East Surrey Walkers' AGM 2020

REPORTS

CHAIR'S REPORT

This is my final Chair’s report, this AGM being when I finish my 3 years as Chair. It has been a very rewarding time, quite busy but with a lot of positives for me personally, and for the group. My first report to the AGM, in November 2018, referred to the busy year we had dealing with GDPR, while my second report, in November 2019, focused on celebrating our walk leaders’ good work and the creation of our Walks Library. It also looked forward to 2020 when we intended to celebrate the work of our various footpath teams and work parties, as well as the possibility of the creation of the ‘Cutting Crew’, a work party to deal with vegetation clearance on footpaths.

Sadly, you will know that these things couldn’t take place and we have been wrapped up dealing with the effects of Covid-19, both on a personal level, and for the group.

But before the lockdown came, we had our regular New Year’s lunch with good food and enjoyable entertainment, catching up with friends, little realising this would be our last get-together during 2020. In February, we had the Surrey Area AGM where ESW were awarded the recruitment cup for the largest increase in membership of any group in Surrey, at that time having over 500 members.

Then, on March 23rd, came lockdown and in the months that followed we had to cancel our Walk with London Blind, Cream Team, BBQ and Autumn Social. Some of our group holidays were cancelled and moved to next year.
During the period of lockdown, I took over primary responsibility for putting out 12 weeks of ‘Lockdown News’ in place of our Noticeboards, and I was very grateful for the help that various members gave me to produce those with humour, poems and photos. Particular thanks go to Sarah D, Gordon G, Tony P, Adam W, Rosie B, Brian S, Steve H, and Alice B. In preparing this report I have re-read these ‘Lockdown News’ and really enjoyed reviewing what people were doing.

Then, at the beginning of August, Ramblers Central Office gave permission to re-start group walks, although with various restrictions – pre-booking, risk assessments and numbers limited to 30, as well as the usual Covid precaution measures. At this stage Liz W took over as our acting Walks Co-Ordinator and she, Nigel P and I put in a lot of work to get group walks going again. Liz will give you more details in her report.

Later in this meeting you will be electing your new Committee, but there is one other change that, although mentioned in Noticeboards recently, deserves to be mentioned here too. Adam W has for years played a huge role within the group, most recently, during my time , as assistant webmaster. He decided that the time had come for him to pass this baton on to someone else.

We are very lucky that not just one but two people have come forward to take on this role and, indeed, possibly some other technology based roles within the group, Karen F and Carolyn S. They both have backgrounds in software development and have only been members of ESW for less than two years. We are grateful to them in anticipation of the great work they will do for us and, of course, very grateful to Adam for all the work he has done in the past.

To finish, I have to give my huge thanks to all of those who have helped and supported me as Chair over the past 3 years. There are so many of you that I should just publish the whole database of members to include all of you, but I can’t. If I don’t mention you here, please don’t think that I haven’t valued you – your kind words have kept my spirits up when the going has been tough. There are so many people who help behind the scenes too, you all have my thanks.

But those who have been closest by my side deserve particular mention:
    - Pauline G – my right-hand woman, always ready with helpful suggestions filled with humour, and under whose guidance, as membership secretary, our group has expanded to its largest size;
    - Pamela C – my left-hand woman, who has filled the role of publicity officer with enthusiasm and prolific writing of articles for local magazines – she too deserves credit for our increase in membership;
    - Robert C – our treasurer, who is a rock you can rely on. Not only has he kept our finances solid but he has been able to explain them to us in ways we can understand;
    - Janette R – our secretary who volunteered when she was a very new member and has been a great participant in our vision – and who is now willing to carry on the good work by moving over to be membership secretary as Pauline has to step down;
    - Christine S – our social secretary who followed Pamela in this role, very big shoes to fill – but she has done this with apparent ease, and she and her husband, Ian, have been so generous in hosting various functions at their home;
    - Helen W – our walks coordinator for most of the time of my being in the Chair, whose enthusiasm for the role no one could doubt and who was tireless in encouraging members to become leaders and to put on walks;
    - Liz W – last in, but by no means least, our acting walks coordinator without whom we would still not be putting on group walks. Liz, you don’t know how much your being willing to step in at short notice has meant to me.

Many of you know my wife, Alice – and of course I couldn’t have done any of this without her support, advice and forbearance. Thank you, Alice.

Judy Brua Chair

TREASURER'S REPORT

Our finances over the last year reflect the reduction in activity in the group as a consequence of Covid-19 and the lockdown. In particular, having received additional finance from the RA towards the purchase of new kissing gates, none were installed. This has left us with a larger amount of funds at the year-end than normal and, in order to preserve the extra money for spending in future years, the Committee has decided to designate a further £2,000 to the Kissing Gates Fund. Further, our request for Group Funding for the next year has been reduced to only cover our anticipated regular expenditure.

