Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, she moved to the UK just before she turned five-years-old, living in Reading, Berkshire, before a few years later her family relocating to the Midlands, where they have been ever since.
She has been keen on travel since an early age, travelling to Australia with a charity in 2000 where she worked as an outdoor education assistant at a school on the boarder of NSW and Victoria.
On her return she then went to study at Roehampton University in SW London for three years, gaining a 2:1 degree in English Literature. Despite loving living in the country's capital she decided her heart was still in Worcestershire, so moved back to then go onto study to become a journalist.
A few years later she qualified as a senior journalist with regional daily paper the Worcester News, where she has worked for the past four years, covering breaking and general news stories, court reporting and specialising in Education and - unsurprisingly to many of her friends - shopping. She loves the job, despite the constant deadlines, as it gives her the opportunity to meet some amazing people from all walks of life and tell their story.
She is also a keen photographer and videographer, using these skills not only at work, but when she goes travelling - and very rarely goes anywhere without a camera close-at-hand.
Claire has also recently qualified as a Community First Responder, volunteering for the West Midlands Ambulance Service and is enjoying the work she does with them, especially being able to go out with the service on observation shifts.
In her free time, she enjoys running, cycling, swimming, camping, shopping, travelling and reading, along with keeping in touch with friends for any opportunity for a good chat and catch-up. She has travelled many parts of England, Wales, Italy, France, Switzerland, South Africa and America and is always keen to do more.
She is really excited about her opportunity to go to Sri Lanka with the GSE as it will not only give her the opportunity to travel, experience a new culture and foods, but to meet even more fantastic people along the way.
Claire Fry's Essay of intent
Working within an industry where communication is key, I feel that working with the GSE program would be an outstanding opportunity for me to take part in.
As a journalist, I have been more than aware of the hard work and fundraising that the Rotary Club do within the community – having written a number of stories on them and also joining some groups at meetings. So to be given the chance to see beyond this and go to places where the money is spent, people who are helped an din some cases where communities are reformed thanks to Rotarians, would almost be a natural progression.
As a writer and reporter, I have always had a curiosity to find out more about other cultures and countries, but it is also important for us to understand communities that could be vastly different to our lives in Worcestershire and the UK.
Sri Lanka has always been a country that I have wanted to visit, particularly since being told about its beauty and diversity following a close friend’s travel there, and also since it featured so heavily in the news soon after when the country was hit by the Tsunami. To see then the devastation that rocked the country was very difficult and I have been keen to find out how they have re-built their lives.
To be given the chance to explore the country, even find out how it had changed in the last few years since the disaster, would be life changing and definitely an opportunity that cannot be missed. In fact, when I was asked by editor Kevin Ward if I would like to take part in the Rotary exchange programme, my immediate reaction was ‘yes please’ before he had even gone through the finer details.
I would be keen to find out as much as I can about the country and the work that the Rotary Clubs do in Sri Lanka, and I feel working on a daily newspaper would give me the chance to then convey it to our readers too, and let them know about my journey and stay.
As a keen photographer, I feel this would link perfectly together with my writing, so I could capture its essence.
When I was 19-years-old I worked for a charity called Gap Activity Projects, working in a school in Australia – and this for me was an incredible experience. On my return I was able to do talks through GAP to others thinking about doing similar trips. Being able to be shown a country from the people who live there is by far the better way to travel I learnt – so ten years on, to possibly have this chance again and as a professional would be incredible – and I know I would savour every moment, and of course be more than happy to tell people about it when I get back to the UK.
