A very special announcement from SOL

We are absolutely delighted to welcome Grenville Yeo as our new Patron of SOL, a role that feels particularly special given the incredible history he shares with our charity.

More than three decades ago, Grenville founded SOL with a vision to bring people together through language, learning and cultural exchange. From those early beginnings, SOL has grown and evolved, welcoming generations of students and teachers, creating opportunities, friendships and memories across borders.
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After dedicating many years to SOL, Grenville retired last year, but we are thrilled to say his journey with us hasn't ended there. We now have the great pleasure of welcoming him back in the new role as Patron of SOL.

From the very beginning, Grenville's vision extended far beyond bringing students to Devon. SOL was founded on the belief that opportunities to learn English and develop professionally should be accessible to as many people as possible, particularly for teachers of English and the students they inspire. Through long standing partnerships with schools, English teacher associations, local authorities and educational organisations across Europe, SOL has supported teachers by providing training courses, workshops, school partnerships and opportunities to share best practice. At the same time, SOL welcomed thousands of students of students to Devon for immersive language and cultural experiences. Much of this work has taken place behind the scenes, but it has always been cnetral to what makes SOL unique, building lasting international relationships, supporting teachers in their professional development, and creating life changing opportunities for young people to experience English beyond the classrooom.

As patron, Grenville will continue to champion SOL, share and celebrate its unique history, support our mission and help raise awareness of the work we do. He will also represent SOL at special occasions, publicly advocate for the quality of our work, help build valuable new connections, and support oppotunities for the charitys furute growth and fundraising.

His knowledge, passion and connection to the charity are truly invaluable. after all, nobody knows the heart and story of SOL quite lijke the person who started it all.

For our small team and charity, this is a very proud moment. There is something incredibly special about seeing SOL's founder return in a new chapter, still supporting the organisation he created and the values that have shaped it for more than three decades.

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From founder to Patron, welcome back Grenville.

We couldnt be happier to have you continuing the SOL story with us.