St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers Club is approved by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and affiliated to the Ramblers Association a registered charity No. 306089.
Hello Ramblers
We seem to have reached the festive season once more. I feel once the AGM has been held Christmas just flies in. The A G M was held on the 5th of October and was attended by 33 members. (For information see Page 8). This was followed by a lovely meal in Brahrns Restaurant in Pirnlico, attended by 16 members.
We have had a very poor response from members to go onto . the committee and as a result the I same committee members were re elected with the exception of Gillian Mc Lauchlan who replaces Kevin Doyle as Treasurer and Dorothy Hickman who stood down and did not wish to be reelected. WilI all female members give serious consideration to making a little bit of their time for the benefit of the club. For new committee see list on below.
CLUB SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Subscriptions for the club year 1996-97 fall due in October. They can be paid to Gillian Mc Lauchlan or any committee member. Cheques should be made payable to "St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers Club". Any members who have not paid by the end of December are deemed by the constitution to
have lapsed. We usually allow a little flexibility but the amount of reminding that has been necessary in the past has been excessive. It is not fair to members who pay up their subs, to have to subsidise those members who fall behind.
Christmas dinner:
This year the Club Christmas Dinner will be on Saturday 7 December
at "IL PORTICO" Restaurant, 316 Vauxhall Bridge Road near Victoria Station. We have booked the Wine Bar for this occasion. £5 deposit is required for each person attending. Please send deposits as soon as
possible to either Tom Heron or myself as we have to confirm numbers. Details of menus can be had from either Tom or myself. Meet outside WESTMINSTER CATIfEDRAL after 6pm Mass.
Monthly dinners:
Club members meet all the first Saturday of each month for a meal at a Central London Restaurant (not too expensive). The next one will be the Club Christmas dinner on 7 December - see previous item. Subsequent ones will be on Saturday 4 January 1997 and 1 February ]997.
Please note that in future the meeting place will be outside Westminster Cathedral after the 6 pm Mass. CONTACT MARGARET MORAN for further details.
Welcome to new members:
Frances Smith, Cricklewood, NW2 JXA; Shirley Walsh, Crouch End,
N8 9AV. Glenda Whitaker, London, SE12 ODZ. Welcome to new life members: Dennis and Barbara Spiller.
History of the Club - Fund Raising: There was some discussion at the AGM about funding this project. Some funds have been raised specifically for it and the Club has allocated a small amount in addition.
Any further contributions will be welcome, including by purchasing copies of the extracts from the club newsletters of the 50' s which I can send you for a modest contribution of £1. Just send me a SAE (big enough to take an A5 page) together with a cheque (payable to "St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers Club,) for £1 per copy required.
Publicising Items in club newsletter: Anyone who has anything they want publicised I will be more than happy to put it in the programme but I must have a member of the club as contact person to deal with enquiries.
Retired members: Are you interested in midweek rambles and other activities with a pace and distance dependent on who comes out? To test the demand there are 3 mid week events on this list:- Thursday 26th December1996 Boxing Day walk. Wednesday 1st January, Redhill/Reigate
walk; Wednesday 19th February 1997, Visit to the War Museum: See ramble list for full details. These events are of course open to all members. Offers to lead or organise future events should be sent to Maurice Hickrnan, Ramble list Compiler.
Lourdes holiday for disabled children: Do you know of a child with a disability or long term illness who would enjoy a holiday with Our Lady in Lourdes next Easter? If you do please contact GiIlian Me Lauchlan.
CHRISTMAS PARTY:
This years Christmas Party will be held on January 18th. We have booked St. SAVIOURS Church Hall again. Music will be provided by "COLOUR SPLASH" with Paul as D J. This will be a great opportunity
for club members to socialise. The last few years our parties have been a great success and we aim to keep them that way. Bring food to share and drink of your choice. Tickets will remain at £3 and will be available
from all committee members. Feel welcome to bring your friends along. Donations for the Raffle are always welcome.
OBITUARY.
