Committee Meeting Minutes

Home , Chewton Mendip, Emborough, Priddy, Rodney Stoke, Shipham, Ston Easton

DATE: Thursday May 12th 2011 at 7pm

VENUE: The King’s Arms, Leg Square, Garston St, Shepton Mallet BA4 5LN. Tel: 01749 343781

1. Welcome & apologies for absence

Apologies from Tony Dyson, Mike Plaskitt, Peggy Frampton and Carol Griffen

2. Minutes of last meeting

The minutes were approved

3. Matters arising

a. Action Points and matters arising from the minutes of the last committee meeting not covered by the agenda

Les to contact Tony Dyson re follow up to map reading course. Details will need to be in the next programme

4. Officer & Sub-Committee Reports a. Membership Secretary We had 347 members as of March 2011 Discussion took place regarding the information we received regarding membership as Paula Rudock’s membership had lapsed without her being aware. Les agreed to create as definitive list of members and identify new and deleted members each month. However, subsequent to the meeting Les received the information sent to Barbara by Gus each month. This attached as Appendix 1. It is suggested that this be reviewed at the next meeting so that the committee can agree on what information it requires.

b. Treasure Report attached as Appendix 2. Action Point – Determine who new joined in March and find out if we received their annual membership fee as agreed by the ramblers.

Subsequent to the meeting the report sent to Carol by Gus identified 2 new members in March one on the 2nd – annual joint and one on the 30th annual individual . Carol to see if the membership money for this year has come to us.

c. Footpath Officers

Report attached as Appendix 3 Action Point – Tony to see if he was notified about the footbridge being closed at spring gardens Frome. The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk

d. Walks Programme

The process for producing the programme is settling down well. It is acknowledged that it is not easy to get walk leaders.

It is suggested that proof readers are identified and requested to print out the programme prior to reading it as it can be easier to spot mistakes.

e. Publicity Officer & 2011 Walking Festival

Report attached as Appendix 4

The publicity for two weeks at Frome library during April resulted in walk programmes magazines and membership forms being taken. However no new members from the Frome area were recruited in April. Thanks to Peter Gateby for the excellent photos. A similar display is planned for next year. l

f. Social Secretary

The High Tour of the Cathedral was well attended and enjoyed by all.

g. Review of Spring holiday.

This will take place at the Livermead Cliff Hotel Torquay from the 23rd to the 26th of March 2012

h. Working Party

Following on from a freedom of information request by Eric Doel regarding the installation of stile it has become clear that the Working Party has only been authorised to work for one warden – Chris East- in Mendip.

This goes some way to explain the lack of work the Working Party has been given by SCC.

Les is organising a follow up meeting in July with David hall, the portfolio holder and the SCC rights of way team. This issue will be raised at the meeting.

5. Transport to and from walks

Clive to write a piece by the 23rd of June for the next programme

6. Any Other Business

Details of the AGM are required for the next programme.

Blacks have offered us 20% discount on everything including sale prices. Letter attached as Appendix 5. Les to send list of Names and Addresses and cards will be distributed with the next programme

7. Date and venue of next meeting

27th of October at the Dust Hole Shepton.

The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk

Appendix 1 Membership Report

The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk

Appendix 2

The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk

Appendix 3 Footpath Officers’ Reports

Footpath Officer's Report for Mendip West, Nov'10 to May11

January Wookey footpath WS16/16. Fence erected across path. SCC informed and gates have now been installed.

February Morrison Planning Applicatoin 2011/0006. Effect on footpaths investigated. Reported situation to SCC. SCC Footpath Survey.Six paths reviewed,three failed.

March Proposed Path Diversion.Sreet. 2011/0562. Route investigated. No problems envisaged. Blocked path investigated.Wookey.WS16/18.Reported and path now clear.

April West Pennard.Damaged stile at Bradley Stream.Reported to local PPLO who said the Ramblers were going to undertake repair work in the locality.

No problems reported by Ramblers members.

Brian Underwood. 03/05/11

Mendip East

January 2011 FR3/18 obstruction: At Barrow Hill farm. The land owner has made the path usable and proposed a diversion. Colin Mansfield is keeping an eye on the situation for me.

Waterlip. Stott’s Transport erection of a warehouse Site visit 25.01.2011 will not affect footpath

Kilver Street Shepton Mallet (SM21/24 SM21/256 SM21/26) RW/2/47/260L/SL 08/02/11 10.30am Site meeting with Stuart Lloyd from Somerset Rights of way definitive map team Discussed Points 1. Kilver Street Hill SM21/24 We could agree A D E B F if at point D a new right of way was provided to follow the westerly field boundary to link up with SM21/22 via a new pedestrian gate, and to provide a new pedestrian gate at point C. Point F to C should remain as it is crossing the old stone stile. (If the path was diverted to the field boundary and fenced in at some time in the future who would be responsible for cost of clearance) 2. SM21/25 Point I to the field gate just before L could be agreed subject to the improvements requested in 1. SM21/25 to start at F to G to K to field gate just before L and then to J 3. SM21/25 Stopping up M to N We object, (If the proposed route from P to Q went along the top of the old railway embankment?) 4. SM21/26 We could agree to this if the path was made up through the marshy area and a pedestrian gate fitted at R.

