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ÔLIKE TO WALK THE ISLE OF PURBECK?

 

THEN COME WITH USÕ

 

 

 

 

Swanage Walking Group Programme

 

 ÒSPRINGÓ 
 March 2018 to June 2018

 

 

ChairmanÕs Chat

 

There has been a big influx of new members recently. We used to expect one or two new faces to appear on walks occasionally but on one recent walk no less than nine turned up, followed by two more the following week, itÕs now getting beyond the capabilities of my brain to remember all the new names, so my apologies in advance to any of you whose name I fail to remember. There is usually a large turnout for the walks immediately after Christmas which soon tails off but this year the increased numbers have been maintained and instead of the usual 12-18 or so weÕre now getting 20-30 walkers throughout January. This is heartening for our leaders who can now feel the effort they have put into planning and reconnoitring their walks has all been worthwhile. Incidentally, Brian, our walks arranger has only received just enough walks to fill this present programme, so once again I must appeal to you to keep sending them to him. By the time you receive this programme you will only have 10-11 weeks before he will ask for walks for the next summer programme. That time soon goes, so please start thinking now about sending him a walk for the summer programme. If youÕre one of our new members please consider leading a walk for us because we need you, youÕll be given all the help you need to get started.

 

I would like to welcome all our new members to our AGM, itÕs as much a social occasion as a business one, we aim to get through the formal stuff as quickly as possible. Drinks are provided and we have an ÔAmerican supperÕ where all members bring a plateful of food, savoury or sweet, which is shared between all giving a good variety to choose from. Much talking is done, so please come, youÕll find all the details in these pages.

 

This is the last ÔchatÕ IÕll be writing for you. Your next programmeÕs chat will be by our new chairman, Rob Lobley, whoÕll be taking over from me at the AGM in April. Rob is a most capable and friendly man and IÕm delighted to have him take over, I donÕt believe we could have found a more suitable person for the job.

 

Rob becoming chairman will leave the job of vice chairman vacant and ideally I would like to see a lady become vice chairman because two-thirds of our members are ladies and they are under represented on committee. Also Steve, our Social Secretary, would like to hand over his job of organizing social events, this could be an ideal job for a lady member. We only have two lady committee members at the moment, pro rata, there should be five or six. So come on ladies, hereÕs your opportunity to seize power and run the walking group the way youÕd like to see it run! Just call me and tell me of your desire to become a committee member!

 

I wish you all well for the future, your Chairman, John.

 

 

YOUR COMMITTEE FOR 2018

Chairman

John Wadey     01929 422554

Membership

Jill Carter         01202 684135

Vice Chairman

Rob Lobley      01929 439903

Treasurer

Colin Schnaar  01929 425287

Secretary

Charles Brettell           01929 289135

Publicity / Social Events

Steve Williams 01929 422795

Walks Programme

Brian Arnold     01929 480224

Welfare Secretary

Shirley Royston           01929 288427

Webmaster

Bryan Stubbs    01202 570670

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HF Holidays

 

 

 

 

Links to Other Local Walking Groups

 

                Swanage Walking for Health - http://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/swanage

 

                CAPROW (Canford and Purbeck Rights Of Way) - http://www.caprow.org.uk/

 

 

 

 

WALKS INFORMATION

GRID REFs – Show the starting points of the walks

CAR SHARE – To share cars & ensure walkers without cars can get to the walks, we meet at the lay-by in Northbrook Road opposite DayÕs Park (SZ 026 799). We suggest passengers make a contribution towards petrol costs, in proportion to the distance travelled.

PUT – Indicates Ôpick-up timeÕ when cars will leave the lay-by.

BUS TIMES – Are departure times. Unless otherwise stated, all bus information is for Wilts & Dorset Bus Co. services and start from Swanage Bus & Rail Station. Confirm times when latest W & D timetable is printed. OAP bus passes are not valid for use on W & D services before 09:30 Mon-Fri [N.B. valid all day on Saturdays]. Valid on Linkrider buses before 09:30.

MEMBERS TRAVELING BY BUS from the Wareham direction for walks starting from Corfe should contact the walk leader beforehand to let the leader know they could be late arriving for the start.

WALKS DETAILS & POOR WEATHER – Walk leaders should be contacted for further details of their walks and for possible late cancellations in inclement weather conditions. Walk leaders have the right to decide whether to start a walk or not and to alter or abandon walks if weather is bad.

