WEST Devon-based charity South West Lakes Trust is about to bid a fond farewell to project officer John Dennis, who has fulfilled a long-held ambition by securing a teaching post in China.
John, 23, from Meeth, will fly out to Shanxi province next month to take up his new position teaching English.
He said he is looking forward to the challenges ahead, but will miss his work with the trust.
?It?s been a good experience here,? he said, ?And I will miss the people I?ve been working with.
?Looking ahead, I?m a bit concerned about the teaching because I?m slightly out of practice, but I?m sure it will all come back to me.
?I?ll be on a six-month contract at first, with the option of staying on for another year at the end of it. I?ve no definite plan as to how long I?ll stay in China, I?ll just see how it goes.?
Former Okehampton College student John graduated from Keele University with a degree in English and Ancient History, and originally wanted to teach in Europe.
However, he applied for the job in China during a two-month stay in the country last summer, visiting a friend who works there.
He has spent the last 18 months working for the South West Lakes Trust, an environmental charity based at Lewdown, which looks after reservoirs and lakes on behalf of South West Water.
During that time, John has worked on plans to reconstruct the lost medieval hamlet of Hennard Mill at Roadford Lake as well as heading a project to build a cob shelter next to the lake for walkers to view wildlife through special windows.
He has also become a familiar face at consultation meetings representing the interests of Siblyback, Tamar and Roadford lakes.
Trust director Evelyn Stacey said: ?We will miss John greatly as he has made a really valuable contribution to the charity?s work. However, he cannot turn down this tremendous opportunity.
?We intend to keep in touch by e-mail and, knowing John?s commitment to the trust, we fully expect him to be spreading the word about our environmental and recreational work on the other side of the world!?