Newsletters

Spring 2012

Chairperson's Remarks

As the newly elected Chairman of our club I must first of all, on behalf of the committee, say a couple of words of thanks. The first goes to Val Morgan. Throughout Val’s three year term as our Chairperson, her steadfast dedication with professional attitude has helped keep the club really well on track. The second thank you must go to Peter Morgan. With sheer hard work and determination, Peter has provided another invaluable input to the club in many different ways. This has been very much appreciated by all of the Committee. A great team effort!

The committee would also like to extend a warm welcome to Andrew Shelley. With Andrew’s expert knowledge of mapping and local landscape I know he will be providing a great all round contribution to the club.

We have four new club members to welcome on board, Charlotte Cordingley, Beryl Kelsall, Yvette Ibbotson and Julie Whitehead. I would like to say big warm welcome to each and every one of you.

Matters arising from the AGM

Health and Safety - To comply with the club’s insurance, we now have to provide supplementary Risk Management Guidance for Walk Leaders. Please do not be alarmed by the sound of this. It is basically common sense, which, I know is already being applied by our Walk Leaders.

Health and Safety Officer - Another requirement is for the club to have a person nominated as the Health and Safety Representative. Peter Morgan has very kindly agreed to undertake the role of the club’s Health and Safety Representative. Walk Leaders or any club members can contact Peter for safety advice or to report an accident.

Petrol Money - After discussion at the AGM, it was decided to keep the present donation of £3 per person plus extra to share any parking charges as and when required.

Subscriptions - Due to the rising cost of Public Liability Insurance the club has deemed it necessary to increase cost of membership. The cost is now £5 per year single and £8 family. This is the first increase of subscriptions for eight years! If you have not already paid your subscription for 2012 than please forward your cheque to Di Howe with cheques payable to Buxton Rambling Club. Your prompt payment will ensure you remain on the mailing list.

The Summer walks programme now has some excellent longer walks included. Many Sundays will now have a choice of three grades, so there are walks to suit all abilities. The summer walks are graded from Easy (5 to 8mls) all the way through to Severe (18 mls plus). A big thank you for our varied Summer Programme must go to our Rambles Secretary, Di Howe and also all our walk leaders for their efforts in helping Di to put together such a comprehensive listing. Another great team effort!

Enjoy your walking and please remember to always ensure you always carry an adequate amount of water with you to avoid the danger of de-hydration.

John Moss
Chairman
Buxton Rambling Club

Autumn 2011

Chairperson's Remarks

As I sit in the garden in my sandals it seems more like a summer newsletter than an Autumn one. I hope you all made the most of it as we’re in Buxton and by the time you read this letter, it might be snowing!

As is usual, I welcome our new members, Sandy Crolla, Keith and Diane Danvers, Dianne Hargreaves, Martin Hughes, Karey Lucas- Hughes, their children Robyn and Alex and last but not least and Paula Pheasey. I hope you enjoy a long and fruitful time with the club.

For those new members, this will be the first and last of my newsletters as I will be standing down from the position of Chairperson to hand over to fresh blood. I have held this position proudly for the past three years but all good things must come to an end and with work commitments taking an ever increasing amount of my time, I feel it is time to take a step back. I would like to thank the committee who have supported me during this time. Their tireless work in organising programmes, social events and weekends away take hours of time and dedication and without this our club would not exist. One person who I would particularly like to mention is Denis Gurner, a past chairman, whose experience and knowledge have been invaluable.

Happy walking
Val

Spring 2011

Chairperson's Remarks

After a long grey winter which thankfully didn’t carry on as it started in November, I now find myself writing this letter, sitting  in the garden covered in suntan lotion! Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come and not our allocation of summer.

The AGM this year was very well attended with extra seating having to be added to accommodate all the diners, my thanks to all for your support. Special thanks must go to all of the committee members for their hard work as without them the club would not function. Manick has decided to stand down from the committee and I thank her for her time served. I welcome Pat who was voted on to committee at the AGM.

Membership has once again risen and I welcome new members, A Shelley, M Spencer, S Armstrong, R Gregory, S Maunder, J Cook and S Bene to our club. I hope you will all enjoy walking with us.

Sadly this year, as in other years, we have lost members of our club. Four long term members have passed away. These were, Chris’s dad Eric, C Goddard, N Hambleton and J Baker. Many of us newer members didn’t have the pleasure of walking with these members but they were all good core members of the club and will be sadly missed.

