricket Museum, Taunton Minster and visits to a number of Rotary projects around the town along with generous hosting by Taunton Vale Rotarians and their families.  

These friendly and varied days ended with a dinner at the new Rumwell Orchard restaurant. Over sixty people gathered there to celebrate our President’s Night and to bid farewell to our visitors from Peru.

Following dinner our Peruvian guests each gave a short presentation about themselves and their Rotary Clubs which were Barranco, Miraflores, Lima Colonial and Peru Ecology, Ica Sur (South), Feinando Corbajal, Arequipa, Soncco Quilla and Chincha all clubs in south or central Peru (Rotary District 4455). Their Clubs demonstrated a wide range of projects: environmental, health, education, support for earthquake victims and Youth Development using funds raised by the clubs and Global grants from Rotary International.

Norma Bustamante Dawson Rebaza from The Rotary Club of Barranco (a suburb of Lima) told us about the project to which Taunton Vale had contributed, the purchase of a Triocular Microscope for the Clinic based in the parish of the Oblate Fathers.

Our Peruvian guests were warmly thanked by President Richard Austin and the audience. We all admired their ability to speak English in such a setting and were left wondering if we would be able to do the same in their place!

The evening ended with a demonstration of Morris Dancing from the Taunton Vale Morrismen. A number of Rotarians including Peruvians joined the Morrismen for the finale.