Les and Dianne now start their last year as chairmen and asked if any one would be interested in taking over from them to contact them .

Margaret Norman stood down. Margaret had been on the Committee since 1989, when she joined as an organiser of Social Events. Some years later she took over as Saturday Walks Organiser and then was Bookings Secretary for around 13 years. She filled all these positions with much energy and enthusiasm and has been a great ambassador for our Group, always very helpful. Margaret's departure resulted in some shuffling of chairs :-
Chris Green has taken over as Bookings Secretary and Miles Cooper as Sunday Walks Organiser. Newcomer Peter Smith has joined as Thursday Walks Organiser.
They have all begun these new jobs really well, please give them all your support.
We decided to move the AGM back to midweek this time, hoping that the turnout may be greater than recently. It was a very wet evening but the turnout was disappointing. Hopefully we will see more of you at the AGM at the end of this year.
Margaret wrote to thank everyone for making her job most enjoyable, for sending notes after trips and holidays , and she wishes Chris well in his new role as Bookings Secretary.

Just to clarify who the Brentwood Groups representatives are with Essex Area:- 
Roy Carpenter is Area Membership Secretary as well as filling this role for our Group.
Les Cox has filled Colin Jacob's position as Group Representative since Colin sadly died last year.
Gordon Bird is our Group Footpath Secretary and Countryside Officer, these are Area appointments.
The Area Footpath Secretary is now Kevin Ascott, Mags Hobby having stood down after 4 years in the role.
There was a presentation by Garry White and Andy Reynolds from Essex County Council to promote the Digitisation of the Definitive Map. There is a lot of overlap in the time it takes for the Definitive Map to be updated which can result in problems for Rights of Way Officers and others, including walks leaders. Also there was a very interesting talk by Janet Davis, Senior Policy Officer at Ramblers Head Office, on a variety of subjects including the effect of the reduction of council budgets on path maintenance and countryside matters in general.


On another lovely sunny day in September, 49 of us alighted from the coach at Knodishall and walked to the Meare at Thorpeness, where we spent a pleasant coffee break before walking along the beach to Aldeburgh, passing the Benjamin Britten Memorial sculpture. The town offered every choice of lunch possibilities including the famous local fish and chips. Then, after a 2 minute hop on the coach, we walked to Snape Maltings in time to catch the end of a food fair and enjoy tea and scones! Many thanks to Dianne for this excellent walk and lovely day out.


We spent a lovely long weekend in October, with three very full days of glorious walking. We stayed at the Beaumont Hotel in lively Chepstow, where the staff worked very hard indeed to look after us. The weather was at times overcast but this was well compensated for by giving us some stunning skies, especially when we were crossing the Severn bridge with amazing views up and down the estuary, as well as of the bridge itself. What an amazing engineering feat! Perhaps some of the other highlights of our trip were the terrific views of the Black Mountains when we were climbing over The Kymin and down into Monmouth, and beautiful Tintern Abbey on the last day, followed by crossing Chepstow Racecourse, culminating in an exciting walk along the edge of the Wye Gorge before dropping down to walk along the impressive Chepstow Castle. Our thanks to Les and Roy for organising this weekend, and to Les and Chris for leading the walks.




GEORGE DOVE  joined Brentwood Ramblers in 1985 and with his wife, Joyce, was a frequent walker with the group.  They both enjoyed walking holidays away with the group and we are sure many of you will remember these occasions with great pleasure. He was a very friendly and approachable person, both qualities which were to stand him in good stead as a leader, when he joined the Committee and became Saturday walks organiser.   A heart attack in April 2001 led, eventually, to a heart bypass operation in February 2007, after which he stood down from the Committee. In the last twelve months he walked less with the group but stayed in touch via rambling friends. (Pub lunches and bacon rolls spring to mind.) In addition to his duties with the Ramblers Daphne also remembers him taking a very special walk with her in August 1997 when he escorted her up the aisle on her wedding day. During the 26 years he was a Brentwood group member George made very many friends - and a large number of you came to his funeral at South Essex Crematorium on 5 May. His wife Joyce would like to add how touched she and her family were by all the messages of sympathy and support they received from all their rambling friends and colleagues.  Daphne and Stan.  May 2011  (He also had the brightest boots in the group! Ed.)

