Since 1970, the Ramblers has produced a technical bulletin for those engaged in the care and protection of public rights of way. For many years it has been sent out to all Ramblers footpath workers free-of-charge but it was also sold on subscription to footpath workers beyond the organisation. More recent back copies can be found on the Rights of Way Pages.
In the spring of this year we sent out a questionnaire to all readers and have subsequently carried out a review of its production. We are very grateful to everyone who completed that questionnaire. We looked at all of the responses very carefully and have concluded that the Ramblers should continue to produce Footpath Worker. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, it is very clear from the comments received that Ramblers volunteers who have an interest in matters of rights of way and access policy and law see it as a necessary part of the toolkit for carrying out their voluntary rôles. Providing this information should continue to be part of the support which we at central office provide to those volunteers. Secondly, the Ramblers has a reputation for its expertise in matters of rights of way and access law and practice and it seems only right that we should continue to enhance that reputation through the continued production of a technical journal on those subjects.
Having looked at the production and postage costs as part of this exercise we have decided that the best way forward will be to produce future editions as a PDF document which will be e-mailed directly to all of those who wish to receive it. (56% of the respondents to the questionnaire said that this was their preferred electronic option). However, we will continue to make it available on the volunteer section of the website as well. We will no longer charge a subscription fee to those outside the organisation who wish to receive it. The income from the subscribers roughly balanced the overall cost of printing and postage but was cumbersome to administer. Instead, we will encourage non-members from the subscribers list to either join the Ramblers or to make a donation.
Under the present arrangements, Footpath Worker is sent to everyone who is recorded on the membership database as undertaking some kind of footpath work for the Ramblers. That will continue to be the case although with a paper-free version we can extend this to everyone who undertakes volunteering in a walking environment capacity (access officers, countryside officers and walking environment officers).
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO NOW
Everyone who received Footpath Worker in the past will be sent a direct message about its future, and information about what to do next. This message is for anyone who didn’t receive it in the past and would like to do so now. If you would like to receive Footpath Worker as a PDF directly to your in-box then please let Janet Davis know (janet.davis@ramblers.org.uk).