The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk

He will put our points to the land owner and we wait their reply 5. Letter dated 3rd march 2011 they will not be proceeding with this application. April 2011 Somerset County Council, Footpath Diversion at Laverton,FR9/15 The reason for diversion is to take the definitive route away from the failing bridges. After a site visit and consulting several local members no objection raised.

Appendix 4 Publicity Officers Report APRIL

Editorial plus photo sent to Mid-Soms Series; Frome & Somerset Standard and The Somerset Guardian; Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal.

Unfortunately missed/didn’t receive notification re Get Walking Day 15 May so no walk. Need to flag up these sort of events and co-ordinate with prog co-ordinator.

FESTIVAL REPORT JAN: First ad to Ed Levy for Somerset Rambler.

Rang Alan Butcher, Priddy Parish Council: He said he wasn’t aware of anything else on August Bank Holiday weekend.

Ref: OS Explorer Map 141 - Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West - ST 527513. Postcode = BA5 3BB

First ad to Jenny Walters of Country Walking and Simon Ingram of Trail.

** Walks booklets – print 70 – 80. Charge £2.50 ea. Only give free to walk leaders who want them.

Early notification for programmes to: Mendip; S Soms; Sedgemoor; Clevedon; Woodspring; SWAG; Taunton Deane; West Soms

Early notification also to: West Wilts; Norton Radstock; Bath; Bristol; Bristol HF; Brunel; Frome Rights of Way; Severnside; Southwold; N Dorset; Kingswood.

FEB: Ltr to confirm Priddy village hall at a cost of £140. Ad to Walk Magazine + photo as requested. Ad to Glastonbury TIC for What’s On Somerset (mag).

MAR: Ad to Somerset Life + photo as requested. Request to Clare Haskins for PPLO contact details. Andy Stevens responded with list and advised some in N Soms, so will try and get names for those.

APRIL: Email to PPLOs to advise them of festival: Priddy; Shipham; Litton; Wells; Westbury sub Mendip; Rodney Stoke; Cheddar; Wedmore. By telephone, Chewton Mendip. Also, asked for contact for parish mags and if they would put up posters. Not a lot of response other than Robert (Wedmore) who advised contact details for Wedmore News and Richard St John, Chewton Mendip who advised contact details for Chewton Mendip/Emborough/Litton/Ston Easton mag. Both happy to put up posters. MAY: Making contact with parish mags for promotion. The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk

Blacks Leisure Group

440-450 Cob Drive, Swan Valley Northampton, NN4 9BB

Dear Mrs Griffin – Mendip Ramblers Group Secretary,

I’m contacting you regarding the new and free Specialist Outdoor Group Discount Card available from the Blacks Leisure Group that you showed interest in while visiting our Yeovil Millets store.

I’ve been dealing with many outdoor groups, organisations, schools and colleges within the South to offer all outdoor enthusiasts Specialist discount cards and I’d like to personally extend this offer to all members that belong to your Ramblers group.

This new card entitles its holder to 15% off all transactions in any Millets and Blacks Store Nationwide and this card can even be used in conjunction with sale priced items. The discount card scheme is free to become part of and valid for a full year.

This is an individual discount card so everyone in your group is welcome to their own card.

The only information we need for a group to receive their discount cards would be:

The first initial and surname of everyone interested in their own individual card (to be printed on the card) The name of your group/organisation (to be printed on the card) And then finally the selected address to send all the new discount cards to (this can be your local store for collection, a meeting location or a group leaders address from which the cards can then be distributed to everyone effectively).

If interested I have attached a group sign up spreadsheet that you can fill out collectively with your group member’s names and email back to me and I will create a discount card for everyone on the spreadsheet.

As a previous Duke of Edinburgh participant and Scout leader I strongly feel this new scheme can be of great benefit to all outdoor enthusiasts and really reward them for their loyalty over the previous years.

I hope this new discount scheme has been of interest to you and I’d just like to reiterate that it is completely free for your group to become part of and every member of your group is entitled to their own card.

If there are any other outdoor groups or group leaders you feel would benefit from these details please don’t hesitate to pass on this information or my contact details I’ll be happy to be of assistance.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or queries.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely

The Charity Working for Walkers - Charity Number 1093577 Company limited by guarantee 4458492 – www.ramblers.org.uk