AGM 2007

It was a fresh and dry day on 25th March, for our annual meeting and AGM, held at the Ridgeway Centre at Court Hill as usual Members started to arrive from midday onwards, with those of us who had not previously visited the Centre admiring its splendid location and appropriate facilities. Lunch was served in the main refectory, with seating at the long tables under the magnificent old beams rescued from farmsteads. Jane Ebbutt and Barbara Owen. had produced a generous 3-course spread, of mainly home-cooked fare - surely the best £5-worth ever!

We moved from the refectory to the smaller meeting-room, well filled with the 43 members and guests attending. Proceedings started with a short statement by Court Hill Trust, disclosing the unfortunate disagreements with the YHA, which will lead to closure of the YHA Hostel from the end of June this year We were relieved to hear, however, that the Centre plans to remain open to users of the Ridgeway Trail in another form.

The Chairman, Ian Ritchie then called us to order, and he and Secretary Peter Gould took us quickly through the formal business. The finances of the Association remain sound, and membership is stable. Ian's decision to stand again as Chairman, and his stated intention to focus on "developing the Ridgeway as a better used, better maintained and better funded leisure facility", were welcomed with acclaim. The decisions of Peter Gould and Jane Ebbutt to scale down their responsibilities on the Executive Committee were received with regret, with warm praise by the Chairman for all their hard work and invaluable contribution over many years. Small tokens of appreciation were presented to them, along with well-earned Life Memberships. A new Secretary was elected, but volunteers are still sought to take over from Jane as Events Secretary, to enable Janet Hierons to hand over her task as Membership Secretary, and to develop a new function of Publicity Officer. The President and Vice-Presidents, and other Committee members, including the newly-joined Iain MacIndoe, were all duly elected.

The meeting welcomed the passage of the NERC Act, and the consequent application of Restricted Byway status to most of the western section of the Ridgeway, and its effective closure thereby to vehicle use, action to which the Chairman and his associates have largely contributed. The President, Lord Bradshaw, reminded us of the continuing need for enforcement, and its practical difficulties, including effective but unobtrusive signage.

The meeting was followed by a most interesting talk by Mike Sturmer of RSPB on the Birds of the Ridgeway, a subject which the keen attention and perceptive questions proved to be of close concern to all members present.

Jeff Goddard