Author Topic: National Trails  (Read 2913 times)

Nearly there

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National Trails
« on: 22:41:31, 14/01/13 »
I just received the following email from The Ramblers...................
 
Hello Derek

In December, I wrote to tell you that we applied to take on the promotion and marketing of National Trails in England and Wales. As Britain’s walking charity, with a history so intrinsically linked to these trails, we thought we were best placed to do this. I’m afraid that we were unsuccessful and the Government has decided to award the promotion of the Trails to someone else. Naturally, we are disappointed.

But the campaign for National Trails does not end here.

More than ever Derek, we need your support to get the best deal for our much loved National Trails. The Government may have decided who is going to promote our Trails, but they have yet to make a final decision about how National Trails will be managed.  We must persuade them that National Trails deserve a national champion and we have very little time left to do this. We need to get everyone who likes walking these long distance paths to sign the Ramblers petition to ensure National Trails have a national champion before we present it to Natural England, so please ask a friend to sign our petition today.
 
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/england/campaign-with-us/campaign-for-national-trails/campaign-for-national-trails-send-to-a-friend.aspx


Rest assured, we will continue to support National Trails. After all, the most important thing is your ability to walk and enjoy these national treasures.

Thanks for all your support.

Nicky Philpott
Campaigns Director

PS – Please ask your friends to sign the petition TODAY

moonchip

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #1 on: 02:09:12, 15/01/13 »
Interesting to read the articles about this issue, though on balance I do actually favour the government proposals
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romaway

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #2 on: 09:28:51, 15/01/13 »
I have signed.  Thanks for posting.

Nearly there

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #3 on: 09:36:49, 15/01/13 »
Interesting to read the articles about this issue, though on balance I do actually favour the government proposals

The company that has been given the task is ............ Walk England Ltd.
Only been around since 2008 .................. and when you look at the info on Companies House not good IMO ..... lots of changes of directors and registered addresses.
And how many people have heard of them?
I certainly would not agree to them having the contract. I would love to know the reason behind the governments decision!
 
 
D

Fellwanderer

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #4 on: 10:26:17, 15/01/13 »
Well, I've certainly never heard of them!

I have signed the RA petition and raised the subject in the LDWA forums. I wonder if they were consulted as I don't recall seeing anything mentioned.
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romaway

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #5 on: 11:09:17, 15/01/13 »
Whether people belong to the Ramblers or not, most people know that  they are  responsible for many achievements in maintaining our footpaths and we all use them in one way or another and their expertise and support on local walking issues is huge.  Also for people like me who for one reason or another choose to walk in a group with friendly people they are invaluable.

Where else could I turn up in a local woodland car park and join a group of people I do not know and end up chatting and picnicking with them and enjoying company rather than sitting alone at home in retirement. 

Every organisation has its good and bad points and I am not sure why the Gov awarded this promotion to this other company when there is a huge expertise and knowledge base in the Ramblers.  I do not know enough about this other company to comment on the likely effectiveness of them in this respect.

I don't really know much about Ramblers either, although I am a member because I feel they are actively responsible for helping to keep the network of footpaths in the country open and I will do anything to support that.  I am also a member of Chiltern society but never use my membership opportunities but again feel they do a lot of good work in the area in which I walk.
 
This petition is supported by  very eminent people and I don't see any harm in trying to achieve a National Trails Trust so wish them well and I hope Walk England do the job well for us. 

Maybe someone on here knows a bit more about the issue of this award and can explain what the implications may be.

tonyk

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #6 on: 13:23:32, 15/01/13 »
 
Quote
The company that has been given the task is ............ Walk England Ltd.

 If it turns out to be anything like Karate England we are in for a rough ride.They were completely corrupt and ended up bankrupt.

Paulr

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #7 on: 13:29:33, 15/01/13 »

The company that has been given the task is ............ Walk England Ltd.
Only been around since 2008 .................. and when you look at the info on Companies House not good IMO ..... lots of changes of directors and registered addresses.
And how many people have heard of them?
I certainly would not agree to them having the contract. I would love to know the reason behind the governments decision!

