Professor of Anthropology, Dr Keiji Maegawa, led a group of Japanese academics to Ross in 2015, and two years later he returned with his son to visit the Ross Walkers are Welcome Group.

The walking group had arranged the original visit to Ross for the Japanese academics who were on a tour of Walkers are Welcome towns. The purpose of their visit was to learn about the UK’s Public Footpaths network, how it came into existence, and how it is used and maintained.

The delegation spent a day in Ross meeting a number of people who helped them with their questions. Ross Town Council made the Council Chamber available for the meeting and they left Ross with a very good impression of the town and its surrounding countryside.

A few weeks ago, Chairman of the Ross Group of Walkers are Welcome, Sam Phillips, received an e-mail from Professor Maegawa asking if he and his son, Keiki, could pay a visit to Ross as they would be in the UK on a visit to help Keiki with his English.

They arrived in Ross on Saturday morning and met Sam just in time to see the carnival procession as it started its journey round the town. They loved the various floats and especially enjoyed the St Andrew’s Pipe Band from Cheltenham.

They spent the afternoon on the Carnival field visiting many stalls, especially the Ross Lions where they spent time talking to Lion Club members.

Before leaving, Professor Maegawa invited Sam Phillips, in his capacity of Chairman of the Walkers are Welcome National Executive Committee, to Japan in 2018 to take part in the Annual Conference of the Japan Footpaths Association.

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