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Oxfordshire Area Annual Report 2011
The latest annual report was released at the Area EC on the 16th January. Among the highlights of the year was the Area's hosting of the Ramblers General Council at Keble College, Oxford, in April. The report draws attention to the slight fall in membership, although this decrease was less than the Rambler's national trend. As always this emphasises the need to recruit new members, and the importance of publicity to achieve this.

There are reports from each group on their special walking trips and other activities. A 25% reduction in the funding of the Oxfordshire County Council's Countryside Service has prompted the need for volunteers to work with council staff to clear and maintain paths throughout the county. At least one group has already instigated arrangements to carry out such work on a project basis. Responses to the questionnaire that was circulated to Area members have been analysed and the results are presented in an Annex to the report.


2011 Walk Leaders' Course
The annual Walk Leaders' Course was held on the evenings of the 19th and 20th October 2011, with a practical session on Saturday 22nd October. The course is open to members in the Oxfordshire Area of the Ramblers Association and is run by the Vale of White Horse Group. This year there were 7 members on the course and the course tutors were John Gordon, John Orchard and Pat Lonergan. The two-hour evening sessions were held in the Guildhall building in the centre of Abingdon, and the practical leading and navigating session took place in the area around Boars Hill, just to the south west of Oxford. There was a walk in the morning and afternoon, with lunch being taken at the Fox at Boars Hill. The walks had been planned by the participants as an exercise during the second evening session. The participants took turns to lead sections of the walks and the photograph shows the group studying the map on the path leading up to Boars Hill from the east. In the background can be seen the buildings of Oxford, with Chilswell Farm lower down the hill.

If you would like to take part in the next course look out for the advanced notice of it in the 2012 Summer Programme.

















White Horse Show, August 2011
Ramblers members were out in force on the stand at this year's show. There were members from the Vale and Weekend Walkers groups. There were four of us each day, a good turnout. Each days was slow to start but from about 10:30 it was non-stop the whole day. As before, the Guess the Distance competition was very popular, with some of the younger contestants borrowing string to estimate the distance. On the Monday we hid the string so one of them used the string from his balloon!

Area picnic 2011
Following last year’s successful picnic held on Shirburn Hill to celebrate the Ramblers’ 75th anniversary it was decided to have an Oxfordshire Area picnic on an annual basis. This year’s picnic was held at Abingdon Abbey Meadow on Saturday June 25th. The event was hosted by the Vale of White Horse group who also supplied the refreshments and some of the cakes and biscuits. The weather was overcast, there was a stiff breeze but it remained dry. Shelter was provided by a gazebo borrowed from the Choose Abingdon partnership, whose officer, Heather Brown, joined the Vale’s walk. Their group started from the Meadow, following the Thames Footpath and Thame Lane to Culham Lock, returning to Abingdon along the Thames Footpath. Five other Oxfordshire Rambler groups participated: Banbury & North Oxfordshire , Bicester & Kidlington, Henley & Goring, Thame & Wheatley and the Twenties & Thirties. Altogether nearly fifty ramblers met at the Abbey Meadow and enjoyed the food and drink and the company of other walkers.












The Area hopes to continue the tradition of the annual picnic, to be hosted by another of the Area's groups

General Council, Keble College, April 2011
Oxfordshire Ramblers hosted General Council over the week-end of April 16 – 17; the meeting was held at Keble College, Oxford, a splendid location for the occasion and we were fortunately blessed with beautiful weather. Over 50 volunteers from 9 groups in the area helped out with providing transport to the college, manning the reception desk and providing tellers and scrutineers for the council votes and handing out microphones to the speakers. Jim Parke, our new Publicity Secretary, assembled a display of Ramblers’ activities provided by the groups in Oxfordshire and members of Oxford group led walks on Sunday both before breakfast and in the afternoon at the end of the sessions – in total over 60 people took part in the walks around Oxford. The one motion put forward which directly affects us in Oxfordshire (although less significantly than for other counties such as Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire) was related to HS2. The amended motion which was passed “reiterates Ramblers’ traditional support for public transport, supports the Charter for High Speed Rail published by CPRE and urges for campaigning to reduce the adverse effects on rights of way on foot”. This was very much in line with the majority feeling at the Oxfordshire AGM in January although we do appreciate that some people feel more strongly against the whole project.











