“…..all the activities were great fun….I loved getting to know new people and have without doubt made friends for life.”

So said one of the young people as they left RYLA at the end of a fabulous experience.

This annual residential course, a flagship Rotary project, took place near Shrewsbury and was enjoyed by 34 young people.

RYLA is designed to present physical and mental challenges that allow participants, in teams, to experience leadership, communication and problem solving.  These are based on outdoor activities led by experienced and qualified professional instructors.

It aims to challenge participants by putting them under pressure in an enjoyable way and  encourage and foster leadership development through teamwork and communication. The youngsters learn the importance of competition, health, fitness, character and tolerance as building blocks to the quality of life, enabling them to gain confidence through pride in achievement and learn the importance of competition, health, fitness, character and tolerance as building blocks to the quality of life.

Activities include problem solving, wall climbing, raft building, canoeing, abseiling, fencing and archery and many others.

The candidate sponsored by the City of Wolverhampton club was 17 year old Daniella Akinseli, a boarding pupil at Tettenhall College who tells us she had ‘the time of her life!’

The club has already committed to sponsoring 2 candidates for the August 2026 course and we’ll be looking for applicants from across the city.

PDG Richard Green