Many club members will be sad to learn of the death of Jim Fox, husband of Helen and father of Diana. The Club has been entertained by the Fox family on many happy occasions and we extend our sincere sympathy to them on the death of Jim. We have arranged a Mass at St Boniface Church, Tooting at 0930 AM on Tuesday the 17th December and all members of the Club are welcome to attend.
We are also sad to announce the death in September of Tony Woolham, Mass for Tony will also be at St Boniface at 8PM on Wednesday the 18th December. All members welcome.
Finally we are grateful to Universe Newspapers for allowing us once again to print the picture of St Francis at the top of our Ramble list and news.
Happy Rambling
Club Committee 1995-96
President: Fr David Barnes, Parish Priest, St Mary Moorfields.
Vice President: Paul Brunning,
Secretary: Helen Hunt, Treasurer: Gillian McLauchlan,
Ramble Ljst Compiler: Maurice Hickman, Membership Secretaries
Margaret Moran,
Mike Hoffman,
Social Secretaries
Patrick Lucas,
Tom Heron,
Committee Member
NB. There is a vacancy for one lady to make up the committee required by our constitution.
Ramble List and News December 1996 - February 1997
Sunday Rambles (December)
Sunday 1 December 1996 (OS Map 198) Leader: Philip Groves
Meet Victoria* at 8 15 for 8 32 train to Hassocks (arr. 938)
Lunch: The Dog and Shepherd, Fulking
Tea: None
Distance: 16 strenuous miles returning from Southwick. Don't be in the dark. Bring a torch!
Fare: £12.50 CDR SOUTHWICK - £8.25 with a Network Card
Description: Hilly terrain over the South Downs.
Sunday 8 December 1996 (OS Map 187) Leader: Kevin Doyle
Meet: Victoria * at 9 45 for 1006 train to Boxhill (arr. 1054)
Lunch: The Cock, Headley
Tea: Unlikely
Distance: 10 miles returning from Boxhill
Fare: £5 CDR BOXHILL
Description: Hilly in parts but has attractive views
Monday 9 December - Meal and Christmas Lights' walk - see Mid- week Walks
Sunday 15 December 1996 (OS Map 176) Leader: Diana Fox
Meet: Waterloo* at 9 15 for 935 train to Egham (arr. 1011)
Lunch: The Sun, Wick Road, Englefield Green
Tea: The Foxes', Staines
Distance: 11.5 miles returning from Staines (+T) or 9 miles returning from Egham (-T)
Fare: £5 CDR STAINES. Terrain flat but interesting especially near Runnymeade.
Sunday 22 December (OS Map 187) Leader: Maurice Hickman
Meet: Victoria* at 1015 for 1032 train to Redhill (arr. 1104) to connect with 1145 train to 'Betchworth (arr. 1154).- Some initial climbing but most flat or down after that. Good views.
Lunch: The Sportsman, Mogador (GR 241533)
Tea: Big Mac, Redhill. Distance 7 miles returning from Redhill.
Fare: £5.50 CDR BETCHWORTH - £3.65 with a Network Card.
Opportunity for mass at St Joseph's, Ladbroke Road, Redhill at 5.30 pm. At 7pm the Parish Anglo- Italian Club (C.A.I.RR.) will be having a Christmas Buffet. Entrance is restricted to members and their friends. An entrance charge of £5 is being made. If any Club Member would like to attend this function please let Maurice know by early December. Appropriate footwear would need to be worn! The bar is sure to be open!
Thursday 26 December - Boxing Day Walk - see Mid-week Walks
Sunday 29 December 1996 (OS Map 187) Leader: Tony Finnegan
Meet: Victoria* at 9 45 for 1006 train to Dorking (arr. 1057)
Lunch: Royal Oak, Brockham
Tea: Perhaps, if not some Christmas Cheer.
Distance: 8 miles returning from Dorking.
Fare: £5.60 CDR DORKING
Sunday Rambles (January)
Wednesday 1 January - Happy New Year - see Mid-week Walks for a social stroll.
