VBR AGM and annual review, 25th November 2018

The Vale of Belvoir AGM was held recently.  Here is a brief summary of reports distributed at the meeting and matters arising.

Chairman

• Chairman and others have attended quarterly Notts Area meetings
• VBR members have attended Ramblers Roadshow events, GDPR and first aid courses 
• successful weekend at HF house in Malhamdale, North Yorkshire 
• weekend away in Derbyshire well supported 
• current VBR Committee re-elected for another year 
• Walks Co-ordinator will produce the Summer Programme but needs someone to start taking over the planning of the 2019/20 Winter Programme 

Secretary & Social events

• skittles evening and lunch party went well 
• successful Christmas Lunch at Nevile Arms, Kinoulton 
• Christmas Lunch this year in Bottesford 

Treasurer 

• now has access to on-line banking 
• some income from Ramblers Walking Holidays 
• income from Ramblers HQ only the basic allowance (about £2 per member) 
• net balance at 30th September increased slightly 
• we will be charged for paying in by cheque or cash so members are encouraged to pay directly into the VBR bank 
• largest cost was mileage allowance

Membership Secretary 

• membership now 110 
• we continue to attract new members at a steady rate 
• Membership Secretary (only) now has on-line access to HQ membership details
• all members contactable by email so can be advised of late changes to Walks Programme etc.
• we are compliant with GDPR 
• members are advised to keep their Ramblers Account details up to date so that Area can advise them of publication of Notts Walker 

Publicity Officer 

• we continue to advertise on the web and on local notice boards 
• many new members contact us after seeing our walks advertised on free magazines and newsletters
• website is supported by weekly blog with over 200 routes and photos of walks in East Midlands and Peak District
• VBR represented on Area Communications Committee

Walks Co-ordinator 

• Summer and Winter Walks Programmes produced and distributed by post and electronically
• sixty seven walks in the two programmes, lengths 5 to 12 miles
• plus five during Weekend Away
• most popular 8 to 9 mile full-day walks 
• evening strolls (followed by a pub stop) popular 
• numbers on walks have increased 
• numbers of walk leaders also increased, now 22 
• Weekend Away in 2019 will be at Dolgellau with 33 members and two members have agreed to plan the walks 

Group Footpath Secretary 

• also Rushcliffe District Coordinator 
• attends meetings of Area Rights of Way Committee 
• responsibilities: checking planning applications with reference to their impact on the network of rights of way etc; liaising with NCC, other coordinators, area secretary etc re rights of way 
• recent local issues: Toot Hill footpath diversion; Bingham housing developments; new bridge over A46; closure of railway crossings

Notts Area Ramblers

• Area meeting in July discussed GDPR, First Aid courses, Walking for Health, and updated Nottinghamshire Walks book 
• Ramblers continue to support Walking for Health 
• January 2019 meeting will be discussing Walks Programme production and best practices 
• Area AGM is on Sunday 3rd February - VBR members encouraged to go on walks t.b.a. by hosts Gedling 
• Notts Walker only sent to members with Ramblers HQ email addresses

Health and safety 

• VBR hosted Area first aid course given by Red Cross
• attended by 13 Ramblers
• one safety incident this year and reported to Ramblers and Area 
• dealt with well but still lessons to be learned/reviewed especially regarding importance of the recce, communication (e.g. between leaders and back markers and when group splits) 
• also, Committee to review advice on first aid kits 
• all members and especially leaders encouraged to look at the Ramblers Walk Leader Toolkit

Bothamsall, Rivers Meden and Maun and the Robin Hood Way, 25th November 2018

A magnificent twenty seven on this 7½ mile walk along the Robin Hood Way (mainly) and exploring the valleys of the Rivers Maun and Meden.

Unusual octagonal grain store near start of walk at Haughton Hall Farm 

River Maun on its way from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Mansfield (Maunsfield), Edwinstowe and Ollerton to Elkesley, where it joins the Meden to form the River Idle

The mighty River Meden (in comparison) on its way from Huthwaite, Pleasley Vale and Warsop to Elkesley

An early Christmas treat - reindeer at Haughton Park House Farm.

Available for weddings

Wind pump on Church Lane, Bothamsall

Our Lady and St Peter's Church, Bothamsall

Cottages at western end of Bothamsall

The Rivers Meden and Maun join here for 200 meters before going on separately to Elkesley where they once more combine to form the River Idle

Lunch at Robin Hood's Cave, now just a depression in the sandstone rock face forming the bank of the Maun

The Birds - safely on the other side of the fence

Woodborough and Epperstone, 21st November 2018

Here is the track of Angela's walk today from Woodborough, through Ploughman Wood nature reserve, towards Lowdham and the outskirts of Epperstone.

Ticknall to Ingleby, 18th November 2018

Rab's walk took us from the Village Hall in Ticknall to Foremarke Hall, east to Anchor Cave and Ingleby, with fine views of the Trent, and back to Ticknall through Robin Wood.

Foremarke Hall, a Georgian-Palladian country house and manor house. Completed in 1762, the hall is the current home of the Repton Preparatory School

Coffee stop near Foremarke Hall

Anchor Church, a series of caves in sandstone adjacent to the Trent, thought to have been the cell of an Anchorite hermit, St Hardulph, who lived and prayed here in the 7th century

Inside Anchor Church

Fine view of the Willington cooling towers across the Trent

Robin Wood

Ticknall Tramway, 1802 - 1915

Part of a 12.5 mile network of horse drawn tramways, designed and built by Benjamin Outram, linking Ticknall with the Ashby Canal

Zouch, River Soar and Normanton, 11th November 2018

Elaine led fifteen of us this eight-mile walk in better weather than anticipated on this Remembrance Sunday.  The route took us first along the canal and down the Soar before peeling off to Sutton Bonington. Then, after Saint Anne's Church, we stopped for two minutes silence before continuing towards West Leake, turning off down Brickyard Lane and across Rempstone Road to Limekiln Plantation before returning through fields close to Normanton on Soar and back to the start along Zouch Cut.

The start in the car park next to Main Street, Zouch

Across the River Soar floodplain near the start

Loughborough Navigation (Zouch Cut) approaching the junction with the River Soar

Saint Anne's Church, Sutton Bonington

Excellent views to the north

Returning along Zouch Cut

A prize for identifying these walkers (or improving the photograph!)

Harby and Hose, 4th November 2018

There was a good turnout for Roger's 6-mile walk from Harby, a revised start-point and route due to the fire at the Hose Village Hall.  After walking through the village we explored the tracks and field paths south of Harby and Hose, across to bottom of the the escarpment of Harby Hills.  This was followed by the VBR AGM at Harby Village Hall, tea and cakes provided by the Committee and friends.

Harby Village Hall

Across fields towards Harby Hills

Sheltering for coffee

Crossing one of the many disused ironstone railways in Belvoir

Selected walkers (i.e. stragglers)

At last, the end of the AGM - join the rush for cakes

First Aid Course, Bottesford, 31st October 2018

VBR offered to host a first aid course funded by Nottinghamshire Area Ramblers and this took place at Bottesford Village Hall on 31st October.  The course, given by two members of British Red Cross, was straightforward, useful and realistic for our rambling audience of thirteen. Everyone was given the opportunity to join in practically where possible and ask questions.  Overall we believe everyone will have had a really good experience and encourage other groups to take up Area's offer.

We were recommended the Red Cross' award-winning First Aid app which can be downloaded to your computer (from redcross.org.uk/app) or to your phone or tablet .  The app includes: simple step-by-step advice; useful videos; animations; and a self-test section.