Notts & Derby Walking Group Meeting Held On Tuesday 4th November 2025 (Via Whatsapp)

Present:

Andrew Cowell in the Chair, Kevin Robotham Secretary, Gary Olds (Walks Organiser), Alistair Green (Webmaster), Joanne Morris (social secretary), Rob Stevens (General Member) Josh Grainger, Jonathan Bramley-Maye, Chris Parkin

1. Apologies

Rachael Drewery (Membership Secretary), Stuart Broadhurst (Treasurer)

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting From 2nd September 2025

Minutes of the previous meeting were distributed with the agenda. Raised for approval.

Proposed: - Andrew Cowell. Seconded: - Joanne Morris

3. Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Previous Meetings

None arising.

4. Financial Report

Andrew provided an update:-

  • Scotland –Balance due 9 weeks before the group arrive. Effort made to get payment to from members in order to confirm attendance. We have now covered the deposit, so funds available for booking future weekends
  • Deposit for Isle of Scilly trip will be coming out about 3 weeks we are due to pay the balance for Scotland
  • Castleton Saturday night stay: Need some additional payments from those attending (£24 pp for the accommodation)
  • Christmas meal in January. We are receiving payments for this, some still outstanding
  • Overall, the group’s finances are in a healthy position.

Discussion held on the Group’s position if trips are over subscribed:

  • Rob reported that he had spoken to a number of solicitors. If we have a surplus of funds over the amount planned for. the solicitors advised that we need to be open and above board. Otherwise it could be considered as embezzlement. So we need an agreement. Andrew – we have had a kitty. But agreed we need an official line
  • Jonathan suggested selling a weekend at a price. If there is a surplus we would need be open with what we intended to use the surplus for.
  • Following a question from Rob on whether we can refund people if appropriate, the collective view was yes. Also confirmed that the group account was not charged per transaction, so refunds but not incur additional charges.
  • Jonathan suggested that in the future for weekends in shared accommodation, we should add £2 per person.
  • Decision: The agreed view of those present was that any surplus needed to be used to cover additional weekend costs. Any remaining monies will be refunded to the those booked onto the trip

Following a question on whether there was a monthly charge for account? Andrew believes there isn’t.

5. Membership: Update on latest numbers and strategy for driving membership

Andrew stated that the group now has 171 members in total. This is an increase from 136 last year. 8 joined in the last couple of the weeks, 5 last month.

Jonathan raised the idea of having something akin to a business card to hand out to people to encourage them to join.

Rob raised that if we encouraged people to put something on the Facegroup page. With the activity the Facebook algorithm will promote the posts and subsequently raise the profile of the group.

6. Web. Formatting of walks programme to make it easier to import

Action: Alistair Green will add a link to the group’s Instagram page.

We are behind on the socials and the trips. Such as Castleton. Andrew will provide some words to Alistair. Castleton is sold out, but good for the profile to show fully booked weekends.

Discussion on possibility of Alistair Green joining on Facebook to support the web information. Discussion on linking Alistair with an anonymous email or use of the group email

Action: Agreed to discuss this further

The group agreed we need a gallery on the group’s website to illustrate the group’s walks.

7. Socials. Pub meets to date & any suggestions for future events

Next social is this Thursday night.

Joanne wanted to wait on booking further socials until we held a discussion today due to question over the use of socials for booking onto weekends.

Suggestion of splitting the booking for a weekend, to half by email, half on the social. This was to recognise that some people cannot necessarily make it to the socials due to work and family commitments.

The committee discussed the use of a Microsoft form for members to apply for a place on a weekend. The software creates a excel spreadsheet of the respondents, simplifying the admin side.

Decision: In conclusion, the committee agreed that the easiest option would be to send an email out with the first responses securing a place for half the places. The other half would be booked on the social.

Suggested Socials:-

  • Jan 2026: Post Christmas meal (already set) - 17 people attending
  • Feb 2026: At the Holly Bush, near Milford, Derbys
  • March 2026: Evening café – rather than pub to attract people who would not necessarily visit a pub on their own. Suggestion of the Green in Derby

Other ideas:-

  • Suggestion of holding a Girls only social
  • Discussion on having a pub social with a walk
  • Rob – idea of a photograph course walk in May from Monsal Head. Jonathan suggested the Mondal Head Inn (under new management) as a venue for post walk discussion / meal

Chatsworth walk with market – seems popular on the facebook page

8. Weekends

Agreed Weekend

  • Dolgellau, Wales at Easter, open booking in Jan at the next social.

Chris suggested using the Microsoft form for people who are booked on the weekend to provide the info we need to ease the role of collating information.

Action: Rob to draft email for all members on the new booking approach. Andrew will refine final dash.

Jonathan raised that on the Dave Spence walk in Bradgate there was a positive vibe about the weekends.

Report on Elterwater Weekend

  • Andrew - very good. Weather was superb and all enjoyed the weekend

Plans for future weekends and Ideas for the rest of 2026.

  • Brecon (some very good independent hostels – Jonathan saw 3).
  • Jonathan saw a cottage in Eskdale – 13 people Fri – Monday 3 nights or Thursday to Sunday - suggest End / Feb March. Jonthan suggests Thu to Sunday. Action: Jonathan to follow up
  • Suggestion for Yorkshire Dales in May late bank holiday. Girton Lodge was a popular choice with the committee.
  • St Briavels YHA in Gloucester Available for Halloween 2026
  • Northumberland / Berwick Upon Tweed Aug 2026

9. Communications

Andrew continuing with this.

Action: Andrew to add onto the Facebook that we have roles available.

Andrew feels we need to move onto Instagram

Jonathan suggested

  • spending some money on developing Instagram
  • set up private members Facebook group

10. Walks

Gary has done a lot of work on the walk programme.

Rachel is collating the ideas for walks from the AGM.

Action: Jonathan to meet up with Gary and Rachel to discuss further

Suggestion that for New Year onwards we need short and long walks. Scope is there for 2 walks per weekend. Long and short to offer choice for people.

Shorter walks could be combined with pubs to more like a social.

Decision: Friday walks to be dropped – the experiment has not worked.

11. AOB

None

12. Summary of Actions

  • Agreed to Discuss further on possibility of Alistair Green joining on Facebook to support the web information.
  • Rob to draft email for all members on the new booking approach. Andrew will refine final dash.
  • Jonathan to follow up with cottage he has seen for a weekend in Eskdale
  • Andrew to add onto the Group Facebook page that we have committee roles available.
  • Jonathan to meet up with Gary and Rachel to discuss future walks

13. Date and Venue of Next Meeting

Kevin Robotham to circulate dates around for mid to late Jan Poss Tuesday - Preference for Face to Face

Meeting closed at 21:59.

Next meeting to be arranged at a time and venue to be confirmed.