THE Rotary International Britain and Ireland president and district governor were in Okehampton last Saturday to learn more about a youth training facility in the town.

RIBI president John Minhinick and district governor Graham Smith visited Okehampton Rotary at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) venue at the YHA Bracken Tor House centre near Okehampton Station.

They met Okehampton Rotary Club president Nils Westman, Rotarian and organiser of the RYLA Allenton Fisher, and John Elson, owner and manager of Adventure Okehampton and Okehampton YHA to discuss the course content. Plans to try out the centre's high ropes course were thwarted by bad weather.

Nils Westman said:?'We were chuffed to have the president, his wife and the district governor come down to visit us and see what we are doing here. It is just such a shame we didn't get to get up in the high ropes course.

'We did show them the facilities, including the ropes course. There are similar courses run around the country in the different Rotary districts, but we are very proud of our facilities here.

'Okehampton has a brilliant facility, providing a base for youngsters to take part in the RYLA course, and I think the president and district governor got to see that.'

RYLA is an exciting week-long event similar to Outward Bound activities. Based at Adventure Okehampton, it covers teamwork, leadership, communication and problem solving.

Around 30 youngsters from across the west country took part in the RYLA course in 2012.

The youngsters, aged 16 to 18, were put into small teams, taking part in a varied programme of outdoor pursuit activities. Rotary clubs from across the area each put forward participants, and sponsor them to take part.

This year's course runs at the centre from July 20. Participants must be between 16 and 18 years of age.