It/they might be these people ?
 
http://www.walkengland.org.uk/default.asp
 
 
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roughyed

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #8 on: 14:51:20, 15/01/13 »

It/they might be these people ?
 
http://www.walkengland.org.uk/default.asp
According to Twitter, they are.
 
Seem to have quite a few clients so might know what they are doing?  Promoting routes is something they do already, so maybe it's better to give contract to a specialist rather than the Ramblers?

barewirewalker

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #9 on: 14:53:36, 15/01/13 »
I too received the ramblers e-mail. I did support the original appeal, but with some reservation. The Ramblers have taken over the Walking for Health project and as a large and popular group, should in my opinion be campaigning more for better overall access to the countryside rather than administering social projects. The have, I believe, a recent history of financial mismanagement and are an organisation with an extensive inner core, who seem to manage their own agendas, I would prefer to see more visible campaigning to neuter the Country Landowners Associations successful protection of large estates that block the way for local and long distance access in many parts of the country.


I hope Walk England is a benign organization and if so will maintain and campaign to extend national ways so that there is more choice.
 
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Nearly there

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #10 on: 17:04:21, 15/01/13 »

It/they might be these people ?
 
http://www.walkengland.org.uk/default.asp

 
I believe so Paul ................ anyone heard of them before today??
 
 
Derek

Renegadeimp

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #11 on: 17:09:01, 15/01/13 »

The company that has been given the task is ............ Walk England Ltd.
Only been around since 2008 .................. and when you look at the info on Companies House not good IMO ..... lots of changes of directors and registered addresses.
And how many people have heard of them?
I certainly would not agree to them having the contract. I would love to know the reason behind the governments decision!
 
 
D


Their director probably gave a politician a nice big brown envelope ;)
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Total log 2013: Walks: 6 Mileage: 24.9 Ascent: 3422

Nearly there

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #12 on: 17:18:05, 15/01/13 »
According to Twitter, they are.
 
Seem to have quite a few clients so might know what they are doing?  Promoting routes is something they do already, so maybe it's better to give contract to a specialist rather than the Ramblers?

I spent quite some time looking around their website. They state "We trade as a business and we are not directly funded by anyone. We deliver projects for a range of organisations, large and small. Any profit we make goes back into delivering more walking projects."
 
What exactly does that mean?  :)
They have 3 projects listed ......... Walk London, Walk4life and Walk Maps ............. stuff that can be found all over the net.......... no need to reinvent the wheel !
 
I'm not convinced.................. BUT I hope they make a good job of it and are not corrupt as it'll be us that pick up the tab again!
 
 
Derek
 
 

romaway

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #13 on: 17:26:27, 15/01/13 »
Oh Dear!  Doesn't life get complicated.  So many different agendas and so many organisations.  Talk about divide and conquer.  Just hope we manage to maintain the footpaths that have been so hard fought for by the generations before us.  A lot of effort has gone into creating and maintaining long distance and local paths over the years.  Thank goodness for those with passion and strength to battle against those who would change or damage things for their own agendas.

Like everything in life things go out of fashion and groups do not escape from this, they go in and out of fashion too just like the mini skirts.  Ramblers are not top on the catwalk at the moment but they will come round again just like flared trousers.

So like it or not we now have a new organisation to promote the footpaths and let's hope they are successful as it is needed.  But I absolutely agree with Ramblers that we need a national organisation to protect the paths and stand up and represent all of us who use them to ensure they are there for us and future generations.  More so now than ever before when there is so much pressure on land and use of the countryside and green field sites.

Support those who help to maintain and support what you use all the time.

There's not just a teddy bears picnic going on in the woods!





sussamb

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Re: National Trails
« Reply #14 on: 17:32:00, 15/01/13 »
Here in Sussex I'm fighting both the Council AND the Ramblers who are colluding to prevent a designated ROW being freed from obstructions  >:( .  Just waiting for a letter from the Council's Chief Exec to decide whether or not I take them through the courts  :-\
 
So Ramblers no loss as far as I'm concerned.
Where there's a will ...

 

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