DONCASTER RAMBLERS
Minutes of committee meeting held on 23 January 2023
Finningley Village Hall
Committee members present: Peter Gravestock, Norman Lewis, Tony Marsh, Stephen Tomlinson, David Gadd, Angela Gibson and David Horne.
1. Apologies. Dave and Kim Binnington, Peter Rowsell, Brian Milne.
2. Review of the minutes of the meeting on 19.09.2022 and the AGM on 21.11.2022. These were accepted as accurate.
3. Matters arising from those minutes. At the AGM the venue for meetings was discussed. Enquires were made by S Tomlinson and D Horne at other venues. The current venue was found to provide best value for money and will continue to be used.
4. Financial report. Given by David Horne. Credit for £20 has been received. Payments of £70 for meeting venue and Flicker subscription of £59.98 made. Current account balance £1954.94.
5. Walking programmes.
a. Tuesday walks. Still some gaps in the winter 2022/2023 programme, especially for March 2023, however there are walks still to be submitted by walk leaders which should fill the gaps.
b. Thursday walks. The programme is full throughout February, David Horne announced he had added 5 walks to the programme. A further 6 walks are needed to fill the programme to the end of April. We are like many groups are short of walk leaders. We need to maintain the Thursday programme as recent attendance has been excellent with up to 21 walkers.
c. Saturday walks. Still having problems with a shortage of walk leaders for Saturday. No walks on the 22 and 29 January 2023. Walk programme full from 4 February to 25 February 2023 but only one other walk programmed for March and April. Without the walks put on by George James the programme would be very thin indeed.
d. Carers walks. It was agreed David Gadd would put together a provisional list of dates and venues for 2023 and forward this to Stepping Out etc. It was agreed we would organise one or two more challenging walks similar to Mam Tor in 2023.
6. Publicity. Peter Roswell’s report is presented at the end of the minutes. The issue raised by Billy Collins regarding the photograph on Facebook which showed our members walking in a crop rather than on the marked footpath was discussed. David Gadd who lead the walk explained the footpath were extremely muddy. David also advised he had raised a warning to keep to the footpath during a walk on Tuesday 17 January. It was agreed that posters should be provided for Peter to distribute by post to GP surgery’s along with a request that they display on their notice boards. It was also agreed that flyers should be produced for circulation to Walking for Health Leaders so they can be given to participants. David Gadd to discuss with Peter Rowsell. It was felt that posters in pubs, libraries etc. would not produce any results and therefore Peter’s suggestion should not be taken up.
7. Membership. David Gadd reported the current membership stands at 228. It was agreed that membership levels and walk attendance is good and significantly increasing the membership would not deliver any advantages to us as a Group. Increased numbers on walks, especially on a Tuesday, may be detrimental and put people off walking.
8. Rights of Way (RoW) and Maintenance. Tony Marsh’s report is presented at the end of the minutes. This included a provisional list of dates for maintenance days in 2023, all sessions are on the first Wednesday of each month. Tony advised that dates before March 2023 may not take place as DMBC were short of funds. Tony is considered carrying footpath clearance, minimal cost, if funds for other work is not made available. Tony advised the last maintenance session in 2022 was on the 7.12.22 with marker post replacement and stile repairs carried out at Tickhill, Marr and Brodsworth. Tony reported that 467 paths were inspected by Doncaster Ramblers members in 2022. He advised that Tony Foster has offered to inspect paths around Bawtry and that he is working on the map for Askern and Norton which will be passed to Gareth Cade and Steve Tomlinson in the near future. Tony advised he is still looking for somebody to take on the inspection of footpaths around Hatfield, Fishlake and Sykehouse. Tony advised he has a meeting with Peter Smith and Stuart Twell of Doncaster Ramblers on Wednesday 25.01.23 to discuss how they can help with the RoW maintenance etc.
David Gadd reported he has been in contact with Julie Guest by email following the concerns expressed about DMBC’s RoW section at the AGM. This seem to have had a positive effect and David Gadd was pleased with the response.
9. Any other business.
a. Social event. The possibility of restarting the annual coach trip was discussed with a possible coastal location. Angela Gibson to speak to Kim Poskitt to see if she and Kerensa Barker are willing to organise.
b. Norman Lewis has decided to stand down from the committee. Thanks were expressed for his five years of service on the committee, especially for the considerable work he did when we produced the twice-yearly printed programme.
c. Next meeting will be at the same venue on Monday 20 March 2023 starting at 7.15pm.
The meeting closed at 0845
S J Tomlinson 27.01.23.
Publicity Officers Report.
Trans-Pennine-Trail October Newsletter featured our Staveley, Brimington Common and some Chesterfield Canal walk in August 2022. Conisbrough in Focus no longer being published, the patch taken over by Today (Paula Thomas)
Facebook Feedback. Some negative comments regarding keeping to the footpath and not straying onto cultivated land and destroying crops.
Responses on Facebook to recent walk reports and photographs.
| Caption | Reach | Likes and reactions | Link clicks | Comments | Shares |
| Hooton Roberts Ramble | 4399 | 94 | 16 | 9 | 30 |
| Woods ,2 Castles ( and Cake ) | 6840 | 63 | 13 | 3 | 31 |
| Epworth & Church Town. | 3145 | 33 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| A New Year Clumber Ramble | |||||
| Welbeck Abbey: seat of the | |||||
| Clumber House: seat of the | 7549 | 64 | 12 | 9 | 30 |
| Doncaster Rambler s Press | 9268 | 58 | 33 | 11 | 30 |
| Sykehouse Circular | 6341 | 43 | 5 | 30 | |
| Misson Riverside Walk | 5736 | 59 | 7 | 5 | 30 |
| The Don Valley Way, Swinton | 6581 | 77 | 1 | 5 | 27 |
| Tickhill Stump Cross Lane | 6007 | 68 | 5 | 10 | 33 |
| Blyth Spirits | 5223 | 41 | 6 | 3 | 37 |
| Roche Abbey Round | 7784 | 68 | 8 | 4 | 35 |
| A Sykehouse Stroll | 6521 | 63 | 10 | 8 | 34 |
| Burbage and beyond with the | 5576 | 107 | 20 | 11 | 34 |
| Wentworth and Keppel s | 6899 | 48 | 3 | 3 | 33 |
| Goole s Out For Winter | 5447 | 34 | 1 | 5 | 36 |
| Sandall Beat Wood | 7763 | 57 | 9 | 4 | 30 |
I have a list of 55 GP surgeries in Doncaster, had I been mobile I would have visited them individually but that is not possible. Suggestions welcome.
Suggestions also welcome for other PR/Promo activities i.e., posters in pubs, Tourist Information Offices, central and local libraries (of which there are about 25).
Publicity Report prepared by Peter Rowsell.
Rights of Way Officers Report.
. Maintenance Volunteers.
• Four volunteers present.
• New waymark posts installed at Brodsworth and Marr.
• Stile repairs on two footpaths in Tickhill.
2. Footpath claims.
Some headway on the two longstanding claims in Sprotbrough (Cadeby Road/Nursery Lane), and Tickhill.
3. Maintenance Volunteers -dates for 2023.
• First Wednesday in the month, starting in February.
• May involve just clearance work until April.
4. My replacement.
• Meeting arranged for Wednesday 25th January with Stuart Twell and Peter Smith who have offered to get involved.
5, Square Checking.
6. Paths checked in 2022.
• The final total of paths checked and reported on was 467.
T. Marsh .... January 23rd, 2023
PS... I will make contact after my meeting with Stuart and Pete tomorrow to let you know what they are prepared to do.
RoW report prepared by Tony Marsh