Getting to know each other over bread, wine and culture: 20 newcomers make contacts at a gourmet evening in Vreden

Service Onboarding@Münsterland supports skilled workers in their arrival

First it was off to enjoyable discoveries at the Geelink bakery, then to an audio-visual concert at the kult: around 20 newcomers made contacts at a welcome event in Vreden on Friday evening and discovered the art, culture and culinary delights of Münsterland. The Onboarding@Münsterland service of Münsterland e.V., which helps skilled workers arrive and settle in Münsterland, as well as employers in the region to recruit skilled workers, had invited them.

"Nowhere is it better to start a conversation than over delicious food and fine wines," said Eva Kleingräber from the Service Onboarding@Münsterland team at Münsterland e.V. That is why the service had deliberately contacted the Geelink bakery, which organised the first part of the welcome event. The participants not only tasted specialities from the bakery, but also sipped a glass or two of exquisite wines. Marita Geelink, an accredited wine consultant and sommelière, gave them exciting information and anecdotes. Along the way, the 20 or so newcomers exchanged their impressions of the region and its people. They came not only from Vreden, but also from Münster, Borken, Ahaus and Stadtlohn, among others. One of them was Stefanie Schmidt. "I recently moved in with my partner in his home village. His family and friends have warmly welcomed me. But I am happy to be able to make further contacts of my own through such an event," she said.

Things got musical and artistic at the same time afterwards at the AV Picnic concert with ELIS NOA at kult, one of the last Münsterland Festival events this year. "The Münsterland Festival has been an integral part of the Münsterland cultural region for many years. The eleventh edition was the perfect occasion for us to combine one of the concerts with a welcome event and thus give our newcomers an insight into the art and culture scene," emphasised Eva Kleingräber. The music of the duo ELIS NOA met video projections by Sven Stratmann from Münster. The newcomers also liked this: "I really enjoyed the concert at the kult tonight! It was the crowning finale to an all-round nice evening of getting to know each other," emphasised Welcome Event participant Marco Leinz.

The Welcome Event is part of the Münsterland-wide Onboarding@Münsterland service. With this format, the service brings like-minded people together and discovers exciting places in the region with them so that they arrive and also want to stay. The Onboarding@Münsterland service was developed as a regional initiative by employers and business players in the Münsterland region and is implemented by Münsterland e.V. with the support of numerous institutions in the region. It supports employers in employer branding and location marketing as well as skilled workers in arriving, feeling good and staying in the region. The service includes not only events such as the Welcome Event, but also advisory services for skilled workers.

The next event of the Onboarding@Münsterland service will be a virtual Münsterland quiz on 8 December (Wednesday) from 7.30 pm. There will be questions on many different topics, something for everyone. In the process, players will not only get to know Münsterland better, but also other locals and newcomers. More info at www.onboarding-muensterland.com