WARNING – All sporting & leisure activities have inherent hazards associated with them & walking is no exception. In spite of the safety of members being the paramount concern, accidents can occur. It is important that each member appreciates they are responsible for their own safety and need to identify hazards and take all reasonable steps to eliminate or minimize the potential for an accident to arise. Personal accident insurance is not covered by the SWWG group insurance. It is the responsibility of each individual member to decide whether or not they need to provide their own personal accident cover.

Web-site      http://www.swanagewalkinggroup.co.uk

Subscriptions are £5.00 per person (children & dogs free). See any Committee member for details.

 

 

 

Wareham Car Share

 

Fiona Keeling organises a car share from Wareham. If you are interested please e-mail Fiona at fionaak@hotmail.com and she will send you full details of how it works with times etc.

 

 

 

Emergency/Useful Phone Numbers

 

The following is a list of emergency and indeed non-emergency phone numbers, which it might be useful for all walk leaders and others to keep in their address books or to preload into their mobile phones. This time I have added the numbers of some local taxi firms. This could prove useful if, as happened on a recent walk, a member is unable to continue on foot and needs a lift back to their car or nearest town.

 

In an emergency, obviously telephone 999.

For non-emergency calls to the Police telephone 101.

If you venture into French telecom area then try +44 20 7230 1212

National Trust (Purbeck Office) 01929 450002

Coastguard 01305 760439 (Dial 999 in an emergency)

RSPB Arne 01929 553360

Durlston Country Park 01929 424443

Weld/Lulworth Estate 01929 400352

Dorset Countryside Rangers (Rangers, Rights of Way, Coastal Team) 01305 224463

Swanage Associated Taxis 01929 421122 or 01929 425350

Swanage and Purbeck Taxi 07969 927424

BillÕs Taxis (Swanage) 07549 776736

Wareham and Purbeck Taxi Service 01929 480485

A&C Taxis 01929 556758

 

Please let one of the committee know if there are any other useful numbers that could be added to this list.

 

Steve Williams

 

 

 

Social Events

 

All bookings for social events (or further enquiries to be made via Steve Williams on 01929 422795 or email srwilliams75a@gmail.com. Any cheques must be made payable to ÒSwanage Walking GroupÓ

 

Steve Williams, 75A Ulwell Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1QU.

 

 

No social events have yet been organised for this programme. We normally hold a skittles evening during March at the Ulwell Inn, but that is currently under re-construction and the skittle alley closed, well demolished! It is in any case not available after Easter.

 

A joint quiz night with Friends of Durlston was being planned but that too has been delayed due to refurbishment of the planned venue (The Conservative Club).

 

For the rest of the year I will arrange a midsummerÕs walk and supper at Studland, a coach trip, and of course the Christmas lunch, possibly at a different venue this year. I shall shortly be starting to plan the annual coach trip. Any suggestions as to where we might go this year would be welcome. One possibility is a National Trust property with extended walks around the grounds. A good example would be Stourhead. Otherwise I am minded to return to either Bath or Exeter, which we havenÕt been to for 4/5 years respectively.

 

This will be my 6th year of organising the annual coach trip and other social events. I am minded to make it my last, since I think the social events programme could do with some new and fresh thinking. If anybody would like to take on this important role for the club then please see me or any committee member on a walk.

 

Steve Williams

 

 

 

Walks Programme

 

Thank you to all the walk leaders who have submitted walks to our Spring Programme. Without you this programme would not be possible, so please keep sending them to me, and if you have walks that you would like to include in the next programme (Summer/Autumn 2018), then you can send them to me anytime. I would especially like some walks from new walk leaders, so if you havenÕt led a walk before please give it a try.

 

If you are a member who is not on email, then please note that the request for walks for our next programme will go out on 1st May for walks to be submitted by about 25th May for the July to October Summer/Autumn Programme.

 

For the Spring Programme I have put together a full calendar of walks, for every Wednesday and Saturday. I look forward to seeing all of you on the walks this Spring.

 

I produce the walk programme in PDF format for emailing, but if you prefer it in a different format then please just ask.

 

Brian Arnold    brianarnold666@gmail.com

 

 

 

Membership and Subscriptions

 

Hello everyone and a welcome to our new members. Thank you for your early subscriptions. We surprisingly have 98 members, quite a few have not renewed, maybe there are some who might do so. Although the deadline is the end of January anyone can rejoin at a later date.