The cash balance held by the group, as at 30th September 2020, was £4,880.32. Dealing with the different funds in turn:

General Fund
We received the Group Funding that we applied for of £2,000. As already mentioned, this amount was higher than in previous years in order to finance the purchase of additional kissing gates. Advertising income, which normally comes from HF Holidays Ltd and Ramblers Worldwide Holidays Ltd for advertising in our programmes, was reduced to £200 because we only produced programmes for the first two quarters of the year. However, we received increased income of £470 from Ramblers Worldwide Holidays Ltd by way of rebates from members of our group booking holidays with them. I would remind members that, if they book holidays with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays Ltd, to sign up on booking for the Walking Partnership and register their membership of the group so that we can receive a rebate.

Our expenditure was limited to volunteers’ expenses for footpath maintenance work, when this was allowed, AGM and general administrative expenses. A number of volunteers donated their expenses to the Kissing Gates Fund, raising an additional £89.47 for the Fund.
As mentioned above, the Committee has decided to designate £2,000 of excess funds from the General Fund to the Kissing Gates Fund for the purchase of gates in future years.

Kissing Gates Fund
This Fund is to enable kissing gates to be acquired to replace stiles in our area, following Surrey County Council expenditure cutbacks. As no further gates have been purchased during the year, and also including the additional £2,000 designated from the General Fund, the total amount in the Kissing Gates Fund, as at the year-end, stood at £3,368.46.

Social Funds
The aim of our Social Funds is to even out surpluses and deficits on our social activities during the year. In the last year there were only two major social events that had any effect on the Funds, the Autumn Social and the New Year Lunch. Total funds now stand at £689.13, which acts as a cushion to pay deposits on future events; also, to cover either future events that show a deficit or lost deposits on events that are cancelled.

Holiday Funds
These arise from holidays and weekends away that are organised by the group and are all aimed to be financially self-balancing. Any surplus which arises on a holiday from discounts given by the holiday company are generally refunded to the participants, either by a direct reduction for everybody, or by means of a prize draw during the holiday. There is a small accumulated surplus carried forward of £39.56.

Ken's Krew
A cash float is maintained by the organiser, Barbara Bulman, in order to re-imburse the travel expenses of the volunteers. This is topped up as necessary from the General Fund.

Robert Coupland Treasurer

For a copy of the signed Accounts please click HERE

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY'S REPORT

Membership at 30th Sept 2019 = 494
Membership at 30th Sept 2020 = 474 (with an additional 13 pending payment).

This has been an amazing recovery from a low of 461 in the lockdown period with members choosing not to renew their membership as we were unable to offer our usual walk programme. This trend was nationwide but I am really pleased to say that we have finished on a high note with a record breaking 15 new members in September. We are not yet back to our 2019 membership total but our restart walk programme has certainly been a great success.

New Members = 52

Leavers/Movers = 69

Volunteers
Our number of volunteers has increased from 103 to 112 members (includes 93 Leaders and other multi-skilled countryside support members). They are recorded on the new Ramblers Assemble (membership only access) Database, and I’m pleased to say we have one of the highest number of volunteers across Surrey. Assemble offers a Document Hub, with guidance on each role, a News section with what’s happening across the Ramblers and soon there will be an online learning section that will give everyone the opportunity to brush up their skills and knowledge at their own pace.

Communication
Our Notice Boards were extremely popular with our members during lockdown and several members contributed their own articles, including some excellent poems and the occasional cartoon.

National Recruitment
At the end of August, the Ramblers began taking the #FeelMore membership campaign across GB, starting in England and Wales. In the first weekend 67 members were recruited at three events.
During October and early November, Ramblers’ representatives were available to talk to the public about membership at a number of locations, such as outdoor stores and permitted outdoor events. More venues will be announced.

Pauline Guy Membership Secretary 2020

WALKS COORDINATORS' REPORTS

Report One - Helen Whiteley

None of us could have predicted a year like 2020. As usual, our first quarter of walks was all filled and enjoyed by everyone, and the second quarter was uploaded, ready to go, and then Covid-19 came along and all walks were cancelled until further notice.

My term as Walks Coordinator came to an end just a few months before I was due to finish and I want to thank the committee, Nigel P and Liz W for taking over for the last couple of months and help implement all the new Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Ramblers so ESW could take up walking again.

