NEW LEADERS ARE ALWAYS NEEDED

Over the last few years we have been very lucky in having a core of dedicated walk leaders willing to recce and lead walks for the Portsmouth Saturday and Sunday Groups. Indeed some leaders offer six or seven walks a programme – a staggering 18 to 20 walks a year! However as time marches on we gradually lose leaders often through injury, ill-health or work/family commitments. Being dependant on a team of stalwart leaders who lead a large percentage of the walks has its dangers when those leaders are no longer able to continue – as when that eventually happens the walking programme becomes decidedly bare.

To prevent this happening we need more people to come forward now. Leading walks does not have to be complicated. If you are unhappy with your ability to read maps, just choose a simple route and become familiar with it. Another option is to join up with a friend and lead a joint walk. I am sure many current leaders will be happy to discuss possible routes and go out with you on a recce to make sure all is OK. So please seriously consider becoming a leader if you want the Group to thrive in the long term.

For those considering leading walks and for existing leaders the Group has a number of useful documents and facilities available:

1. The Portsmouth Group has a Walk Leaders Guidelines document which can be downloaded from the Portsmouth Group Website. The address is https://www.portsmouthramblers.org.uk/leaders/140-guidelines-for-walk-leaders.html This document has a great deal of useful information, especially for new leaders, and is recommended reading.

2. Before many walks are entered on Walks Finder, i.e before the leader has finalised the walk details, the date of the intended walk can be booked on the Group's electronic calendar by contacting the programme co-ordinator. This calendar can be viewed on the calendar website  or via the Portsmouth Group website. This allows leaders to see the current availability of dates in real time.

If a leader is willing to change the date of their walk this is indicated by two stars before the title of the walk on the online calendar, but priority will always be given in order of receipt. However the aim is to provide a full and varied programme for the Group and occasionally dates have to be re-arranged or a walk carried forward to the next programme.

3. Submitting walks: leaders can now add their walks directly onto Walks Finder and the majority of leaders currently use this method to submit their walks. For those leaders without internet access walks can be submitted using the submission form at the end of this programme or you can contact David Nichols for extra paper copies. On the Portsmouth Ramblers Website are a few videos showing how to log on, add a walk and copy a previous walk etc. To use this facility new leaders need to create an account on the Ramblers website and then contact the co-ordinator so that they can be added as a contributor for the Portsmouth Group.

4. Any walk leader who has led a minimum of 8 walks over the last three programmes may apply to the Treasurer for reimbursement of the cost of a maximum of three new Explorer maps per annum, group funds permitting. The maps must cover the area normally walked by the group and the application must include a receipted bill and dates of walks led.

5. Leaders should report any incident or accident to the Secretary and any obstructions or broken stiles etc. to the Footpaths/Walking Envrionment/Access Secretary - Mark Page,16 Stansted Road, Southsea PO5 1SA, including grid references where possible.

6. All walks appear on Walks Finder Would leaders please advise David Nichols or Chris MacArthur if walk details change so this can be updated and walkers contacted. Please also copy the webmaster Malcolm Hagan, as he can put a large note on the Home Page of the website, which hopefully will bring the changes to everybody's attention.

7. Although Walks Finder allows a certain amount of information to be entered, if you have a lot of information you need walkers to know about e.g. complicated travel arrangements or you wish to 'blow your own trumpet' (you put a lot of effort into creating the walk and you wish everybody to know about it), then send details to the webmaster Malcolm Hagan and he will put the information on the website.