At the weekly meeting of The Rotary Club of Ellesmere, members welcomed girl-guide Megan Phillips from Shrewsbury as a guest speaker.

The talk was about her experience of GOLD (Girl-guiding Overseas Linked with Development) project when she travelled to Oman in Saudi Arabia, in August last year.

The Rotary Club contributed towards the funds for Megan to attend the project and members were rewarded with a 'highly informative' and 'interesting presentation'.

Megan joined the guiding movement as a very young girl in 1998 and has since progressed through all levels. Last year teams of six guides carried out eight overseas projects in different countries, with the Oman group aiming to encourage an increase in participation, plus better use of current membership through developing leadership skills and encouraging a greater range of community-based guiding activities. During the 20-day stay they trained more than 460 leaders, rangers and guides in the capital, Muscat, and at the National Guide Camp in Salalah.

They also visited both the Bathina north and south regions, where they gave advice and training to headmistresses on how to improve guiding activities in their schools. The Omani Education department requires schools to offer guiding, but girls join on a voluntary basis.

Graham Hutchinson, communications officer of the club said: "During the talk Megan impressed members by her enjoyment of the project, and there were many amusing asides about the ubiquity of camels, whatever the occasion."

Anyone wishing to find out more about the activities of the Rotary Club of Ellesmere should contact the Club Secretary on 01691 777178.