Dear volunteer,
We’re living through interesting times…with public spending cuts of about 25% planned (the biggest cuts ever attempted by a western government), I am dreading what this might mean for the future of our public path network. The Ramblers Dead End for Walkers? campaign was launched on 8th July, highlighting the risks to public paths from threatened cuts in local authority spending. The first wave of the campaign highlights 20 local authorities where there are threatened budget cuts, or massive backlogs in clearing paths. More information is available on the website, and in particular, we need to know about any planned cuts in your local area. We have our work cut out over the next year in arguing why the network of public paths is so crucial for public health, local economies and - quite frankly - a crucial part of the British heritage.
On the campaign launch day, I visited Cornwall to walk two footpaths with Graham Ronan, Area Chair, and Jack Burling, one of Cornwall’s Footpath Secretaries, as well as council rights of way staff.
In the morning, after only walking a few yards along a footpath in St. Issey (which was not signposted) we found our way blocked by dumped rubbish over which we had to clamber. We encountered several deliberate attempts to unofficially divert the footpath, or block the way. 
At the end of our footpath, the signpost from the main road pointed straight into a hedge! Any casual walker would have given up within the first five minutes. Our afternoon walk along a footpath, selected at random in St. Ervan, was even worse; there was basically no route through at all. We were faced with barbed wire and thicket, which we hacked our way through with scythes and secateurs.
It is such a shame that Cornish paths are in this state. We were walking through some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain; on some of the worst footpaths in Britain. Walking is a low cost leisure activity, available to almost anyone. It is proven to help both physical and mental wellbeing - which is particularly important in these difficult financial times, as it is free and requires no special equipment, training or gym or club memberships. It is also the most popular active recreation in England and Wales. 
I do wish to emphasise how impressed I was with the dedication and professionalism of the enforcement staff, who I met on the day; and there is some great co-operation taking place between the council and the Ramblers. But the distinct lack of funding for rights of way, coupled with the introduction of a notoriously unworkable path maintenance prioritisation scheme (Gold, Silver and Bronze grading), has resulted in many Cornish paths falling into disrepair. 
I’ve written to all Cornish councillors telling them about the experience, and I’ve booked a return visit next February, to walk the same paths, when I hope to see big improvements.
Public Path Successes
Please keep your public path successes coming in: we have recorded over 500 public path successes so far this year - that means paths that have been unblocked, opened, or newly recorded thanks to the Ramblers. And they’ve still coming in thick and fast . For example, in August 2009 one of our members in East Cornwall, Peter Antony, found a gate on Footpath 12 in Calstock Parish tied up 
with barbed wire. The problem was reported to Cornwall Council. The blocked gate has now been replaced with a kissing gate and a larger gate. The larger gate is wired up but the kissing gate maintains pedestrian access. The photo here shows the new gates, with the old gate standing beside them to the right. Thanks to Bob Saunders, the Rights of Way Officer for Caradon Ramblers, for taking action and reporting the success to us.We need to know your successes too - we can use the successes to help with member recruitment, campaigning and fundraising! Please keep them coming in – click here for the report form.
Get Walking, Keep Walking – going from strength to strength
Get Walking, Keep Walking, our lottery-funded scheme operating in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Sheffield, has almost reached a milestone of 8,000 people encouraged to take up walking. In the past three months, there have been more people taking part in walks than in the previous six, and it’s been our busiest period ever. We’ve also distributed nearly 50,000 Get Walking ‘DIY’ packs to people who aren’t doing much physical exercise. These people won’t necessarily go on to join the Ramblers, but as a charity, we’re helping to spread the positive message about walking. Much of this is achieved by Ramblers volunteers – leading walks, inspiring people, devising routes, and uploading them to the website. Thank you. Have a look at the Get Walking website and see what you think.
Unsung Hero Group of the Month
This month, my ‘unsung hero’ award goes to a whole Group: the Lancashire Weekend Walkers, aimed at people in their 40s and 50s – and officially the fastest growing Group in the Ramblers.
At the start of the year, it had 8 members – it now has 52, almost all of whom are new to the Ramblers (in other words, they haven’t transferred from other Groups). It shows there is a massive “untapped market” for us of people new to walking who are looking for companionship and exercise. The group was formed last year, but was slow to start. They had a bit of a re-launch this year, and used Christmas as a boost. Their walks are 7-12 miles, plus lots of easier, shorter walks in the first three months because many of the new members were new to walking. They also have monthly new member nights at a pub, and between Feb and April, they were regularly getting 25 people turning up for these.
They produce a full colour weekly pdf newsletter, which is emailed around to members and contacts – and they have 150-160 people on their potential member list – they’re now working on converting these people into full membership.
They don’t have a large formal committee – three people, and lots of others helping out.
A big source of new members has been through having a leaflet stand in the local Cotswolds store, where they have had membership leaflets just behind the chip-and-pin machines (apparently the best place for them) – this has brought in lots of new members. They put all the walks on Walks Finder, and they direct their members to this through the weekly e-bulletin. How’s your Group doing? If you need ideas for boosting membership, take a look at this ‘ideas page’ from other groups.
Anyway, keep enjoying the summer, thank you, and I hope to see many of you at the Autumn special meetings with Ramblers Chair, Rodney Whittaker, and myself.
PS Don't forget the closing date for the 75th anniversary volunteer awards is the end of September. We've had 30 nominations so far. Keep them coming!
