Cyril Edwards, who is organising the walk, asked me to post the following:
As you may recall, we do a sponsored walk every two years. Despite the low number of walkers, the 2008 Shotover walk was a success financially, and it was extraordinarily beautiful.
This year the plan is to start from our Lake Street base, walk to North Hinksey, then across country to Osney, then along the Thames Path to Port Meadow's south side. Thence to Binsey, with a detour to the lovely church, then on to Godstow, and back via Woodcote and the Trap Grounds, returning along the canal path, now so sadly disfigured by new housing developments. Given the weather, I've not yet done the pre-walking, but hope to do so soon. Anyone wishing to join me for the pre-walking is most welcome, if there's a bright day soon contact us on volunteer@oxfordoxfamgroup.org.uk. I'll take my non-digital camera, so the basis for a poster, on past experience, should develop. I'll also write a guide, with a map, and I hope that Oxfam House will print it, as they have done before.
Distance: perhaps 10 miles. Rather shorter than our usual walks, but anno domini!
Provisional date: Saturday May 30th.
What do I ask of OOG?
(i) Cardboard signs. We lost a lot on the last walk, and I've very few left (dating from the Greens). They should be strips of cardboard, with 2 holes, strung, and pointing either right and left, with OOG inscribed upon them. No elaborate artwork necessary, unless you feel so inclined!
(ii) Publicity: Claire Abolins and Rachel Iliffe have been great about this, but we still haven't had many walkers for the last 2 walks (Shotover and the Canal Walk).
(iii) (Wo)manning the reception area. Lake Street must be (wo)manned from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. It need only be one person. There are so many great pubs on this walk (or pub crawl, if you prefer!) that I would not expect many people to get back before 2.00, but walkers feel let down if there is not a warm welcome, and, at very least, a cup of tea. The atmosphere after the return of walkers in 2008, was frankly, wonderful and joyous, and we must try to rescue the photos lots of people took then.
(iv) Most importantly: we need walkers! Despite our best efforts at publicity, the numbers of walkers for the last two lovely walks were low, and this inevitably affects sponsorship negatively. Back in the 90s, we often had mothers walking with prams, and the Port Meadow walk will be, for the most part, flat and not physically demanding at all. (Unless there are floods!) We have, somehow, to make this more of an event with lots of people participating. I'll circulate details in the University, but it doesn't, generally, work well. Ideas, please!
Can you help with any of the above? Contact us on volunteer@oxfordoxfamgroup.org.uk [It would help us if you gave your email the title "Walk"]
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