Doncaster Ramblers

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Minutes of Ramblers Association Doncaster Group

Annual General Meeting – Wednesday 30^th October 2019

7.00pm The Ridgewood, Edenthorpe

Attendance: David Gadd, , David Horne, Cynthia Elvidge, Jim Elvidge, Peter Rowsell, Sue Robertson, Steve Robertson, Dennis Neale, Tony Liversidge, Bob Carlisle, Dave Binnington, Kim Binnington, Peter Gravestock, Norman Lewis and Martin Wyman.

Apologies: Tony Marsh.

1. Approval of minutes of the 2018 AGM: Proposed: David Gadd. Seconded: Steve Robertson. Approved by the meeting.

2. Matters arising from the 2018 AGM: There were no matters arising.

3. Chair’s annual report.

From David Gadd

The walking programme has continued to be very successful. As you are aware we offer walks of around 10 miles on Tuesdays and Saturdays, a programme of 2+ hour walks on Thursday mornings, a programme of 5-6 walks every 6 months for DMBC as part of their Get Doncaster Moving campaign, and a series of 3-5 walks for carers as part of the Stepping Out carers' walks project, funded by National Lottery through Sport England. We aim to provide a good programme of walks for serious walkers but also to encourage people new to walking to discover the joys - physically, socially and emotionally. We think we’re doing this very successfully.

Both the Tuesday and Saturday walks continue to be highly successful, with 30+ usually walking on Tuesdays and around 20 on Saturdays. The shorter walks programmes have achieved varying degrees of success. Our Thursday morning walks during the summer attracted an average of twelve walkers, many current members but with some newcomers. We have decided to reduce the weekly summer programme to two walks per month in the winter. Generally, the Get Doncaster Moving walks have been disappointing, with less publicity from DMBC than we expected. This year the carers’ programme was much-reduced due to funding not being arranged until mid-way through the year. There is also an issue in that we have designed short walks that finish in a very attractive venue like the Yorkshire Wildlife Park or Wentworth House. On these occasions the lure of the venue is greater than the lure of a walk and very few carers have walked. We hope that by altering the design of the programme for 2020 we will create more opportunities for carers who actually want to walk. We will have a series of six outings for carers, with three to a ‘lure’ venue, with only a small number of walkers expected and therefore supported by only 2-3 of us. The other three outings will be specifically for carers who want to walk and will not end at a ‘lure’ venue. We hope that these walks will be supported by 6-8 of us.

The coach trip in 2019 was to Pateley Bridge, with short, medium and long walks of varying lengths offered. The short walk of 6.5 miles was led by Norman and Elaine and took in a number of industrial heritage sights. Peter’s 9-mile walk made its up along the Nidderdale Way and on to Brimham Rocks, with the return through Smelthouses and alongside the Nidd. Dave and Bob also started along the Nidderdale Way and to Brimham Rocks but branched off to Summerbridge before climbing to Abraham Crags before returning to complete a 12 mile walk with 2000 feet of ascent. Everyone had time to explore Pateley Bridge before the return journey, during which the results of the quiz were given, the edible prizes were shared with the rest of the group and thanks offered to all who had contributed to a great day out. Thanks are offered to the leaders of the walks and to Dave and Bob for their impeccable organisation. Coach trips are about much more than the walking, brilliant though it invariably is, with plenty of time to enjoy the company of others.

We have continued to achieve a lot of publicity in the Doncaster Free Press, with frequent full-page articles with walk descriptions, two or three photos and a referral to our website. There are frequently items in the free magazines which are distributed in different parts of Doncaster. The most interesting item of publicity this year was the article about Betty Donald, headlined ‘Walking Saved my Life’; Betty had had a serious health issue about 30 years ago and credits walking with enabling her to lead a normal life again. Thanks Betty for sharing that part of your life with us.

Membership figures on 1st October for the last three years were: 2017 - 208, 2018, 230, 2019 - 225. The huge increase in members in 2018 has never been properly explained. We held a successful walking festival in May, 2018 but didn’t feel that it led to an increase in members. However, looking around on walks we always see a significant number of recently-joined members, evidence that the group is very much ‘alive’.

The website continues to provide a lot of information on the group. The number of walks which have a photographic record and a written report has increased, with the Thursday and Saturday walks usually having a record in addition to the Tuesday walks. Thanks in particular to Peter Rowsell for entering photos for many Thursday walks and to Steven Ruffles, and sometimes Trevor, for doing the same for Saturday walks. I thank also Martin, with assistance from Peter Gravestock, for keeping the website up-to-date with reports and minutes. The number of members taking photographs, writing reports and entering them on the website has increased - a very healthy situation. In addition Peter Rowsell puts photos on our Facebook account.

Thanks are offered to everyone who contributes to the successful running of the group, to the members of the committee, all of whom contribute time and effort in making the group successful. Also, of course to every walk leader and back-marker - we can’t function without you! However, we could always do with a few more walk leaders; it is not unreasonable to expect regular walkers to lead one or two walks in every programme.

I’d like to offer a special thank you to Lee Welsh, who acted as walking co-ordinator the the Thursday walks programme of shorter walks, Lee is standing down from this role so we do need a replacement.