I want to thank all the “Lovely Leaders” for helping me produce a jam-packed programme for the last two and a half years. In my time as Walks Co-ordinator, I have recruited 14 new leaders, all of whom still regularly led before Covid kicked in. I expanded weekly Fast Fitness Workout Walks, plus the Thursday or Friday walks. I am particularly proud of organising, with the help of Sue H and other helpers, a thank you Cream Tea to all leaders. I enjoyed promoting the Leaders’ Training Courses, which most of the new leaders, plus myself, attended, and really found them to be useful and enjoyable.

To Nigel, my right-hand man; a HUGE thank you for being a great Walks Administrator and doing all the techy bits behind the scenes. I have really enjoyed working with him.

Finally, having met with the new Walks Co-ordinator to do a hand over, I was impressed to see her steely determination to keep walks going in this difficult time with a limited amount of leaders. I wish Helen McD all the best, and I know that, with her passion and loyalty to the club, the walks programme will go on from strength to strength.

Warmest Walking Regards
Helen Whiteley

Report Two - Liz Whittaker

Greetings all

Helen W took over from me as Walks Coordinator in Nov 2017 and immediately brought to the job her unfailing enthusiasm and commitment. I am sure I am joined by all members in thanking her for all her hard work.

When our group walking was brought to an abrupt halt in March we all had to cope in our own way. For Roger and me, the walk was a huge highlight in our day and we took delight in rediscovering our local area. Wasn’t it great though when we got the ‘let out of jail card’ and were able to resume meeting up? ESW could step back into action! Helen felt unable to continue so I was more than happy to answer Judy’s call for help.

The first step was to find out if our leaders were ready to resume leadership. The questionnaire went out and the spreadsheet was deployed. Over 30 leaders responded positively - we could roll out the planner. We had only a few days to complete the September programme so to have 23 walks in the month was a fantastic result, well in excess of any expectation I had.

Covid brought changes. Boris limited groups to 30 but, of course, not all our leaders were happy with so many. So…in addition to the usual planner features of where, when and other details, we needed to have details of maximum numbers for each walk and a booking system. Thank goodness we have our maestro, Nigel, to make such changes possible. We toyed with various booking systems but with time limited we chose the simplest - asking leaders to offer their preferred contact method and walkers booked directly with them. We had wondered if a different system would be needed long-term, but so far leaders are happy to take on this extra role.

Then we had the challenge of the risk assessment form. Ramblers made completion of this a requirement for walks to be covered by their umbrella insurance, while the Government also made it a pre-condition of group walks. We stressed about it! However, looking at it in detail we accepted it was what any responsible leader would do in planning a walk with extra reference to our responsibilities in Covid times. Judy came up with a specimen form that has generally been accepted by leaders.

We were up and ready to go. No sooner had we started than the regulations changed!!! Could our walks continue or were we in the ‘rule of six’?? I read and reread the government updates and remained unsure. Emergency emails went out to the leaders of upcoming walks asking if they would cancel or lead groups of six if necessary. Fortunately, Ramblers were on the case and were able to confirm that our walks were exempt from that rule. Huge sighs of relief - and again, later in September, when regulations were again updated.

So here we are - enjoying walking together again. In September we had 243 walkers on our 23 walks. Only a couple were fully booked. I am delighted to see that we have welcomed a record number of new members and also some new leaders.

My thanks to Judy, Nigel, Brian and Adam for all their hard work. I am delighted that ESW now has a new band of helpers. Karen and Carolyn are taking over Adam’s role on the technology side. Angie, Sue H and Helen W have taken on roles as Walks Organisers and Helen M will be the new Walks Coordinator. I wish them, and our new Chair, well. My biggest thank you is to our leaders. Our walks need leaders and we are so grateful to all of you who have answered the call.

These remain uncertain times. Everyone responds differently. Whether to walk together or lead is for each person to decide. It is so good to know that ESW is there for us. Thank you

Liz Whittaker, Acting Walks Coordinator

 ESW Walks Data  is included in Appendix 1

PUBLICITY OFFICER'S REPORT

Well, it’s been a very weird year, hasn’t it?

Back in November 2019, the time of our last AGM, life was pretty normal for ESW with my publicity efforts following the usual pattern of reporting on events like the fun-filled Autumn Social, the fabulously successful New Year Lunch at Aggie’s Hall, the amazing social history story that emerged from a chance award to Stuart and Alice Pickford, and the celebratory article telling our members that we had again won the Recruitment Cup within the Surrey Area. Added to that was my monthly article to local Parish Magazines, urging readers to join us on one of our walks.

THEN, at the end of March 2020, along came COVID 19 pausing life as we knew it for several months, which meant no more walks to publicise, no more events to publicise, and many Parish Magazines ceasing publication.

