AN APPEAL has been made for residents in Whitchurch to help provide accommodation to 30 French students visiting the area next month.

The students will be visiting the town in July to study English, and enjoy sports and cultural activities.

The visit to Whitchurch is being organised by Katherine Meade who is the Whitchurch area co-ordinator for French company LEC.

She said: "From Saturday, July 8 to Thursday, July 30, around 30 French students aged between 12 and 17 will be staying in Whitchurch to study English and enjoy sports and cultural activities. 

"They will be staying with local families who provide a welcome 'home from home' bed and board and this gives the students the opportunity to practice their English outside of the classroom environment as well as learn about our way of life. 

"So far more than ten families have joined our community of hosts, but we need more as this centre is proving to be very popular."

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Katherine added: "The students are all part of a course organised by LEC, which has more than 50 years of experience placing students around the world on one and two-week courses to improve their foreign language skills and experience local family life rather than stay in a hotel."

Katherine mentioned the benefit the visit will have on the town.

She said: "Local organisations and businesses will benefit from these visits.

"The students will have daily lessons in the Brownlow Community Centre, tennis lessons, sports activities at Alderford Lake and riding lessons locally as well. 

"There is also a 'Welcome to Whitchurch' afternoon planned where students will be able to visit key landmarks. 

"The group will be supervised by accompanying French teachers of English and we have been fortunate to secure the services of a locally based teacher. 

"As local co-ordinator, I am available 24/7 as well."

The co-ordinator explain there would be support provided to host families.

Katherine said: "For families, hosting a student is an enriching and rewarding experience. 

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"We appreciate that people may be worried about an extra person to cater for during this cost of living crisis, but the expenses paid to hosts more than cover their outgoings.

"For those host families who do not live within walking or a bus ride's distance from Whitchurch Town Centre, a fee to cover transport costs is available."

If you are interested you can contact Katherine on 07974 112203 or email katherine@herseymeade.com