Sunday 5 January 1997 (OS Map 152) Leader: John Burbage
Meet: Euston at 935 for 954 train to Wolverton (arr. 1101)
Lunch: The Barley Mow, Cosgrove (GR 793426)
Tea: None
Distance: 10 miles returning from Wolverton
Fare: £12.30 CDR WOLVERTON (£8.10 with Network Card)
Description: Level legging for most of the way. Some river walking.
Sunday 12 January 1997 (OS Map 176) Leader: Tony Finnegan
Meet: Waterloo* at 930 for 9 50 train to Wandsworth Town (arr. 1001)
Lunch: Morden Hall (no beer) and/or Surrey Arms (drinks)
Tea: Unlikely
Distance: 11.5 miles returning from Waddon
Fare: All Zone Travel Card - £3.50 with Network Card
Description: A wander along the River Wandle
Sunday 19 January 1997 (OS Map 188) Leader: Paul Brunning
Meet: Charing Cross at 940 for 1000 train to Tonbridge (arr. 1044)
Lunch: Royal Oak, Lower Haysden
Tea: Tunbridge Wells
Distance: 9 miles returning from Tunbridge Wells
Fare: £6.00 CDR TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Description: Fairly flat and easy going. Lunch place within easy reach of Tonbridge Station.
Part timers please note!
Monday 20 January - Thames Path Walk - see Mid-week walks
Sunday 26 January 1997 (OS Map 166) Leader: Eugene Donnelly
Meet Kings Cross Thameslink at 9 40 for 1000 train to Harpenden (arr. 1040)
Lunch: The Three Blackbirds, Flamstead
Tea: Harpenden, maybe.
Distance: 10 miles returning from Harpenden
Fare: £6.20 CDR HARPENDEN
Note: Kings Cross Thameslink is a short walk from Kings Cross Main Line Station. Turn left out of the station and follow the signs which point down Pentonville Road. You can also change at Blackfriars (on the Tube) to get on the Thameslink service, the train arriving there slightly earlier.
Sunday Rambles (February)
Sunday 2 February 1997 (OS Map 187) Leader: Maurice Hickman
Meet: Waterloo at 9 00 for 9 15 train to Guildford (arr. 9 57). Possible time for a morning coffee and then catch the No 273 bus from Friary Bus Station to Cranleigh. Bus leaves at 1045 and arrives Cranleigh High Street at 1110.
Lunch: Thurlow Arms (brew pub), Baynards (good food) - GR 074353
Tea: Guildford, if you wish
Distance: 9 miles returning from Cranleigh to Guildford
Fare: £7.30 CDR GUILDFORD plus return bus fare to Cranleigh
Description: Morning walk along the Downslink Path. Terrain fairly flat.
Sunday 9 February 1997 (OS Map 176) Leader: Rena Borg
Meet: Richmond Station at 1015 to start walk at 1030 promptly
Lunch: Tide End, Teddington Lock
Tea: Richmond, possibly
Distance: 12 miles returning from Richmond
Fare: £3.50 Travelcard
Sunday 16 February 1997 (OS Map 179) Leader: Paul Brunning
Meet Charing Cross at 9 10 for 930 train to Chilham (arr. 1109)
Lunch: The Artichoke, Chartham (good food)
Tea: Canterbury
Distance: 8.5 miles returning from Canterbury
Fare: £11.50 CDR CANTERBURY
Sunday 23 February 1997 (OS Map 164) Leader: Francis O'Sullivan
Meet: Grosvenor Gardens (opposite Victoria Railway Station) at 9 00 for 9 30 coach to Oxford (ask for Thornhill Park and Ride) - arrives 1030 .
Lunch: Great Milton
Tea: Unlikely
Distance: 13 miles returning from Thornhill Park and Ride.
Fare: £6.50
Please note: It is advisable to bring a torch on these winter walks particularly on the longer ones. An asterisk against a main line station means that the train stops at Clapham Junction about 5 minutes later.