Local Rambler Gains National Award
Susan Maguire, Chairperson of the Henley & Goring Ramblers and Secretary of the Oxfordshire Area, has been chosen as the winner in the Ramblers’ 75th Anniversary Awards in recognition of her volunteer work for the organisation at both local and Oxfordshire area levels. Nominated by her local committee, Susan’s energy, initiative and enthusiasm were commended by the judges. There were over a hundred nominations and the judges commented that all of them ‘were of an exceedingly high standard’. As she had no idea that her committee had nominated her, Susan was surprised and delighted by the news that she had won. Fellow committee members were not at all surprised as they think the award is richly deserved.

White Horse Show, August 2010
The Area were present at this show on the bank holiday Monday and day before. Much interest was shown by the public, particularly in the 'Guess the distance' competition for which ten routes had been prepared, with three on display at any one time. Some people were so keen they asked for more than three goes. We were amazed how well one nine-year-old girl was doing until we realised she was leaning over the table and looking at the answers. Her quoting of the exact distance was her undoing, but in the meantime she had gorged on a couple of Mars bars. Another younger young lady burst in to tears when she only won a small chocolate bar because her older brother had won a bigger bar. Who'd have thought that would be a problem? Lots of complimentary copies of Walk were given out and there was interest throughout both days. See the gallery link above for more photos. Many thanks to members of the Banbury & North Oxfordshire, Vale and Weekend Walkers groups for their attendance.

Area AGM 2010 Update
Almost 50 members attended the recent AGM, successfully hosted by the Oxford group at Old Marston Oxford. The walks prior to the AGM were ably led by Tony Dale and Keith Holly where members clambered over and through many difficult stile like structures. The pub, nestling by the canal, provided a very efficient service, so that members were soon back at Mortimer Hall to meet Keith Roberts, Director of Campaigns at central office. Keith gave a short explanation of current campaigns and had time to spare to answer members questions. This was followed by the AGM meeting, where there was discussion relating to transport to walks, and the organisation the county are using for dealing with footpath problems. An explanation was given over how Oxford Area are planning to celebrate ramblers 75 years including ideas for the baton walk in November. Keith Roberts has since said that he will be attending our event on June 26th on Shirburn Hill. The committee were all re-elected with the exception of Jon Yeadon, Vice-chair, who had decided not to stand for re-election. There are two vacancies on the committee, that of vice-chair and that of Publicity Officer . The Area Chairman, Pat Lonergan, thanked Alan Bryden for chairing the meeting, and thanked also members of the Oxford committee, who had helped make the day run so smoothly.

The Big Stride
Organised by Everyman, 'funding research to cross out male cancer'. The campaign is run by the Institute of Cancer Research.
People are asked to organise their own walk for family and friends in aid of Everyman, the UK's leading male cancer campaign. All money raised will go towards vital research into prostate and testicular cancer. The walk can be anything from 1 mile in a local park to a ramble in the countryside.
Get everyone involved and in return people will be sent a free fundraising pack, full of ideas and advice, plus a free T-shirt. For more information try the website - www.everyman-campaign.org/thebigstride, phone 0800 731 9468, or email: thebigstride@icr.ac.uk.

Highway Code Revisions
The RA is still advising walking groups to keep to the right side of the road so that they are walking towards approaching traffic, crossing over when you are about to approach the inside of a bend. The Highway Code is referring to organised marches or sponsored walks, with numbers much higher than those participating in RA led walks when suggesting walking on the left with one’s back to the traffic.