Exeter Rambling Club

                       EXETER RAMBLING CLUB

                                         (Affiliated to the Ramblers Association)

NEWSLETTER – JANUARY 2009

Happy New Year everyone.   The Committee hope you enjoyed your Christmas and are not feeling to ‘Credit Crunched’ as a result!

MEMBERSHIP We begin the 2009 with 76 paid up members and one life member.   Welcome to Keith Abell, Lynda Moores, Kay Dewing, Chrisabel Owens, Rob Forkings and Ken Thorn.   May they enjoy many rambles with us.   This time last year our membership was 83 +2, so we are slightly down but not too bad.   There have been another two enquiries lately, all via the web site.

OBITUARY   We regret to inform you that another of our long standing members, Michael Johnson, passed away in the autumn of 2008.  Known more in recent times for his bicycle than walking with us, Michael nevertheless always kept up his interest in our club and came with us to the Eden Project.   Unfortunately it was some time before the Committee became aware of his death, so nobody was able to attend Michael’s funeral.

SOCIAL We enjoyed another successful skittles evening at The Lamb Inn, Silverton.   24 members took part and the Club made a small profit of £10 from the event.   The Winter Lunch is also booked at The Lamb, on a Saturday for a change.   This was in order to find somewhere giving good value and at the same time try to avoid the ‘Sunday Scrum’ which so many establishments seem to have got into when they offer Sunday lunches.   In addition we needed somewhere offering flexibility so we could walk and return for tea and coffee afterwards.   The Lamb are very accommodating and it is easily accessible to both drivers and non drivers.   30 people have booked and this is compared to 37 last year, again slightly down, but not a disaster by any means.

A.G.M. 2009

This year’s A.G.M. will be held at the Methodist Hall in Sidwell Street at 2.30pm on Saturday 21st March (doors open at 2pm).   Please note that we will be using our normal hall this year, with the entrance through the two gates on Sidwell Street.   The Agenda will be available on the day and will include the usual formalities such as election of the Committee, Chairman and Treasurer’s Reports.  

Subscriptions will also be due on that day.   Cheques should be made payable to Exeter Rambling Club.  But the Committee inform you now that it is likely our subs will increase for 2009/10, to £5 single and £8 for a couple living at the same address.   This still offers excellent value.

This newsletter gives you the required 28 days notice of the Meeting.  Any motions, nominations or proposals to be discussed at the meeting, should be submitted to Graham our Secretary and received by him at least two weeks beforehand (7th March).

Not having a speaker last year did not go down too well so this year we will be having a talk once again.   We have secured the services of Ivan and Sue Godfrey who will give a talk entitled ‘The Land of Ice and Fire’ (Iceland).   They do not make a charge but instead have requested a donation to Hospicecare.   The Club will donate but their will be a plate for any personal cash donations on the day.   We are sure you will give generously.  

This year we are trying a different order of events.   The speaker will be first, then the main business meeting followed by tea.   This is to avoid the speaker being kept waiting a long time whilst we have our meeting.   Please note again, that the speaker will be first so please arrive and be seated for our 2.30pm start.   As usual, you are requested to bring a small item of food.   Tea and coffee will be provided by the Committee. 

In order to participate in decisions about our Club, please do your best to attend.

CLUB HOLIDAYS

Twelve members have booked to go on the 3 night break to The Cotswolds with HF Holidays in July.

Believe it or not we now turn our thoughts to a break/holiday in 2010.   In order to get a group booking with HF with a good number of single rooms, plus a smaller deposit, (£35 instead of £60) and secure a discount for a group, we have to realistically secure a place one year in advance.   However this does give one longer to save as the final balance is only payable 6 weeks before commencement, ie pay deposit in early Sept. and balance the following May.   This worked extremely well when we went to Brecon, which gave many of us a chance to get away and was a great success.   SO, what would the majority of members prefer?   Please approach your Committee during the next few months and make your serious opinions known, and with respect, only if you want to come.    Please feel free to phone Pete or Pat on 860490 if that would be easier.  We shall also gauge interest at the AGM.   One of the main things to consider is would you want a 3 or 4 night break or a week away, bearing in mind travelling distances from here to, say the Lake District.   If we do not get what we feel is sufficient interest the idea will be dropped, which again after Brecon, seems a pity.     HF are the preferred option as they offer a choice of walk levels.                              

EDNA STEWART CREAM TEA

You will all remember from the last Newsletter, we planned to have the above in memory of Edna. The Committee can now inform you that a total £160 has been donated to our Club, and, with the blessing of Edna’s family, walkers will be able to enjoy a free cream/cake tea with any ‘change’ being put aside for any future benefit to the Club.  We shall therefore be choosing a walk in the next programme as the weather should be better by then.