On Sunday 22 December there may be a chance of getting morning coffee at Redhill whilst waiting for the connecting train to Betchworth to arrive!
For details of train times, etc you can ring a 24 hour service on 0345 48 49 50
Advanced details of Saturday and Sunday Engineering Works can be obtained from Ceefax (BBC 2) a few days before the weekend (about Wednesday). Be patient as the details for the South East Region usually comes last! The page number for this service is 575.
Mid-week Walks
These are easy going mid-week walks which are suitable for the retired, active and the not so active members (including the not so quite fit ones).
Monday 9 December 1996 Leader: Rena Borg
Meet: Tottenham Court Road Underground Station near the Dominion Theatre at 6.30 pm to go for a meal at the Spaghetti House and then see the Christmas Lights.
Please contact Rena Borg by the 8th of December to reserve a place at the meal.
Thursday 26 December 1996 - Boxing Day (OS Map 187)
Leader: Mary Hickman
Meet: Victoria* at 1040 for 1102 (or best train at or after 11 am) for Redhill (arr. 1137)
Lunch: Inn on the Pond, Nutfield Marsh (does food)
Tea: Redhill
Distance: At least 4 miles returning from Redhill
Fare: £5 CDR REDHILL - £3.30 with Network Card
Description: Easy going unless heavy rain has made it muddy.
'Wednesday 1 January 1997 -New Years Day-COS Map 187) Happy New Year
Social Stroll around Reigate and Redhill - 5 miles. Leader: Maurice Hickman
Meet: Victoria* at 1115 for 1134 train to Redhill (arr. 1212). From the Station turn left and proceed under the bridge and up to the Home Cottage (Young's House) on the left for lunch ( 5 minutes walk!). Latecomers catch the 1202, 1234 or 1302 trains. Walk starts at 2 pm and goes via Redhill Common, Priory Park, Reigate and back to Redhill again calling at at a few 'local' places on the way to exercise our right (or left?) arms. Fare: £5 CDR Redhill.
Monday 20 January 1997 Leader: Dorothy Hickman
Meet: Blackfriars Railway Station at 1145 am for walk along the London Thames Path to London Bridge visiting various attractions on route (possibly Founders Arms, Globe Theatre, Clink Prison and Southwark Cathedral (CofE).
Wednesday 19 February 1997 Leader: Esther Harris
Meet inside the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1 (nearest Tube station Lambeth North) at 2 15 pm. Esther has arranged a talk "Fashion in the forties" at 2.30, after which we will look around the museum and then have tea.
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Notes on the 66th Annual Genera! Meeting October 5 1996
The Treasurer said the Club had a good year financially. The Bank balance was up £600, due mainly to the increased subscription and increased membership. We lose about 20 members. a year so we need to keep the membership up and should aim for about 200 members. £500 was allocated to the Club history account of which about half came from raffles and donations. The photo copier is old and will soon need replacing. The committee will investigate contracting out the printing of the program.
..
It was agreed that the leader should appoint someone to act as duty member, perhaps someone in the morning and someone else in the afternoon. The ramble should be told who the leader and duty member are. The leader should not go so fast as to lose people. Members should not walk
in front of the leader or behind the duty member. If anyone leaves they should tell someone. When leaders arrive at the pub they should tell people when they will be going. It was suggested that it be put on the list that people walked at their own risk. Leaders should be reminded not to be negligent. The Prayer of St Francis should be said on each ramble.
Also discussed were
The Rambles List. It should be headed with a recommendation to
check whether there were engineering works or changes to the rail
timetable. Also a description of the difficulty of each ramble could be given and perhaps the number of hours walking and estimated time
back at station (although this can be guessed from the distance).
Short walks. There should be more. They should have a slower pace.
Information given to new members. The standard letter given to new members does not give details of where in the London terminus to meet, ticketing arrangements, types of walks etc. People coming through a friend do not usually get this letter and the committee might not be given their name. A rough guide for new members is needed which could be given out at the station by the leader or a Committee member.
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