4. Rights of Way Committee annual report.

From Martin Wyman

So far this year Ramblers have walked 345 rights of way in the DMBC Area. I’d just like to request square walkers to send their reports in as soon as possible please. Both Julie Guest and myself have to record all footpath reports in order to track where we are, and it’s good to get the bulk of the work done before Christmas festivities really build up.

There is a footpath Claim for Seven Yards Road in Armthorpe that has been pending since 2007. After yet another PROW Forum where the Claim had still not been submitted to PINS I took advice from Eugene Suggett, Senior Policy Officer at CO who thought there was a case to answer. As a result, using words provided by Eugene with specific local information added, In sent an email to the Cabinet member responsible, copying the CEO, indicating that Ramblers believed there was a legal case to answer. This is ongoing and I await the November PROW Forum with interest.

In addition Tony Marsh and myself have been waging a ‘campaign’ to open up Thorpe in Balne 2 and 13 to walkers. I don’t think these have been walkable since Ramblers have been involved but due to a quirk – the most severe problem area is in the corner of three squares – have never been properly reported. The Volunteers have so far installed a gate on the northen end of TinB2 in Thorpe in Balne itself but Stuart Horrocks has delayed additional work on several occasions. So this is a good point to hand over to Tony, the man who actually does the work.

From Tony Marsh

Maintenance.

Arrangements for our monthly volunteer sessions have been slightly disrupted this year due to several unexpected circumstances. We are very much dependent on Stuart Horrocks at DMBC Rights of Way, who arranges necessary transport to get materials to different locations. It would be impossible to do many of the repairs without this facility and his availability is an important factor. On a couple of occasions Stuart's other commitments have meant that we have had to cancel or re-arrange a session. However, our work parties have still managed to meet on eight occasions so far this year to carry out a variety of tasks in different locations throughout the borough.

Here is a brief outline of the work done in 2019.

In January We were in Tickhill where our chairman, David Gadd, who lives on the doorstep, turned up to see if we were doing things correctly! He even managed to get himself on one of the photographs - which is rare. He also pretended to look busy - but no one was fooled.

I have to tell you that Tickhill is a no-go area for one of our volunteers, David Churchill, who some five years ago was working on the installation of a kissing gate on Castle Fields. He had unwisely left his rucksack containing his lunch, partially open, at the side of the path where we were working, only to see a dog called Baxter, who belonged to the Chairman of the Tickhill Footpath Group, finishing off his lunch! The kissing gate was aptly named 'Baxter Gate'.

Little work was carried out in February and March so our next session was in April at Sprotbrough/Cadeby involving the erection of a number of way mark posts on the TPT. This was part of a project instigated by Warmsworth Parish Council. A team of 8 volunteers were involved.

After a blank May, we were out at Bawtry in June, and Thorpe in Balne in July and August. September saw us in Moss, fitting two 'dog gates' at the request of the public and this month, we were due to carry out work last week and today (30th October) in Sykehouse. Unfortunately both these sessions had to be cancelled at the last minute.

In summary, despite the various set-backs we still managed to:

- fit/repair 7 stiles and 3 gates

- Erect 18 way-mark posts

- Use 40 bags of cement

- Work for 145 man- hours

I would like to add that other commitments have meant that Peter Rowsell and Neil Holmes have been unable to join us this year on any of our volunteer sessions. They have been missed.

One off shoot of these sessions is that stiles, gates and posts are now viewed in a different light. I have seen Charlie Pratt lining up our way mark posts with electricity pylons to see if they are vertical - the pylons that is! I have also overheard Bob and Dave discussing whether a stile tread is the correct height at 8 or 9 inches! Perhaps sad in some ways but encouraging in other ways.

Footpath Checking.

Several changes have been made since the last AGM.

Richard Shelton has taken over 59 NW, Braithwell/ Conisborough Parks from Diane Scolari, although Diane is still checking 2 squares as well as doing 20 Munroe's each year!

Martin Vincent has taken over 50 NE, Bentley/ Arksey after considerable pressure!

Steven Ruffles is now responsible for 61 NW, Sykehouse/Fenwick

Dave and Bob now cover Cantley/Armthorpe which was Wendy Atkinson's old square . Wendy has moved down South. Neil Thornton has taken on 60 NW, Armthorpe/ Barnby Dunn from Bob and Dave.

Finally, before closing ..... I am still unable to persuade George to volunteer for anything despite my extensive efforts!

5. Treasurer’s annual report.

From David Horne.

The 2018 / 2019 financial year has been another good year for the group. The bank balance remains healthy, as at 30/9/19 standing at £3128.11. However, as last year a grant has been paid to the group of £2600 for financing Doncaster Carers group outings. Most of this amount has not as yet been spent therefore the bank balance will drop dramatically once bills and expense claims arrive.

Other sources of income are similar to previous years. The income from our Walks Programme advertisers was down from last year due to the loss of two advertisers. Ramblers Holidays Walking Partnership provided £210.00 for the group, slightly down on last year. The group coach trip to Pateley Bridge in June was financially successful. Income from coach fares was £490 against the coach hire charge of £385.00. An increased amount of SYNED Area Funding was notable this year.

The Unity Bank are now making a small charge for paying in cash and cheques over the counter.

Finally my thanks to all committee members for all their hard work during the last financial year. I am happy to stand again as Treasurer for the next financial year.

6. Election of officers

David Gadd Introduced the election of Officers.

7. Any Other Business.

None

The meeting closed at 20:06