However, since July my monthly articles have again featured in the local Parish Magazines, urging those who had recently discovered the joys of walking as a means of keeping emotionally focused and healthy with their families during Lockdown to join us on one of the walks in our newly established programme. We are continually attracting new members and reinforcing the benefits of walking with a friendly group of like-minded people.

As you know, after this AGM, I will be stepping down as Publicity Officer. I’ve enjoyed the past 5 years serving on the Committee – 3 as Social Secretary, and the past 2 as Publicity Officer – but the time has come now for me to take a break and to hand over the responsibility of Publicity to someone new, with fresh ideas. I will, of course, give that person, and East Surrey Walkers, my full support and commitment, and I look forward to better times ahead with walks and social events in abundance!!

Pamela Cunniffe Publicity Officer

FOOTPATH SECRETARIES' REPORT

One of the positives of Covid -19 has been the number of people out walking on our local paths network. Hopefully, they will have appreciated the work of the Ramblers in protecting and maintaining rights of way.

We now have 5 Local Footpath Secretaries with Barbara Bulman having agreed to take on the parishes of Horne and Burstow from Tony Pearson.

One of the downsides of the past few months has been the lack of activity within Surrey County Council. Although defects have continued to be reported, the Council is only dealing with issues where there is a high risk to public safety. This past summer more vegetation clearance tasks were allocated to contractors.

Only one of the normally two semi-annual inspections that some of our volunteers undertake as part of the Best Value Performance Indicators scheme for Surrey C.C. has taken place, and the next scheduled inspection must be in doubt, as a Ramblers volunteer has to have access to Surrey’s offices at Merrow to extract data. Our own Volunteer Path Wardens have been able to work independently. Each time a list of potential tasks is issued to them, the take up has been speedy and comprehensive.

Following a report from an eagle-eyed member, one of our Volunteer Path Wardens decided to let this stile near South Park Lane know who was boss

Do keep reporting any defects that you come across, whether to one of the Local Footpath secretaries or on the Surrey C.C. path reporting website.

Due to the absence of Surrey C.C. staff, we have not been able to make much progress on our Donate A Gate scheme this year. However, working with Limpsfield Parish Council, we were able to negotiate for 2 stiles to be replaced with gates near Caxton Lane, the gates being funded by the Parish Council and installed by Ken’s Krew last winter. We now have an excellent working relationship with Limpsfield and the Parish Council has agreed to fund the installation of a handrail and improvement to steps on the North Downs Way at Pitchfont Lane and to the replacement of two more stiles with kissing gates at Pastens Road and Grants Lane. As Surrey C.C has yet to agree to volunteer groups installing gates again, this work will be done by contractors.

Once Ken’s Krew volunteers are allowed to install gates again, there are plenty in the pipeline. Outwood Horticultural Society has sourced funds for three gates in the parish and Nuttfield Parish Council has agreed to fund one gate. There are another two gates to replace stiles near Oxted School, Limpsfield, one funded by the Parish Council, the other by Surrey C.C. With a new member of staff now in place at Surrey C. C., it is hoped that landowner negotiations can take place to replace more stiles in the district; the new gates would hopefully be funded through the ESW Donate A Gate scheme.

We are always keen to have more volunteers for this important part of Ramblers work. We need someone to take on the role of Local Footpath Secretary for the parishes in the south of our district (Lingfield, Dormansland, Felbridge). If you are interested in getting involved in any of the other activities mentioned above, please contact one of the names shown below.

Finally, a big thank you to all those members of East Surrey Walkers who help to maintain the local paths network. Whether it is just reporting defects, or as a Path Checker, Volunteer Path Warden, Ken’s Krew volunteer or BVPI inspector, you are all making a difference.

Barbara Bulman, Steve Hanks, Richard Mascall, Tony Pearson, Ian Simm
Local Footpath Secretaries

SOCIAL SECRETARY'S REPORT

Since the 2019 AGM we have enjoyed three social events.

Firstly, our Autumn Social on 23rd November at St Peter’s Church Hall. A Music and Quiz evening with a fish and chip supper and live music provided by the fabulous local trio, The Whiskey Sours, who stood in for us at the last minute when the original band had to cancel.
77 people attended.

The next event was the ever-popular New Year Lunch held on Sunday 19th January, at St Agatha’s Hall. Mulled wine was chosen as the welcome drink this year and Lindsey Roberts and her team provided a fantastic traditional meal. Judy Brua presented the “Silly Awards” during coffee to round off the event.
80 people attended.

The Annual Dinner (usually held in March) was not held this year due to a lack of interest but the event will be revived to celebrate notable East Surrey Walker anniversaries.

