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Dear volunteer,
Vote to break down the barriers to walking
We’re just a short way away from the General Election - which makes this the best time to contact and lobby your candidates on policies to break down the barriers to walking. Have a look at my video blog, below, where I explain the Ramblers manifesto, and how you can use it to help the Ramblers extract promises from our politicians on walking policies. The manifesto, and other information about how to get involved, is available by clicking here, and if you want some tips on questions to ask your candidates, click here. So far, 258 candidates have signed up to our manifesto, and 352 volunteers have been involved in contacting them. [Update on 16th April - over 500 volunteers have now helped - a massive thank you!] Thanks in advance for helping. The support you give now may help the Ramblers for the next five years!
General Council 2010
We’re now days away from General Council and the AGM of the Ramblers. As for many charities, it has been a difficult and painful year. We had to take really drastic decisions in 2009, to bring our spending down to match our income levels. This involved making redundancies in England, Wales and Scotland, reducing funding levels for Areas and Groups, moving away from paper-based mailings and switching wholesale to electronic communications, and cutting back on the number of publications we produce - like Hike magazine aimed at younger members. None of these decisions have been in the least bit popular!
We've certainly made mistakes - it would be amazing if we hadn't, and arrogant to try to suggest otherwise. It might have been a bit less painful - but not necessarily easier - if we had cut back on spending earlier than we did (perhaps we ought to have spotted the signs earlier). We could have done a better job at communicating and consulting with volunteers, earlier. Gordon Brown used an apt saying this past weekend: "Show me a soldier who has not made mistakes and I will show you a soldier who has not won a battle."
I'm sorry for the mistakes we have made, and I'm committed to us learning from these mistakes. The Ramblers Honorary Treasurer, Jonathan Kipling, has made a series of recommendations for tightening up on processes and procedures, which we are implementing. We're also trying to improve the flow of information in both directions between volunteers and central office. The recent special regional and national meetings - involving more than 200 volunteers meeting with Rodney Whittaker, our Chair, and myself, in eleven meetings and 22 hours of meeting time - have been very helpful.
But if we had not taken decisive and very swift action when we did, the consequences would have been far worse.
Five months into the current financial year, and we are on track to break even for the year. This is a major turnaround from last year.
We are not out of the woods yet, though. There is talk of a 'double-dip' recession. Public spending is going to be massively squeezed, and that will affect us too. For the Ramblers as with many other organisations, it will continue to be a tough few years.
Key to the Ramblers' future will be to increase our membership, and other sources of income. We're currently consulting on these being two of our priorities for the coming year. They would need to involve everyone, throughout the charity - whether at central office, Area or Group level.
The forthcoming General Council will be an opportunity to take stock, and no doubt to let off some steam. But I hope that we come out of General Council clearly focused on broadening the appeal of the Ramblers.
Kissing Gate Success
My unsung hero of the month award goes to the wonderful South Cotswolds Group for installing a series of kissing gates to replace warn-out stiles - paid for from the sales proceeds of their local walks books. Another example of Ramblers helping to improve footpaths. They’ve got a great website too - take a look: www.southcotswoldramblers.org.uk
The Vetting and Barring Scheme - Don't Worry!
The Government's controversial 'Vetting and Barring Scheme' starts to come into force in July, with it being a legal requirement from November. You may have heard of this on the news - and the controversy around whether parents taking other children to, say, a football match would be required to be 'registered'.
People always get worried about these things - but my message to volunteers is 'don't worry'. Why? Because it will affect just a tiny number of volunteers (and those it does affect, we will help through the process). Ask yourself the following question:
Am I intending to start leading a regular (e.g. on a weekly basis) or intensive (e.g. for two or more consecutive days) walk (or other Ramblers activity) which will be specially targeted at families or vulnerable adults?
If the answer to this question is 'no', then the Vetting and Barring Scheme will not affect you. Even if you are currently leading such walks, it still wont affect you for now (you will have up to five years to register). At the moment, the Vetting and Barring Scheme will only affect those who are going to start these activities.
The scheme will have no impact at all on those leading general Ramblers walks which are open to the public, in which families or vulnerable adults might participate.
More details will follow soon for Areas (we do need to make sure that we abide by the law). But, please, don't worry about it. The impact on Ramblers volunteers will not be great, because the vast majority of our walks will not be included in the scheme. [Update on 16th April - we've now put up some more information - click here to view.]
Julia to be our President
I'm delighted that Julia Bradbury is going to be the Ramblers new President. She appeals to those who have walked all their lives, as well as those who are thinking about starting walking. Last Friday, at the Outdoors Show, I presented her with the 'Walking Personality of the Year Award' as voted by readers of Walk Magazine. It was great to see the reaction of the crowd. She was mobbed for photographs and autographs afterwards by Ramblers volunteers and awestruck teenagers alike!
Parliamentary Exhibition and Reception
Well done to everyone involved in putting on the Ramblers Parliamentary Exhibition last week, as part of our 75th anniversary celebrations. Lots of MPs and Lords came along. The exhbition included some fantastic posters and literature from our 75 years - including this one here. We're not sure of the exact date, but judging by the membership price I think it probably dates from the 1930s. If anyone knows better, let me know.
That's enough from me for this month. Enjoy the Spring (when it finally arrives).
To visit previous editions of my blog, click here.
