Rebecca Dawson, chair  

Rebecca joined the Ramblers in her early 30s as a means to regularly walk with others, to stay fit and to meet new people. Initially volunteering for her local Group and Area Council Rebecca then joined the board of trustees and became chair in 2021. Driven by the opportunity of helping others to discover the joy of walking, Rebecca champions the Ramblers role as campaigners, fighting to protect, preserve and enhance the places we walk, across England, Wales, and Scotland.  

 

Michael Penny, honorary treasurer  

Michael has always enjoyed walking and climbing in the beautiful British countryside having lived in many parts of the UK.  His long and varied career has included roles at Whitbread Time Warner, Wickes and Pinnacle Group who manage social housing.  Michael’s experience has covered all aspects of finance including strategic reviews, improving and maintaining strong financial controls, treasury management and providing guidance and advice to the board and other management.  

 

Bola Anike, ordinary member 

Bola become a trustee in 2022 reflecting her love of the Ramblers mission to make nature and the outdoors accessible to everyone. She lives in Brighton and enjoys chatting and laughing with the walkers of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities that she meets on Ramblers group walks.  Bola says that at the end of every walk she feels relaxed and inspired having spent time in nature.  

 

Lucy Armitage, ordinary member 

Lucy, lives in St. Leonards-on-Sea and is from a family of happy ramblers.  She is keen to pass on that joy, and to preserve the freedom of walking in nature for future generations. Lucy enjoys spending time walking with friends and finding a view that makes you gasp and treasure the moment forever.  She hopes to ramble through every county of the UK over the next ten years.  Although she says she has equally discovered that being led down unexpected diversions is one of the very best things about life. 

 

Gavin Baker, ordinary member  

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Mark Chung, ordinary member  

Mancunian born & bred, and a proud Lancastrian, Mark joined Burnley & Pendle Ramblers in 2007, becoming the Pendle Footpath Officer in 2011 and now a trustee. Coming from an ethnic background and an inner-city housing estate Mark personally values the pleasures and benefits of walking and supports the Ramblers inclusivity & diversity initiatives to engage with all members of our communities.  Having walked all the Wainwrights, Mark is now working on completing various National Trails across the north of England.  

 

Bekah Cork, ordinary member 

Bekah lives in Berkshire and was previously the chair of Glasgow Young Walkers and Vice Convener of Ramblers Scotland.   Having relocated for work twice, Bekah the Ramblers as helping her make new friends, try new things and push her own boundaries.   Bekah believes no problem is so big that it can't be made a bit smaller by going for a walk to see the bigger picture.  She became a trustee in 2022 aiming to share the joy of walking with others.    

 

Malcolm Dingwall-Smith, appointed trustee (Ramblers Scotland) 

Mal is the strategic partnerships manager at sportscotland, the national agency for sport in Scotland. He leads the organisation’s government, political and public policy engagement. He is the convener of Ramblers Scotland. 

 

Dan Firmager, co-opted member 

Dan is a chartered accountant, working for a professional services firm in the specialist charities and not-for-profit audit team. Dan is passionate about the environment and how we interact with it, and is a  huge advocate of the benefits that walking can bring to a person’s physical and mental wellbeing. 

 

Ronnie Forbes, ordinary member 

Ronnie is a former convener of Ramblers Scotland and has had held many volunteer roles at local level including chair and treasurer. Ronnie lives in Argyll where he loves group walks around Scotland’s mountains and glens. Ronnie values being part of an organisation that is increasing access to the countryside and improving the nation’s awareness of the health benefits of walking in nature.  

 

Chris Hodgson, appointed trustee (Ramblers Cymru) 

Chris is a committed walker, walking in all parts of Wales and covering more than 1000 miles every year. His walking has led him to take a great interest in the condition of our paths, and in their improvement, and in encouraging other people to experience the joy of walking. Chris is a former Chair of the Welsh Council Executive Committee. 

 

Malcolm McDonnell, ordinary member  

Malcolm lives in East Sussex where he has been a member of the Ramblers since the 1980s and has made many lasting friendships over the years.  Malcolm has volunteered with the Ramblers for over 20 years focusing on roles related to footpaths and rights of way.  He has been a trustee since 2018 and remains a committed local footpath warden with a passion for campaigning for the rights of walkers. 

 

Gulshun Rehman, co-opted member 

Born in India, Gulshan has lived in East London for 40+ years. She has also lived and worked in Palestine, Bangladesh, India and Uganda. A committed long-distance walker for the past 15 years, Gulshan became a trustee in 2022 as a way of combining her passion for walking with her commitment to tackling inequality and the notable absence from the countryside of people of colour. She also has substantial experience in fundraising and sitting on boards of other organisations in a voluntary capacity.  

 

Lucy Robinson, ordinary member  

Lucy has a wealth of experience from her career as a senior civil servant providing policy advice to ministers on both transport and environment issues. Later she was also Director of Environment and Transport at Suffolk County Council where she was responsible for rights of way across the county.  

 

Rowan Williams, ordinary member 

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