DAVE RYLEY joined the Brentwood group, with his wife Jan, in 1988 and straight away were a very popular couple.  Dave was the sort of person that groups like ours need to thrive; that is someone who is friendly to everyone and welcoming to newcomers. You spend a lot of time on a walk and when you can get on with the people around you, as Dave did, it helps the day go along with a buzz and it encourages people to come out again. The abiding memory of Dave is always of him with his golf umbrella and shorts in all weathers, while the rest of us were wearing full waterproofs! He was a truly nice man and will be sadly missed.  Les

COLIN JACOB Now that Colin has gone we realise what a huge amount of work he did for the Ramblers and in particular Brentwood Ramblers. He loved being part of it, planning and leading walks and holidays, leading for Ramblers holidays, representing the Area, poring over the maps, and compiling and editing the walks programme and newsletter for the last 10 years. I was impressed by his patience, diligence and high standards of work on the newsletter and programme. I wish we had thanked him more profusely. When you hear more about Colin’s life it helps you to understand him. As a child with TB he spent nearly 4 years in hospital, strapped to a board. Yet despite that he passed the 11 plus and became head boy of Reigate Grammar School by 18. Colin had a zest for life and enjoyed rugby, drinking, and socialising as a young man as well as his career in engineering. Always up for an adventure, Colin took up skiing, sailing and travel, and partook of these activities in addition to rambling whenever possible. He loved his daughters Charlotte and Victoria, and his grandchildren Jasper Henry, Albert, and Annabel. Sadly, Colin did not live to meet his latest grandchildren, Montgomery and Genevieve who were born to Charlotte and John on the 18th May. Colin is greatly missed by all his friends. In his family he lives on. Alison




 

                        

GROUP NEWS 2010

New Chairpersons – Dianne & Les

Les has been a Brentwood group member for nearly 30 years, Dianne for only slightly less. During that time we have had many people filling this role, starting with Paul Button, then Norman Skinner who was Chairman for over 8 years during which time the membership increased enormously. The good times continued with Peter James, Dennis Powell, Graham Christie, Colin Jacob, Daphne Vandersteen, Roy Carpenter and Graham again, all very ably supported by good committees and many other group members. Two years ago the group celebrated its 40th anniversary - it has been 42 good years.

STOKENCHURCH COACH RAMBLE - APRIL

Our thanks go to Miles and Val for leading the walks in Oxfordshire. We were blessed with fine weather and I am sure that everyone enjoyed their day out. Walkers on the long walk spotted many red kites and some of the group were lucky enough to see a young badger. Whilst the short walk members were able to explore Oxford’s colleges and historic buildings, after their riverside walk along the Thames.

LYNMOUTH WEEK - APRIL

Thirty members of the group journeyed to Exmoor for a week of walking both on the coast and on the moors. Each walk was meticulously planned to coincide with an afternoon visit to a tea room enabling us to significantly boost our dwindling cholesterol levels. We stayed at the Bath Hotel, right in the centre of town, overlooking the harbour. The food and service were excellent and the hotel could not be faulted. We were blessed with fine weather to enjoy the wonderful scenery and the occasional shower did not dampen our spirits. All in all, it was an excellent week. The walks were led by Roy, Les and Chris and thanks are due to the leaders and especially to Roy for organizing the holiday.

CAVENDISH COACH RAMBLE - MAY

Our thanks to Walter, for the “Grand Day Out” in sleepy Suffolk. This included an excellent guided tour of Lavenham. This was a very hot day and we had a lovely walk through beautiful countryside with a pub lunch at Long Melford and afternoon tea in Lavenham.

WINCHESTER WEEKEND - JUNE

40 members of the group travelled to Winchester for a weekend of walking in the rolling countryside of East Hampshire. We stayed next to Marwell Zoo in an African style game lodge with equatorial weather to match. With temperatures reaching the 90’s the intake of vast quantities of fluid was essential. Therefore, we had to visit various pubs including the excellent “Flowerpots” in the delightful village of Cheriton, where we were fortunate enough to catch a performance by the Nether Wallop Morris Dancers on their European tour. The walks up on the South Downs gave us magnificent views of the Solent. Thanks to Roy, Dianne and Les for leading the walks and organising a great weekend.

DUNSTABLE COACH RAMBLE - JULY

This trip took us to the Chiltern Hills With fine weather and far reaching views. We walked from Totternhoe Knolls to Dunstable Downs, where the annual kite flying gala was in full force. While the half day walkers departed for a trip on the Grand Union Canal, the full day party continued on to Whipsnade, where the village scarecrow festival was taking shape. We paid a brief visit to the Tree Cathedral and church, before continuing around the Wild Animal Park. Following an unplanned, but welcome, afternoon pub stop, the reinvigorated party had no difficulty in tackling the long ascent to Ivinghoe Beacon, with breathtaking 360 degree views. Tired, but happy, the party returned home. Thanks to Chris and Miles for organising the outing.

