NDWG Committee Meeting 2023-04-16

Present

Rosanna Rapacchietta (chair/secretary)
Alistair Green (webmaster)
Fiona Woodward (membership secretary)
Stuart Broadhurst (treasurer)
Gary Olds (walks organiser)
Helen Percy (weekends organiser)
Rachael Drewery (weekends organiser)

Introduction

This was the first in person committee meeting this year providing an opportunity to reflect on progress and make plans. Communication between committee members is being reviewed making it easier to offer support and enhance security including looking at Telegram rather than WhatsApp. This will also enable messages to be received more quickly. Slack is to be continued for general updates. We are looking to use another platform for walk leaders and the wider group to share walk details and contact information where possible. Currently reviewing the group name and how accurately this reflects the group with future discussions needed. Due to a committee member stepping down, the member engagement officer role is now vacant and any members interested should contact the committee for further details.

Previous minutes

Discussion on future committee meeting venues and dates to be planned more in advance for better consistency and stability. Looking to link these meetings with wider group activity by organising morning or afternoon walks which is a good chance for members to meet the committee and ask questions/put forward ideas. We are still delivering popular walks in the Peak District areas and now have more details of the latest walk programme developed by Gary. It is the time of year when evening walks will be reappearing on the programme. Walk start times will remain the same at the present time with pre walk information clearly provided on walk start times and parking arrangements.

AP – Gary to continue updating the walk programme with updates/walks going ahead/leaders/pub stops/cafes and link committee meeting dates with morning or afternoon walks. Walk leader volunteering is still a priority to ensure enough walks can go ahead and we are trying to improve uptake with the possibility of contacting other Ramblers walking groups or varying walks on offer to be more accommodating. We may trial two walk leaders on walks with one person navigating and the other interacting with the group. The weekend away to the Gower received a turnout of nine places and seemed to be an enjoyable trip for those attending with great organisation from everyone involved. Weekend survey results are available and being reviewed. Socially, the group needs improvement to maintain and improve engagement with members and new people interested in the group. We are therefore looking to improve and grow the group social channels in the coming months. Currently the communication and social roles remain vacant which need to be fulfilled.

AP – Rosanna to initiate contact with other groups to improve walk leader uptake. Trial two walk leaders with upcoming Friden walk. Review website, Facebook and Meetup for any additional changes needed.

Walks programme

Due to the lack of walk leaders, we will only advertise walks going ahead and are looking to encourage more walk leaders by posting more frequently on social media to the wider group and contacting previous leaders. For evening walks, these will be varied to take place on a Wednesday and Thursday. Walks on the website run until 10th June but walks are planned up to 1st September. Pre walk information will be updated on all social platforms to ensure the basics are covered on what to expect when out walking with the group.

AP - Gary to continue updating on Facebook walks going ahead and appealing to the wider group for walk leaders for walks needing leaders.

AP - Alistair to ensure walk leader details on the website are updated in line with walks posted on Meetup.

Car sharing is also a possibility to reduce parking problems and encourage more sustainable travel. Anyone needing to car share can post on Facebook or Meetup to see if anyone else on the walk is available. We are looking to include more social stops during walks with pubs and cafes, varying these during or after the walk. Changes are being made to photos of the group with ideas to place more up to date pictures on the website, Facebook, and Meetup. These will be in line with GDPR/data protection and may include more scenic pictures as well. Some of the current imagery needs to change to better reflect group activity throughout the different seasons and make the walks advertised look more appealing. We are looking to encourage more walk leaders and any training such as navigation courses will be reconsidered.

AP - Fiona to look at navigation courses/support for walk leaders

Weekends

The recent Gower weekend had nine out of 10 places sold with one new member joining. The booking system worked well, and the walk was open to other groups. We are currently reviewing weekends away to see which approach will work best. The weekend survey results showed overall a good level of interest in weekends away, but variation in the cost and social aspects of choosing suitable accommodation is proving to be a challenge due to different expectations within the group.

AP - Helen & Rachael to continue reviewing weekend survey results, consider ideas/plans for weekends away and any future social activities.

Socials

This role remains vacant, but we are looking to fulfil the social aspects of the group through varying the walks programme offer, weekends away, social media engagement with further discussions on other improvements.

Finances

Currently remains stable with a small loss due to the weekend away having one unsold place. We are reviewing countersigning processes on payments to help avoid scams and increase security.

AP - Stuart to sort the countersigning process and look at the group phone sim option

Membership

There has been a slight decrease in members with the number now standing at 164 members. However, there were two new members in February and one in March.

IT

There have been a few issues with the website address links recently. Currently looking to get walk leader contact numbers for walks where permission given and may have a group sim number or telegram. We are looking to change pictures and information on the website and checking links to and from the website for the social platforms.

AP - Alistair to check all links on the website are working including social media and make any alterations needed. Change member engagement officer role to vacant. Look at updating pictures on the website and information pages for walks/dogs if anything needs altering. The Facebook main image needs to be changed.

Communications

This role remains vacant.

Secretary

Nothing to report.

Area meetings

TBC

AOB

Discussions on teenage children attending walks will remain at the discretion of the walk leader and the parent/guardian taking full responsibility. This needs more discussion between the Committee. Facebook post monitoring will continue to ensure advertisements and other posts not directly related to group activity are filtered and removed from the group page. For anyone joining the group page, you will need to accept the group rules to join. If other walking groups share posts, these will be clearly marked as belonging to another group.

Discussion around dogs being allowed onto walks. We do have some information on the website, but this will be at the discretion of the walk leader and the owner will need to take full responsibility for their dog.

Next meeting date and venue TBC.