Minutes of the Committee Meeting of Newark Ramblers held at Oscar’s Baldertongate on Wednesday 15 January 2025
Present Alan Burrell Chair
Brigid Murphy Secretary
Margaret Shaw Treasurer
Chris Small Membership Secretary
Caroline Lee Walks Coordinator
Stephen Swanwick Assistant Walks Coordinator
Dave Johnson Footpaths Officer
Judy Price Maps Secretary
Jacqui Anderson Social Secretary
Peter Robinson Committee Member
1 Introduction and apologies
Apologies from Adele Burrell and James McGill.
2 Minutes of last meeting – matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda
All action points have been completed. Adele has been in touch with Joyce and is taking over from her as Print Media contact. There was a big spread in the Newark Advertiser about Newark Ramblers last week. Joyce’s contact at the paper originally wanted to feature some of our walks in future issues but, on learning that they were often at some distance from Newark, has now decided against that. Some Wellbeing walks will possibly be featured instead.
3 Reports from Officers
Individual reports from officers had been circulated in advance and gave rise to the following points. [Note: Brigid holds the reports and will supply copies on request.]
The next Area Council meeting is on 21 January.
The Area Rights of Way meeting the previous evening considered changes to paths around Coddington arising from a new development. It is difficult to walk into Newark from Coddington despite its being so close. Dave has been invited to two meetings, one of the Active Travel Group and one of Coddington Parish Council. Committee agreed that he should attend both on behalf of Newark Ramblers.
Dave wanted to put out a call to members to help with recce-ing paths affected by the GNR Solar Farm in preparation for the next stage of the consultation. He would send Brigid a note to add to the Newsletter before issue. Brigid would also highlight the request in her covering email to members.
Following payment of a recent recce mileage expense, Newark Ramblers funds held are currently £276.13.
Action Points:
Dave to provide Brigid with wording to be added to the Newsletter awaiting issue, asking members to walk paths affected by the GNR Solar Farm and comment back to him.
4 Correspondence
A walk leader had raised the possibility with Caroline of incorporating an Air Ambulance charity walk in a longer Newark Ramblers walk. The Committee view was that this was likely to be contrary to the financial rules of the Ramblers as it would constitute fundraising for another charity, and funds raised by Ramblers can only legally be put towards the charitable purposes of Ramblers. The decision was that Newark group would leave that day unfilled on the walks programme so members could attend the Air Ambulance walk if they wished, but would not include it as a Ramblers walk. The walk leader could draw attention to the Air Ambulance event on the social WhatsApp group.
Chris had received correspondence from a new member who was hoping to introduce Framework Housing clients to wellbeing walks and suggesting to them the possibility of joining Ramblers and attending Newark Ramblers walks if this was an activity they enjoyed. The meeting felt this was a good opportunity for our group and served as a reminder that walk leaders should be encouraged to consider timing their walks to fit with public transport timetables where feasible. The Winthorpe and Collingham wellbeing walks are accessible by public transport and Peter will add this to the description for future months.
Newark and Sherwood Council invited representatives from Newark Ramblers to the Plough Sunday procession and Joyce Pedersen attended for the group.
Action Points:
Caroline to advise walk leader of committee decision on Air Ambulance walk.
Chris to respond positively on the subject of welcoming Framework Housing clients on our walks.
6 Nottinghamshire Area AGM 2 February - update
Alan and Adele will now be able to attend, and help with serving and clearing up at lunch-time. Joyce has confirmed that people responded to the recent email asking for volunteers – there are now enough people to help on the day.
Five people have volunteered to help with cake-making and we probably need 10 cakes, so the request for additional cake-makers will stay in the newsletter. Brigid will add a reminder to members attending the AGM to bring cash if they want to sample the cakes, and ask Joyce to suggest to Area that a similar prompt should be included in the advert.
Peter’s walk has been put on Walks Manager with an addendum that it’s one of three walks of varying lengths starting at different times. As the other two walks are being led by Collingham group that is probably all we as a group can do to advertise the walks.
Quiz sheets are being prepared to put out on the tables.
7 Maps Library
Judy had brought the maps to the meeting for a decision about what should be done with them. The last time a map was borrowed was in 2023. We have a good and interesting selection of maps including Pathfinder maps, which are large scale and no longer produced. It is a shame that they are shut away and not used more. The meeting decided that we would retain them and make an effort to publicise their existence by email, WhatsApp and in person on walks, but would not buy more as this would not be a good use of our funds when they are so rarely used.
Action Points:
Brigid to include a reminder about the maps library in the next walks programme email.
Caroline to post something about the maps library in the Recces and Walking WhatsApp group.
All to consider mentioning the maps library to walkers at the start of and during group walks
8 Next meeting and dates for July and September meetings
The next meeting is on Wednesday 19 March at Oscar’s Baldertongate. Judy gave apologies in advance. Margaret might not be able to make it but will confirm nearer the time.
The venue has confirmed that they can accommodate the meetings on Mondays on 21 July and 15 September so those dates are now definite.
9 AOB
- Newsletter
The draft of the newsletter was approved and will go out to members once Brigid has added a link to the committee minutes on the website as well as the GNR note to be supplied by Dave.
- Governance Model Review
Alan has been invited to and will attend an online volunteer engagement session for group leaders in February.
- Safety on walks
The official advice from Ramblers is that there should be one walk leader for every six walkers, and the question was raised as to whether we should appoint “middle markers” as well as back markers on walks with larger numbers of people attending. The meeting decided that this would be difficult to achieve and, especially as we usually have a number of registered walk leaders attending every walk, it should be possible to make sure people look after each other in a more informal way. It would be good practice for the walk leader to remind everyone at the start of each walk to keep an eye on the people in front of and behind them to ensure everyone’s safety.
There has been some concern from walk leaders about individual walkers who have been struggling to cope with the distance or terrain on recent walks. Caroline has asked Brigid to put the description of walk levels from Walks Manager out to the membership so that people know what to expect from a walk before going on it, in the hope that this will encourage them to look at the description and the level before registering, rather than just the mileage. Walk leaders should not be afraid to take someone off a walk and assign someone to accompany them back to the start where they think this is necessary. Where they think some walkers might struggle, eg if there is a steep hill, they should also consider mentioning the particular terrain at the start of the walk and giving people the opportunity to back out.
Action Points:
Caroline to issue advice to walk leaders to remind people at the start of walks that they should be looking out for each other.
Brigid to send an email to membership in a week’s time (to allow a gap between issue of the newsletter and this email) containing a description of the different walk levels.
BM
16 Jan. 25