STOKE LODGE RAMBLERS AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2015
Chairman’s Remarks
Hello Everyone
This is the third of the electronic newsletters we are producing each Autumn
and Spring. They will be available on the Newsletters page of the SLR Website
and also via bcc email to members.
The idea is to give members a quick update of happenings in the club over the
last three months [since the Summer Newsletter] and remind everyone of
coming events.
On August 25th your committee met to discuss and decide upon a number of
issues:1] Annual Weekend 2015, at Haytor HF on Dartmoor 9th - 12th October
33 members are going on this year’s weekend holiday (an HF Guided Walks
package) after a couple of withdrawals (for health and family reasons) and the
late inclusion of a couple with previous experience of the Haytor venue. We have
now paid HF for the week-end and I’m awaiting joining instructions and walks
details which I’ll communicate to all those going. I intend to “tailor” the walks to
members walking capabilities!
As covered in the Summer Newsletter, we have booked next year’s holiday with
Secret Hills Walking for the weekend of 7th - 10th October 2016 at the
Trehoylan Manor Hotel, St Ives, Cornwall. The Winter Newsletter in December
will include further details and deadline dates for signing up for this holiday.
2] 2015 AGM and Social, Saturday 31st October.7.30pm at Highgrove
Church, Sea Mills
You will be receiving joining details and notice documentation for the AGM in the
post in early October. This will include the Club’s membership renewal forms for
2016 and we have decided to keep the Annual Membership fee at its present
level of £8/year – such good value! Our Treasurer, Sue, has requested members
pay by cheque or direct bank transfer as per instructions on the form, rather
than by cash on the evening.
The evening will follow the normal format:- Chairman’s Report, Financial Report,
Walks Co-ordinators’ Reports, Election of New Committee Members, Future
Club Events and an Open Debate on the future of the Annual Coach Outing . The
meeting will be followed by an American supper so could you please bring along a
savoury dish. Desserts will be provided as usual by the committee members with
drinks available from the bar. There will be no entry charge for the event or
your first drink but members will be asked to make a small donation for
subsequent drinks.
There will be 2 vacancies to fill on the new Committee as both Pam Porter and
Chris Budd have decided to stand down next year. I thank both of them
personally for their excellent service to the committee, especially Pam who has
represented the Club’s “short” walkers very well over the last few years. If you
want to get more involved in the Club’s activities and would like to join the
committee please speak to any of the committee members- you will be made very
welcome!
.
3] Christmas Walk and Lunches
Thanks to Wendy and Gordon Wise, we have now arranged the venue and walks
for the 2015 Christmas event –this will be on Thursday 10th December at the
Kendleshire Golf Club, Coalpit Heath.
Wendy and Gordon will be leading 2 short walks from the Golf Club for those
wanting some exercise before the meal. Full details of these walks, the menu on
offer, costs, deadline timings and how to pay, are included in the flyer attached
to this Newsletter. Early registration is advised for what is always a popular
event in our Club’s calendar. I hope you will support the event in good numbers.
A hard copy of the flyer will be posted out in early October to all members along
with the AGM papers and it is also on the SLR Website - News Update page.
4] Financial Position
Sue reported that the club remains in very good shape financially after payment
of known current expenses. Full details of the Club’s accounts and the reasons
for this healthy position will be presented by Sue at the AGM and the accounts
will have undergone the scrutiny of our auditor by then! Given our healthy
financial position the committee is now looking for ideas from the membership to
spend (modest) amounts on walking related activities and hardware. We shall be
investigating the costs for example of “sponsoring” another local Kissing Gate
(with a suitable plaque) in addition to the one now at Compton Martin which
celebrated our 30th Anniversary as a walking club. If you have any innovative
ideas please raise them at the AGM.
5] Summer Coach Outing to Teignmouth, South Devon, Sunday 14th June
The event was attended by 37 members (including friends) and we all enjoyed a
good day out in fine weather. Both the medium walk (led by Liz Hall and Lorna
Renshaw) and long walk (led by myself) were well supported and enjoyed but the
short walk (led by event organiser Rosanne Carwardine) was poorly supported.
Rosanne has raised concerns as to whether this situation is sustainable and asks
if a re-think of the walks format for the Coach Outing is needed. Your
committee debated the issue and agreed to consult members at the forthcoming
AGM to explore other options. So that is what we plan to do. If you have any
constructive ideas about this annual activity please share them at the AGM.
6] Walks Programme for 2016
At the AGM there will be the usual “Walks Table” where our 2 Walks Coordinators, Margaret Ruse and Rosanne Carwardine, will be collecting walk offers
from leaders for the period January to June 2016. So if you feel able to offer
your services as a leader please see them at the meeting. The Club is especially
keen to get new leaders to come forward and will give whatever support they
need. (See item below on Walks Leadership Training).
More immediately we are looking for volunteers to organise the New Year’s Day
Walk/Meal event on 1st January 2016 so if you know of a good local pub that
does food and are willing to organise the event please let me know.
The committee would like to put on record its immense gratitude and thanks to
all of the existing walks leaders for their help in leading our walks –without them
the club wouldn’t exist in its present healthy state or have a Walks Programme!
7] Publicity in the Bristol 9 Magazine.
Margaret Ruse has re-worded our entry in the Bristol 9 magazine in an attempt
to attract new members interested in walking. This new entry should appear in
the September issue of Bristol 9. We also intend to insert something similar in
other local, free publications.
8] Walks Leaders Training revisited.
David Hayes has kindly offered to re-run the Walks Leadership Course that he
ran for us during 2014. David would need a minimum of 6 people for this to be
worthwhile so if you are interested in learning how to lead walks for the first
time or to brush up your existing skills please let David or I know.
9] DATE FOR YOUR 2016 DIARY -Spring Social, SATURDAY APRIL 9th
2016 at Highgrove Church.
Margaret Ruse has organised Richard Cornock, aka the Funky Farmer, to speak
at our next Spring Social. He will talk about the farming year and the
relationship between farmers and ramblers! Richard, who is a farmer in
Gloucestershire, gave an interesting and engaging talk to Bristol Ramblers
recently with excellent feedback.
Best regards
Neville Brewis
August 27th 2015
Mary Cross, Obituary by Margaret Ruse
Members who knew her well will be sad to hear of the death of Mary Cross on
July 28th 2015 after a long fight against cancer. Mary remained at home until
the last week of her life when she was admitted to St. Peter’s Hospice, where
she died peacefully at the age of 81. Until the final stages of her illness, few
people would have thought she had passed her four score years. She was active
in body and mind, liked dressing in bright colours and retained her wicked sense
of humour.
Mary joined Stoke Lodge Ramblers in 2001 and had been a member of Bristol
Ramblers for many years before that (and for long before I met her). Walking
had always formed a large part of her life, especially during her busy working
life as a cookery demonstrator for British Gas.
Mary was a volunteer steward at St. George’s Bristol, a role she greatly enjoyed
until just a few months before she died.
Her funeral was held on Wednesday 26th August at 12 noon at South Bristol
Crematorium, Bedminster Down, followed by light refreshments at All Saint’s
Church Hall, Pembroke Road, Clifton .
Margaret Ruse.