CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: Phil Wilson April 2010
In my third year as Chairman of the Group it is very pleasing to see
the regular arrival of new members on our weekday walks. Although our
membership total is still somewhat fluid due to the unreliable database
at RA headquarters, we reckon on having around 350 paid up members
although not all walk regularly. We are now frequently getting 20 to 30
walkers on Tuesdays and Thursdays which are the sort of numbers we had
a few years ago when I was a newish member.
Our weekend walks are not so well attended and are struggling to find new leaders. There is still a hardcore who enjoy walking the longer distances but there has been a hint that some walkers are beginning to find age a factor and may want to review their walking needs in the future. I am certain that any changes in the established walk patterns can be accommodated by the Group. On a recent walk we not only had two short lectures on the history of where we were walking but also a brief account of the archaeology of the ancient monument we visited. I think this should be encouraged and will do some research on my walks in future to make them more interesting.
My time as Chairman is coming to the end of its allotted term and I need to find a replacement. We have many capable people in the Group who should now consider giving back a little service in exchange for all the pleasure they have had walking with us. It would be most appropriate to have a lady chairman this time as the majority of our regular walkers are women. It would be advantageous to join the committee now to learn how it works and how we relate to Area and RA Headquarters before taking up the reins in November. How about it ladies? A discreet whisper in my ear or a phone call if you think you might be interested.
Our weekend walks are not so well attended and are struggling to find new leaders. There is still a hardcore who enjoy walking the longer distances but there has been a hint that some walkers are beginning to find age a factor and may want to review their walking needs in the future. I am certain that any changes in the established walk patterns can be accommodated by the Group. On a recent walk we not only had two short lectures on the history of where we were walking but also a brief account of the archaeology of the ancient monument we visited. I think this should be encouraged and will do some research on my walks in future to make them more interesting.
My time as Chairman is coming to the end of its allotted term and I need to find a replacement. We have many capable people in the Group who should now consider giving back a little service in exchange for all the pleasure they have had walking with us. It would be most appropriate to have a lady chairman this time as the majority of our regular walkers are women. It would be advantageous to join the committee now to learn how it works and how we relate to Area and RA Headquarters before taking up the reins in November. How about it ladies? A discreet whisper in my ear or a phone call if you think you might be interested.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: Phil Wilson December 2009
After a successful, and short, AGM at St. Thomas's House your existing
committee was elected en bloc with Monique Durham as an additional
member. Jilly Wright takes over from Virginia as Social
Secretary and all other members retain their existing functions as
shown in this programme. Please contact the appropriate committee
member if you have any problems or questions or other matters to raise.
I have outlined the current financial problems the RA is facing in my report in the Area Annual Report which you will find on our website or enclosed with this programme. This problem continues to rumble on and I will keep you informed of any significant developments in further Reports.
Another dilemma has arisen recently with the issue of a new Walk Leaders Check List. Alarmist emails have been sent from various quarters indicating that walk leaders would be placed in a precarious position if the list was not followed implicitly. After seeking, through the Area committee, more qualified opinion from RA Head Office a statement have been issued by Tom Franklin, RA Chief Executive, to the effect that walk leaders are always covered by RA insurance on led walks and recces and the Check List is a guide to best practice but is not mandatory in any degree. Your committee will decide if any further clarification is required on this matter at our next meeting.
Wishing you happy walking in 2010.
I have outlined the current financial problems the RA is facing in my report in the Area Annual Report which you will find on our website or enclosed with this programme. This problem continues to rumble on and I will keep you informed of any significant developments in further Reports.
Another dilemma has arisen recently with the issue of a new Walk Leaders Check List. Alarmist emails have been sent from various quarters indicating that walk leaders would be placed in a precarious position if the list was not followed implicitly. After seeking, through the Area committee, more qualified opinion from RA Head Office a statement have been issued by Tom Franklin, RA Chief Executive, to the effect that walk leaders are always covered by RA insurance on led walks and recces and the Check List is a guide to best practice but is not mandatory in any degree. Your committee will decide if any further clarification is required on this matter at our next meeting.
