Walks Leaders Needed!

If you think that this winter’s walks programme has fewer walks than usual, you are right. Sadly some leaders have indicated that they are unable to lead – this may be temporary for some, but others have decided to hang up their leaders’ boots. There is, therefore, an urgent need to recruit new leaders. Do you have a walk close to home that you enjoy? Then why not offer to lead it and share your enjoyment with the rest of OFS.

All members of the committee and experienced leaders are more than willing to help: from the planning (using books or directly from the OS map), through to checking the route and being there to offer support on the day. A pack of guidance notes is available giving useful information for each stage.

When I took over the position of walks co-ordinator, Sue Crisp, who had masterminded the programme for the last ten years, gave me a list of leaders with forty six names on it. For this winter programme I have received walks from twenty five, some of these are two people who will jointly lead the walk. It is apparent that unless more members’ names are added to the list, the numbers of walks which will appear in the programme will progressively decline. So please seriously consider making a greater contribution to the Society and become a leader.

Liz Adams

Don’t be fazed; it isn’t that difficult. Maybe you want to try a route; maybe you already have a favourite area; maybe you want to explore an area that hasn’t been in the programme recently. Go to OCC website, as noted above and look at the map. Compare it with the paper version. Go to your local library, or treat yourself to a visit to Blackwell’s; there are many excellent walking guides designed to enthuse, not intimidate. Choose something which interests YOU.

Try it out. Check you are comfortable with all the ‘Elf and Saf’ey’ diktats which look intimidating but are really common sense (copy from Liz Adams). Send a proposal to Liz Adams (Walks Organiser) and then recce your walk a few days before the event to check that nothing untoward has happened. Pull your sunshine string on the eve of the walk and then enjoy yourself. A lot of people will be ready to thank you for your efforts, which is always nice, and you may be surprised to find how rewarding the whole exercise is in providing pleasure for fellow walkers. Promise!

http://www.ofs.org.uk/walking/leaderAdvice/ has advice on starting as a walks leader.