Ramblers Association Monklands Group - Important Notice

The Committee have noted that there have been a number of occasions in the recent past where members have decided that they would like to do a different walk, on the day, from that advertised in the programme. In the past this was a fairly rare occurence and leaders allowed members to do their own thing but we now find that this is happening more regularly.

The Committee feel that members should be discouraged from going off on their own for the following reasons:-

1. Members could be involved in an accident and the walk leader could not be informed. This could lead to occasions where the programmed walk had finished, the walkers were back on the bus ready to go home but could not do so because all walkers had not returned. Officially, when anyone leaves a walk to do something else, they are no longer part of the group and the bus should not be held for them. However, what leader could go off and leave group members stranded, often in the middle of nowhere, or perhaps lying on a hillside?

2. There are also insurance questions. The leader on the day is the person insured by the Ramblers Association, therefore people leaving the main group would no longer be covered.

3. There is also the fact that other group members may feel that they would want to do their own thing thus leading to complete disorganisation.

4. Members have complained that people are just using the bus to get to places where they want to do a particular walk rather than the group organised walk.   

The Committee feel that if they have spent the time to organise a programme of walks then those booking on a walk should support the group and participate in the advertised event.

The walks convenor on the Committee spends a lot of time trying to arrange a varied programme although it is inevitable that walks will be repeated.

It is therefore the recommendation of the Committee to all leaders that they should not allow members to go off a walk at any time.

There may be occasions when a member does not feel well, or becomes ill and wants to return to the bus. This is a different situation and that person should be accompanied on his return, preferably by a Committee member. The leader should be satisfied with any arrangements made and should always check on the particular member after the walk.