ORFORD COACH RAMBLE - SEPTEMBER

Our last coach trip of the year took us to the delightful village of Orford on the Suffolk coast. Les led the walk which was going to be a figure of eight but, as the intended bridleway return seems to have disappeared into the marshes, it turned out to be a circular AM and there and back PM. We enjoyed unexpectedly dry but typically bracing east coast weather with a stiff breeze along the sea wall. For those not doing the afternoon walk, there were the attractions of the castle, a leisurely lunch in one of the pubs, a meal in the oysterage or a cream tea in the quaint quayside tearooms. Some chose to visit the well regarded smokery. A great day out, with thanks to Les for planning and leading the excursion.

GREAT MALVERN WEEKEND - OCTOBER

This trip took 41 of us to the town of Great Malvern, famous for spring water, Edward Elgar, Morgan Cars and the impressive 11thC Abbey, for a weekend of walking in the Malvern Hills. We stayed at the excellent Abbey Hotel which provided sumptuous meals. The walks were through beautiful rolling countryside, with little arable farming, cider apple orchards and alongside the fast flowing River Teme. There were some quite steep ascents (and descents) and, when the early morning mist cleared, we enjoyed fabulous sunny weather and spectacular views. We managed to fit in three pub lunches, including Sunday lunch at the pub with “the best pub view in Britain” and the added bonus of a real ale festival. A great weekend with thanks to Val and Les for organising it and leading the walks.

 

 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – 27 NOVEMBER 2010

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT  

This is a wonderful group to be involved with and it's been a privilege to work with Dianne as Joint Chairman for the last 12 months.

We were lucky to have Alison Johnson and Chris Green join the Committee at the same time. They have had a lot to do with the revamped programme and have been a great help to Colin Jacob. Also other people have got involved with photos, sketches and paintings etc which has made the programme an enjoyable read. At the same time the walks programme itself has been as full and, I think, interesting as usual. Plenty of walks short and long, near and far, coach rambles, weekends away at Winchester and Malvern and a week away at Lynmouth in April. All this comes about because of having good leaders and members to support the walks to make it all worthwhile. Plans for next year are already well advanced and I think you will enjoy them when they come round.

However, there is one area that is causing concern. This is the lack of a Footpath Secretary. Gordon Fairgrieve told us 2 years ago of his intention to stand down, which he did do 6 months later. Since then it's been mentioned in every programme and various people have been approached without any luck. We have got by with parish adopters, 2 parishes don't have adopters, reports to Essex Council and to Laura Dunnell at Brentwood Council. Laura also organises footpath work which several of our members support on working parties. However, she is moving over to Essex Council and with money being tight councils could well cutback in footpath work. Long standing members will recall what Essex paths used to be like 20 years ago, so getting a Footpath Secretary in place has now become a urgent need.

On the subject of job appointments, Judy Stephenson has been both Group Secretary and Minutes Secretary for the last year. Judy would want to give up one of these positions, the Group Secretary's job, at some time during the coming year. We would also like to thank Chris Lomas for all that she has done as Thursday Walks Sec over the last 4 years, she has been very enthusiastic. She now has other commitments. We do have a volunteer in place, and their nomination will come up later in the meeting.

This group has a very lively Committee. Our meetings are often quite loud at times, there is lots of discussion, lots gets decided and done. Brentwood has been one of the top groups in Essex for a long time and I hope you agree with me that that is still the case.

LES COX

Booking and Cancellations Conditions for Trips

• Coach Rambles
  • Payment is non-refundable.
• Weeks and weekends away
  • Deposit is non-refundable.
  • Final Balance must be paid 6 weeks before event.
  • No refund will be given once final balance has been paid, unless we are able to re-sell the place or obtain a partial or full refund for accommodation.
  • Any waiving of these rules can only be considered in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the committee.
• Final price of events may be subject to minor changes to reflect any unanticipated costs or currency fluctuations.
• Also please note that gratuities are included in the booking fees for coaches on all trips. Gratuities are not included in the booking fees for hotel accomodation.
• If you have to drop out from any booked trip at the last moment, please let the organiser know.