Ramblers
My Ramblers
"It is never boring and you can be sure of good company!"
“It all started in October 2004 when I attended a short ‘Walking for Health’ course, in Carew Manor, Sutton. There were just four of us in the class and our friendly Scottish tutor, Kevan Samwells, gave us each lots of handouts about the benefits of walking and a pedometer. For three weeks we would stroll around Beddington Park for an hour’s gentle walking, with a 20-minute spurt of faster walking in between to get the heart rate going! When the course finished my class-mates and I decided to continue with our weekly walks, but as we were usually busy chatting we soon dispensed with the 20-minutes of fast walking!
“I’m using my organisational skills to work for the community.”
Name: Len Banister
Current role: Essex Area Secretary
Length of service: 9 years
Biggest achievement: Len set up a women’s walking group with the Asian Health Network in Waltham Forest. Partly funded by the fee Len earned for a local newspaper column, the walks forged new relations between the Ramblers and the Asian community in the region, and provided many women with the opportunity to walk alone for the first time.
“Discovering places on my back doorstep I didn’t know existed."
Name: Mags Metcalfe
Current role: Walk Leader, Get Walking Keep Walking
Length of service: 5 months
Biggest achievement: Mags led walks for a Withenshawe mental health group. On the first session of the 12-week programme, many members refused to walk, but by week three almost all members had completed the stroll.
“I will also be 75 in 2010!”
“A friend invited me to join a Sunday ramble with the Home Counties Ramblers in 1961 and I've been hooked ever since!
I served as club secretary for many years and met Vic Morecroft, a stalwart of the Ramblers London Area Committee - he had flown a Tiger Moth aircraft in the First World War. I used to enjoy the Railway Rambles from East Croydon station to Sussex and beyond, with tea organised on one memorable occasion by the Women’s Institute! All our club walks finished with afternoon tea, as well as a short pub stop for lunch.