Then Covid struck….the Cream Tea and BBQ were cancelled but we did manage a (socially-distanced) picnic in Christine and Ian’s garden on September 6th. The picnic followed a local walk. Thankfully the weather was warm and dry.
21 people attended (the maximum would have been 30 due to Covid rules).

This year’s Autumn Social has been cancelled but a date set for next year, Saturday 20th November 2021.

The New Year Lunch 2021 is also a casualty of the pandemic. It is hoped that a replacement event can be scheduled once we are able to host an event to which we are not restricted to numbers by government restrictions. Hopefully, this will be sometime around Easter 2021 – but as we are all in the hands of the Government, who knows?!

It would be great to think that normality has returned by the summer and that the 2021 June Cream Tea and August BBQ will go ahead. Both events are scheduled to be held in Christine’s garden. Obviously, only time will tell which 2021 events can go ahead.

Christine Scott  Social Secretary

KEN'S KREW REPORT

A strange year for us all!

Along with the rest of the country, the KK team went into lockdown in March. As restrictions loosened, the SCC and Ramblers insurers initially were loath to let us get back to any form of footpaths’ maintenance - SCC said we’re all too old, Ramblers just said NO. However, we do now have the go ahead to do clearance work, using hand tools only, under Ramblers rules and risk assessments. This allowed four of us to get out and clear a horrid, enclosed, path off Cogmans Lane, Smallfield in September, and a slightly different four cleared about half of a badly overgrown bridleway, and ditto footpath in Godstone in October. More than six hours in the rain, such fun.

However, current restrictions say no installation works, apart from waymarks, and no using the rechargeable battery brushcutters, which some of us are now trained to use, either.

One task I was able to achieve in lockdown was to take our cutting tools across to SCC in April, for maintenance and sharpening, so they’re now in good order to tackle the jungle out there. We even have new saws.

SCC will not be working with us until the end of the year, but the good news is that we now have a replacement for Eniko, our Countryside Assistant, who left SCC last Christmas. You will realise SCC don’t like to rush things. Adrian is being trained, and we hope to meet him soon.

I did have one success over lockdown; I visited Horne Park golf club with Julia Drape when she was carrying out footpath checks. There was no waymarking at all, just a fingerless post in the middle of an area of tall, rough vegetation, and the stiles had almost disappeared.

I arranged to meet the owner, and after an interesting drive round in a golf buggy, a new experience for me, Neil Burke agreed to install the FP fingers I took across for him, to maintain mown access to the stiles, to install waymark posts (at his own expense) with waymark roundels I gave him, and to install laminated notices at the entry point stiles, advising walkers of the risks inherent in crossing a golf course. We agreed that he would prefer his staff to dig holes in his golf course, rather than my team, and they had done all but the posts and notices within the following two weeks.

His neighbour, at Eulyn Farm, on Croydon Barn Lane, was at the opposite end of the spectrum. He now runs an earth moving business from his fields, and has put a pile of rubble, at least 15’ high, on top of the path. He suggested we walk round to the left, in amongst his active earth-moving machines, and piles of earth. I submitted a report to Mary-Ann Edwards, SCC Access Officer, expressing my concerns. She advised me that she was aware, but it wasn’t a priority for her, and she was not intending to put a temporary path closure in place. I submitted a second report, outlining the risks, and the danger to walkers, pointing out that the situation met the SCC criteria for a priority 1 issue, but Mary-Ann didn’t respond. The landowner is in dispute with Tandridge Planning team but is totally disregarding their demands. I suggest we do not use the path until this issue is resolved.

We have been offered three galvanised kissing gates by Outwood Horticultural Society, to be installed on Brightleigh Farm, Outwood, when we’re able to return to installations.

Limpsfield Parish Council decided they could no longer wait for us to install their gates and they are instructing contractors. It’s a shame they have to spend their funds in this way, but it will allow improved access to these paths sooner than waiting for KK, so nothing’s all bad. We are hugely appreciative of their kindness in donating two kissing gates.

We are very sad to lose two of our amazing team members post-lockdown. John Nathan and Tony Pearson decided to step down and concentrate on other things. John said lockdown made him appreciate things he’d previously not had time for, and his shoulder was substantially less painful. I think we can all find ourselves overcommitted and in need of re-evaluating where we need to be - It’s the old saying, ‘If you want something done, ask a busy person’, but we still need to remember to look closer to home when we find ourselves chasing from one responsibility to the next.

Barbara Bulman Ken's Krew

Appendix 1 - ESW Walks Data for 2019 to 2020

Quarterly data

Summary data for full year October 2019 to September 2020