Wishing you happy walking in 2010.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: Phil Wilson August 2009
I had a letter from one of our active members some weeks ago in which he
wanted to record his gratitude for the warmth, comfort and sympathetic
support he had received from members after his bereavement earlier this
year. This is not the first time I have known of the help available
from our Group in such circumstances and it is one of the unspoken
benefits of belonging. It is a private benefit, unmentioned when we are
asked to extoll the value of walking and perhaps it should remain so, a
quiet comfort, gladly extended to those in need of solace.
On a more prosaic subject, a few words of sound advice from one of our agriculturally experienced members. There have been a few incidents of walkers with dogs being trampled by cattle recently. The advice is to keep a tight rein on the dog and stay within the group of walkers you are with. Shouting and waving ones arms will scare the cattle away but if they get too close go against your instincts and release the dog. The dog will escape and draw off the cattle so you will survive unharmed too.
Finally, you may be aware that Ramblers are in some financial difficulty due to the affects of the recession on income. Groups are asked to reduce their costs which your committee is taking steps to do but without reducing our footpath work or our lead walks programmes. Please understand the reason if this leads to some inconvenience.
On a more prosaic subject, a few words of sound advice from one of our agriculturally experienced members. There have been a few incidents of walkers with dogs being trampled by cattle recently. The advice is to keep a tight rein on the dog and stay within the group of walkers you are with. Shouting and waving ones arms will scare the cattle away but if they get too close go against your instincts and release the dog. The dog will escape and draw off the cattle so you will survive unharmed too.
Finally, you may be aware that Ramblers are in some financial difficulty due to the affects of the recession on income. Groups are asked to reduce their costs which your committee is taking steps to do but without reducing our footpath work or our lead walks programmes. Please understand the reason if this leads to some inconvenience.
CHAIRMAN’S
REPORT: Phil Wilson March 2009
You
won't notice the difference but your new programme will be the first to be
totally produced using Mike Hayter's computerised planning system. The walks
are being sent by Walks Leaders to the Progammers in the format of a proforma
either by email or by post or phone. Thus we have a standardised walks format
which will translate easily to our printed programme, our Group website and the
Ramblers Walks Finder on their website. This will save several people a lot of
work and provide more information and improved accuracy.
The Wilts Area Groups are now looking at the system with Mike and we are hoping that they will adopt the proforma system too. This may take some time as they use different criteria to describe their walks but Joan Crosbee, Area Secretary, is hoping to reduce her workload considerably with the new system. I'd like to thank Mike and the other Programmers for all the hard work they have put into this project.
With many of our members living alone these days it is a good time to consider two ways of preparing for emergencies. One is to keep an emergency bottle in the fridge with your health and contacts details in (go to http://www.lions.org.uk for information) and put a green cross on the fridge door to alert emergency services. Another is to put your personnal emergency contacts in your mobile phone's memory under the title ICE 1, ICE 2, ICE 3 etc. Thus in the case of an accident Emergency Services can contact your relations or friends who need to know about your accident. Remember ICE means "In Case of Emergency" and is being propagated by the Ambulance Service.
Finally, now that Summer is upon us is there anyone who would like to host our Summer Barbecue this year? If you have a good sized garden and room in doors in case of rain we would like to hear from you. We'll do all the catering and arranging etc. If you are interested just call Virginia on 01722 335468. Thanks.
The Wilts Area Groups are now looking at the system with Mike and we are hoping that they will adopt the proforma system too. This may take some time as they use different criteria to describe their walks but Joan Crosbee, Area Secretary, is hoping to reduce her workload considerably with the new system. I'd like to thank Mike and the other Programmers for all the hard work they have put into this project.
With many of our members living alone these days it is a good time to consider two ways of preparing for emergencies. One is to keep an emergency bottle in the fridge with your health and contacts details in (go to http://www.lions.org.uk for information) and put a green cross on the fridge door to alert emergency services. Another is to put your personnal emergency contacts in your mobile phone's memory under the title ICE 1, ICE 2, ICE 3 etc. Thus in the case of an accident Emergency Services can contact your relations or friends who need to know about your accident. Remember ICE means "In Case of Emergency" and is being propagated by the Ambulance Service.
Finally, now that Summer is upon us is there anyone who would like to host our Summer Barbecue this year? If you have a good sized garden and room in doors in case of rain we would like to hear from you. We'll do all the catering and arranging etc. If you are interested just call Virginia on 01722 335468. Thanks.