A polite reminder to pack plastic bags for when it’s wet and you’re in someone else’s car. (The ubiquitous charity, door to door collection bags are ideal for this purpose.)

Helen is now taking orders for club polo shirts, sweatshirts and fleeces. To look at sizes and colours, visit www.acworkwear.com or click on the link on our website. Prices will be as the website plus VAT, rounded up a little.

Whilst on the subject of websites, Paul is still keen to start sending future programmes and newsletters to willing members by e-mail, so keeping costs down and saving paper. If you would be interested in opting into this scheme please e-mail your details to Paul via the website or pass them to a committee member.

Last but not least, subscriptions are now due (£4 per person or £6 per family). A tick in the box below indicates that you’ve not yet paid. Please send cheques, (payable to Buxton Rambling Club) to D Howe. Remember, not only does your subscription gain you entry to our wonderful club but also gets you discount at many outdoor equipment retailers in the town. Just show your card when paying.

Happy walking
Val

Autumn 2010

Chairperson’s Remarks

It’s not until you start making a note of the weather during our Sunday walks that you realise just how lucky we are. Pete (it must be something to do with his age!) has done just that and, since the beginning of the current programme, only seven times have we had to don waterproofs and some of those were hardly worth the bother. I think more rain fell in the first 200 yards of Andy’s “Around Eccles”walk than fell in the rest of the walks put together!

Our club continues to grow in numbers and I welcome Eddie and Carol (whom many of you will know from the weekends away), Jill, Stephanie, Alan, Marie, Adrian, Jenny and Janet. All strong walkers and welcome additions to our club, a warm welcome to you all.

Some of you may have noticed that the club website is more up to date than previously. This welcome change has come about due to the hard work and expertise of Paul. He has been able to re-write the website so that it can be updated by him quickly and easily so enabling walk changes, different leaders etc. to be published. I know this has come as somewhat of a relief to Helen and Peter who spent many hours in the past getting nowhere fast trying to update the website (talk about the blind leading the blind!). Have a look at the website on a regular basis if you can as all changes to the programme are on there. Paul is looking into the possibility of e-mailing future programmes and newsletters to willing members, so keeping costs down and saving paper. If you would be interested in opting into this scheme please e-mail your details to Paul via the website.

One other thing to mention, on a couple of occasions this year a walk has been cancelled at the last minute. On one of these occasions a possible new member turned up to join us and was left standing on her own not knowing who to contact. If you are unable to lead your walk, please organise someone to lead it on your behalf. If this really isn’t possible please contact Paul so that he can notify everybody via the website.

Happy walking,
Val

Spring 2010

Chairperson’s Remarks

Thankfully, the worst of the winter weather now seems to be behind us and Spring is on the way, (but this is Buxton so don't hold your breath!).

Although the winter was the worst many of us can remember, it confirmed the resilience of club members, who put on their thermals and long socks to keep walking. Not a week went by without there being a walk of some description and this was due in no small part to John who led us three weeks running (if we wanted to go or not!) Thanks John.

My thanks must go to all of the committee members, without whom the club would not function. Two of these members have decided to stand down from committee and I must thank them on behalf of the club for their dedication and hard work over their time in office.

Elizabeth joined the committee as social secretary back in 2004 and served in that capacity for 3 years. She has since been a stalwart member of the committee.

The other member to resign is Jean who took over the onerous task of social secretary last year. Jean had been a committee member for the previous year and we thank her for all her hard work and dedication to a job which is not always easy.

The role of social secretary has been taken by John and the vacant place on committee has been filled by Paul.

Membership continues to grow, with five new members joining since my last letter. A very warm welcome goes to Anne, Pauline, John (Elizabeth’s Dad), Kay (who seems to stay mud-free whatever the conditions!) and Shaun.

Whilst on the topic of members, one of our more senior members, Nora is now residing in Derby House. Nora would love a visit from any of you who know her.

Last but not least, subscriptions are now due (£4 per person or £6 per family). Please send cheques, payable to Buxton Rambling Club, to Di. Remember, not only does your subscription gain you entry to our wonderful club but also gets you discount at many outdoor equipment retailers in the town. Just show your card when paying.

Happy walking,
Val.