 

Enjoy your walking.  Membership Secretary Jill Carter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Renewal Subscription Form

 

 

 

 

SWANAGE WALKING GROUP

 

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL FORM  1st Jan - 31st Dec 2018

 

Subscription £5-00 per person

 

Your name/s É.......................................................................................................................................

 

Your postal address É............................................................................................................................

 

                                  É............................................................................................................................

 

Post code                  É...........................................................................................................................

 

Your email address É............................................................................................................................

 

Your telephone number/s.......................................................................................................................

 

Ex directory?     YES     NO     (Please circle)

 

Please include your remittance, cheques only please, money can go missing in post.

Make cheques payable to SWANAGE WALKING GROUP and send to:-

 

Jill Carter, 36 Vallis Close, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1XZ.

 

Please note: Membership cards will be handed out to you when you come on your first walk of the year. If you live outside of Purbeck area or only come on occasional walks and would like a membership card sent to you, please include an SAE with this form.

 

 

 

 

SWANAGE WALKING GROUP

 

2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO MEMBERS THAT THE 16th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SWANAGE WALKING GROUP WILL BE HELD AT :

 

ALL SAINTS CHURCH HALL, ULWELL, SWANAGE, BH19 1LZ, Grid Ref SZ 029 800

 

AT 19:00 HOURS ON MONDAY 30TH APRIL 2018.

 

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                                           18:30     DOORS OPEN AND DRINKS RECEPTION

 

                                           19:00     AGM COMMENCES

 

                                           19:30     SUPPER  [AFTER TREASURER'S REPORT]

 

 

Refreshments - Drinks will be provided by the committee but not food.

 

We will have an American Supper where each member attending is asked to bring a plateful of finger food to be shared by all. This has previously worked well and provides a good varied fare for members to choose from.

 

Agenda - This will be prepared and sent to members at least two weeks prior to the AGM.

 

**************************

John Wadey, Chairman. 23 Jan 2018

 

 

 

 

SWWG WALK LEADERÕS CHECK LIST

 

Before the Walk - Check you have the following

 

1        Mobile Phone.

 

2        An SWWG First Aid kit.

 

3        Whistles, for self and back marker. Emergency signal is 6 one-second blasts.

 

4        A suitable Ordnance Survey map of your area, to allow you to give a grid reference to rescue/ambulance services in an emergency.

 

5        Hi-Vis tabards or jackets for self and back marker. These are now legally required for leading walks on road and crossing roads. they are very useful for locating back marker when leading large groups.

 

6        A small notebook and pen or pencil.

 

7        Bad Weather - If weather forecasts are very dire, consider cancelling the walk. To ensure members get your cancellation message, talk in person to the Programme Arranger, Secretary or Chairman before 12:00 pm the previous day. Only these three hold up to date membership email addresses. Do not leave them any form of message because it may not be acted upon in time and you may not know whether or not members have received your cancellation message.

 

8        Hot Weather - Consider carrying an extra bottle of water in case someone runs out and becomes dehydrated.

 

At start of the walk   

 

1        Introduction - Introduce yourself and ensure any new members or visitors are made welcome.

 

2        Weather - If weather turns really bad, make decision as to proceed with walk or not. Note down weather conditions at start.

 

3        New member and Visitors

        

         a)       Check they have suitable footwear and/or clothing for route and seasonal conditions. If unsuitable advise them of           risks they may face if they insist on participating.

         b)       Ask them to write their forename and surname in your notebook.

 

4        Describe Walk - Outline route of walk, state distance, any foreseen difficult parts, slippery mud, stiles, planned stops and toilet facilities, if none say so.

 

5        Back Marker - Appoint a back marker, give them a whistle and Hi-Vis. The back marker must wait for all persons who stop for whatever reason and ensure all opened gates are closed again.

 

6        Check the number of walkers - Count and note down the number of walkers.

 

During the walk

 

1        Dogs - Ensure all dogs are properly supervised, especially in vicinity of livestock and close to roads.

 

2        Check about every 20 minutes or so that all walkers are still present.

 

3        Incidents - If any walker suffers a fall or injury, or some other incident occurs, note down the time and place with a brief note of what happened. If emergency services are called and/or outside help is needed note down their arrival and departure times.

