Friendly Ambassadors for Shepway wanted

A new group for welcoming visitors to Kent is to be set up in the Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh area and friendly, knowledgeable locals are being sought to join it.

The original Kent Greeters programme was started in Thanet, inspired by the volunteers who run the Big Apple Greeters of New York. It was so successful that the Kent Greeters scheme was also launched in Dover and Deal, and from this summer the programme will extend to Shepway.

Visit Kent is holding an open meeting on Thursday July 8 at 2pm at the Grand, The Leas, Folkestone, for potential Greeters to come along and hear more about how they can get involved and how flexible the scheme is to suit their time.

Volunteers who sign up as Greeters are the first welcoming face for visitors to the area. They typically give up an hour or so of their time to share information about the community, such as public transport links, local historic sites to see, or where the nearest bicycle hire or country walk can be found.

Peter Shaw, one of the original Kent Greeters and now director of operations countywide, said: "The Greeters programme is a wonderful addition to the tourism service in Kent. Local people who are passionate about the place they live in, have the chance to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, while tourists and people planning to relocate to the area benefit enormously from a meeting."

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, chief executive of Visit Kent, said: "The success of the projects in Thanet and in our White Cliffs Country has demonstrated that this is a service that has huge potential to grow and is proving rewarding not only for our visitors but also for the many volunteers taking part.

"Volunteer Greeters are provided with full support. They can also register any of their specific interests and areas of expertise - such as sport, local history, archaeology or rural pursuits.

"When a visitor to the county books a Greeter meeting they are matched with a local Greeter who shares their interests and who is available on the day. It is very straightforward and it means that our Greeters can be flexible about the amount of time they wish to volunteer."

The Kent Greeters scheme is one of the initiatives whose aim is to make the county the most welcoming destination for visitors to the UK for the 2012 Games.

To find out more about becoming a Kent Greeter call Visit Kent on 01622 696936 or visit www.kentgreeters.co.uk