The Rossendale Rambler

December: On the 11th we had our customary Christmas meal at Nino’s. About twenty of our members and friends attended and a bibulous time was had by all. On the 27th we held our Festival of Winter Walk led jointly by Richard Sumner and Walter Waide, a ten (?) mile circular walk from the Kay St Car Park. On the way we celebrated Susan Wilkinson's birthday with several malts and had our refreshment stop and more whisky with tea, toast and cakes supplied by Steve Redstone at the Valley View Cafe, now sadly closed down by kill-joy Councillors.

January: The first Sunday of the New Year saw a repeat of last year's 7 mile Heptonstall walk and pub lunch led by Keith Pickup, fortunately arranged so that the return journey is all downhill.

February: This seems to have been a quiet month, apart from the dicey walk when, in a whiteout and with one of the walkers suffering from hypothermia, lan's GPS saved the situation.

March: An enjoyable and financially successful slide show was given by Bertha & Jim Rostron on the 23rd. A raffle, with prizes of a rucksack and socks presented by Fell & Mountain, raised £20. One of our leaders resigned but arrangements were quickly made to cover the three walks he was yet programmed to lead, thus demonstrating one of our main strengths, a willing group of leaders The Access campaign was gathering pace and all members were urged to write to their MP.

April: My request to make Greenway, Britannia, accessible to wheelchair users received a snooty reply from the Rossendale Borough Council Footpaths Officer. However, thanks to back-up pressure from the wheelchair user who first gave me the idea, arrangements are now in hand to open up this pleasant but short footpath to people who use wheelchairs.

May: Fourteen of us departed for Eire and spent a grand week with plenty of wilderness walks, mainly fair weather and some glorious Guinness in County Kerry.

June: Sheila Goggins did a sponsored walk for Rossendale Search & Rescue on the 6th and raised £72, half of which was donated to our own funds. Our third annual Family Rambling Day on the 28th was our most successful ever, thanks to an inspired choice of route by the leader Reg Rattan, which included a walk through the Glen railway tunnel, and to some excellent and sustained publicity by Walter through the Free Press. Some thirty adults and children turned up despite the steady downpour. And a good time was had by all - especially by the organisers.

July: Another fairly quiet month save for yours truly who was helping to organise the public debate on the Reaps Moss wind farm. This was highly successful with 170 people attending the meeting.

August: Another quiet month. we made plans for our Walks Programme meeting, the car boot sale and the AGM. Once again members were urged to write to their MP as Access had been omitted from the Queen's speech.

September: Joan Breeze and Malcolm Marsden organised the car boot sale on the 25th, the result and my thanks are recorded in the Treasurer's report. The Walks Programme for 2000 was produced without difficulty on the 28th and, I believe, supplies variety in distance and venues.

Finally my thanks to : Reg Rattan for chairing for two years - not an easy task with all these volatile Committee Members.

Walter Waide for the increasing excellence of the Rossendale Rambler which provides the link between the Group Officers and the majority of our members who we never see, for publicising our activities through the media and the Internet and for the unfailing support which he gives me.

Sheila Goggins, retiring after four years on the Committee. We shall miss her. All the other Committee Members for their contributions in terms of ideas and support.

All the Walks Leaders without whom this Group would not function, for walking is our core activity. And to anyone else who I may have overlooked in rushing out this report.

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