 

After the walk

 

1        If any problems were encountered, advise Secretary and programme Arranger.

 

2        If an incident occurred or someone became ill and needed help, whether deemed serious or not, a copy of the SWWG Incident Report Form must be completed and forwarded to the secretary for permanent inclusion in the SWWG incident file.

 

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                                                                                                                                3rd. Revision January 2018.

 

 

 

 

SWWG NOTES FOR WALKERS  (Especially those new to walking)

 

WARNING - All sporting & leisure activities have inherent hazards associated with them & walking is no exception. In spite of the safety of members being the paramount concern, accidents can occur. It is important that each member appreciates they are responsible for their own safety and need to identify hazards and take all reasonable steps to eliminate or minimize the potential for an accident to arise. We would therefore ask you to follow our Guidelines for Walkers that are reproduced below.

 

INSURANCE - Please be aware our group insurance provides third party cover only,  it does not cover accident, injury or mishap to individual members. It is up to each member to decide whether or not to provide their own personal accident insurance.

 

 

GUIDELINES FOR WALKERS

 

Dress - Please ensure that you are suitably clothed and shod for the expected weather conditions. For your own safety the walk leader has the right to refuse to allow you to take part in the walk if he believes you to be unsuitably dressed. If you're not suitably dressed you cannot expect the leader to take responsibility for your welfare.

 

Wet Weather Clothing - Suitable weatherproof clothing should always be carried dependant upon the season. It is always preferable to be dry and warm rather than wet and/or cold and maybe become a liability to your fellow walkers.

Footwear - For country walking one needs boots, not shoes, to walk in comfort because boots can cope with uneven ground such as ploughed fields and rocky ground, they support the ankles and prevent sprains from sideways stumbles. They also cope with deep puddles and mud which would swamp shoes. As a rule of thumb buy boots one whole size larger than shoe size, e.g. 8.5 shoe, 9.5 boot. If you've never bought walking boots before then seek advice on type, style and fit from an experienced walker or a specialized outdoor shop.

Food & Drink - Always carry more food and drink than you think you will need, especially drink in warm weather because one can become rapidly incapacitated if dehydration occurs, carry an extra bottle of water.  We have a mid-walk ÒbananaÓ break, so-called because bananas give a quick energy boost. Nut bars and fruit are also popular.

 

Medication - If you have special needs then you should consider if it is necessary to carry your medication with you. Also make sure someone else knows how to administer it or help you if it becomes necessary.

 

First Aid - The Walk leader carries a first aid kit to deal with minor cuts, bruises and blisters. You should also consider carrying a basic first aid kit of your own rather than rely on the walk leader, you never know when you may need it.

 

Ettiquette - Walking in a group requires a few simple rules to be observed, viz:

 

1        Please do not overtake the leader. If the leader needs to stop, those with the leader should also stop. Leaders do not then have to worry about walkers ahead of them taking the wrong route.

2        If you join the walk after the start or wish to leave before the finish please inform the leader or back marker personally so the leader knows the exact number in his party at any given time. Do not ask someone else to do this for you.

3        Stiles slow the walk, upon reaching a stile, climb over as quickly as you can and walk clear of the stile area. Follow the leader if they have moved on.

4        If the leader says Ôbreak over in 2 minutesÕ, be prepared and ready to move off in two minutes. The leader will expect you to be ready to move off as a group when he/she does.

5        Do not deviate from the route set by the leader. The leaders know where theyÕre going and will have prior knowledge of the route. If you deviate and anything untoward happens to you, then you may not be found by a backtracking search. If you need a comfort stop make sure the back marker knows as it is their job to wait for you.

6        If you become unwell or tired during a walk, please tell someone immediately, don't wait until you can't go any further, you may then be unable to tell anyone what's wrong. Maybe you just need to rest and recuperate for a while, the chances are if you're feeling tired, then others will also be tired. Maybe you need a drink and if you've run out please tell someone, In hot weather the leader usually carries a spare bottle of water just for such occasions.

7        Please feed back any comments, good or bad, to the walk leader or back marker at the end of the walk as this will help us to ensure that we provide good quality walks for you all to enjoy.

 

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We know all the above will be common sense to our experienced walkers, they will be aware of and understand these constraints but newcomers may be unaware of them. Your committee apologizes if this all sounds rather officious, however itÕll make for a happier group if everyone is aware of their responsibilities to others.

 

                                                                                                                                         3rd. Revision January 2016.