Port Meadow Sponsored Walk

We were lucky to hold our walk in glorious May weather yesterday. The route ran from Lake Street through Hinksey, Osney Island, Binsey, Godstow and Wolvercote, before returning though Wolvercote Common, Port Meadow, the Oxford Canal and Grandpont. Alternatively, the route consisted of the Watermans Arms, Perch, Trout, Red Lion, White Hart, Bookbinders Arms, Brewery Gate and Oxford Retreat (a much longer walk :-) ).

It's a fantastic route, full of a lot of historical and natural history interest. My main memories will be the swallows skimming the meadows that were so densely covered with buttercups, the grass snake that crossed the path ahead of me, and the happy atmosphere of people out enjoying the grand weather. We had fewere walkers than we had hoped, but those that came were well sponsored. Looks like we will raise £600-£700 for Oxfam.

If you missed it, the good news is that you can still get the walk booklet to do your own DIY sponsored walk for Oxfam (or just make a donation if you prefer not to organize sponsors). We plan to get the booklet online soon, in the meantime, email me at volunteer@oxfordoxfamgroup.org.uk to ask for a copy

Oxford Oxfam Group Sponsored Walk

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"]

Oxford Oxfam Group Sponsored Walk 2009

Plans are getting underway for an OOG sponsored walk this summer. The date is provisionally 30th May. Previous walks have been both a lot of fun and a good fund-raiser for Oxfam. Probably this one will be a circular walk around the Port Meadow area in Oxford. As for previous walks, Cyril Edwards is planning to produce an interesting walk booklet - history and natural history as well as directions. It would not be an OOG walk without there being several good pubs en route.

Watch this space! Come March, both walkers and helpers will be wanted.