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Chairman's Report |
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This will be my last Chairman’s report. I have enjoyed being in this post for the last 9 years and tried my best to support the committee without whom we would not be in the healthy position that we are in today.
Our spring weekend in April 2012 was held at the Richmond Hotel in Torquay. This was not the best hotel in which we have stayed as the food was not good and there was no facility for wet walking gear. Some of us enjoyed Friday evening at the Little Theatre seeing an amateur dramatic production of a play entitled ‘Audacity’ and Saturday evening’s entertainment at the hotel seemed to make up for some of the disappointments. We had arrived in sunshine and Carol led a local walk from the hotel. The Saturday walks on Dartmoor were good but the downpour of rain on the Sunday prevented our planned coastal walk from Brixham. Although, we saw a spectacular raging sea along the front on a short walk from the hotel. A visit to Exeter on route home on Monday completed the holiday. Our appreciation to the walk leaders from Devon Ramblers was shown in the form of a donation to Devon Air Ambulance. Last July we enjoyed our coach ramble to Tewksbury. The weather was fair and we had good walks which ended in visits to the local tea shops or pubs. Some enjoyed a look around the Abbey. October saw our autumn weekend away to the Monarch Hotel, Bridlington in Yorkshire. The hotel, which is situated on the seafront, was good with good food and facilities. On Friday we walked the coast path from Flamborough Head to the hotel, led by Lois. We were pleased to have some walks led by Alison Spencer, who now lives in the area and enjoyed walking in the Yorkshire Wolds on Saturday and the coastal path to Robin Hoods Bay on Sunday. The weekend ended with a visit to the town of Beverley on route home. Despite the near proximity of the New Spa Theatre to the hotel, we were unable to attend a theatrical production due to National Conference for the Divorced and Separated being held there during that weekend. In early December we celebrated our Festive meal at the Greyhound Pub at Burston, which was enjoyed by all. But it was also in December that we heard of the sudden death of our dear friend Charles Spencer. His funeral, held at Brewood Church, was attended by many members and he will be remembered with great affection for his sense of fun and fairness. Over the past years we have been made very welcome and enjoyed many visits to the ‘cottage’, sipping wine and eating Joyce’s home made soups. In February we enjoyed our skittles evening here at the Constitutional Club. We also enjoyed the quiz provided by Trevor - make a note Trevor -that is the required standard- easy! In March we re-visited the Bull and Spectacles for our Annual Dinner ramble. The walks were good and again the meal enjoyed by all. The wintry weather has resulted in some of our walks being cancelled over the last few months but hopefully we are now set for a full programme to enjoy. On the 5th May our 5 mile walk is part of the Stafford Walking Festival so we may have the opportunity to encourage more walkers to join our group. We have recently returned from our spring weekend in Criccieth. We stayed at the George IV Hotel, which was of a very good standard. The food and entertainment was good - I believe some people even won at Bingo! On Friday we walked the coastal path from Borth y Gest into Criccieth. Our proposed visit to Portmeirian was abandoned after the coach driver followed his Sat Nav, which took us across country to a road with a bridge which was too low for the coach to pass under! The alternative route made us short of time. We also had to abandon any hope of walking up Snowdon due to the winter conditions but enjoyed a circular from Beddgelert, at least until it started raining! Rain again on Sunday but we carried on with our planned walk around the headland of the Llyn Peninsular and the sun came out. We visited Conway on route home but now we had a different problem as some of us had contracted a tummy virus and were feeling rather poorly. You may have noticed that we have a new logo on the programme. Our thanks go to Ian and Jenny for designing this and for their help with all our printing. Thanks to Carol for filling the envelopes with our programmes and sending them out to us. To John Farr for all his hard work keeping our finances in order and updating our website. The web address is on your programme. To Trevor and Angie for collating the walks programme and if like me you are wondering where is ‘the quietest place under the sun’ which we are due to visit in May - it is in the Clun Valley! To Chris for taking the minutes at our meetings and keeping track of what we are discussing! To Brad, Lois, Les and Anthony for all the support which you have given to me over the years! It only leaves for me to thank all you walk leaders without whom Stafford Rambling Group would not exist! Jeanette Harvey
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