CONSTITUTION OF ULVERSTON WALKING FESTIVAL GROUP (Ulverston WalkFest)

Status. The Group, originally formed in 1999, is not a Community Amateur Sports Club or a Charity but the organisers of voluntary events, as affiliated members of The Ramblers. Guidance for such groups, which are accepted by this Group, include that the Group should:
• Not make a profit.
• Have Public Liability Insurance (not mandatory but strongly advised).
• Have an annual meeting to let volunteers know of the Group’s plans, use of funds etc.
• Agree how much to hold in the account, outside the period of an event. This might be based on 1 year’s running costs to allow for expenditure before income is received.
• Have a simple set of rules [a constitution].
• Provide risk assessments for all activities.
• Follow GDPR guidance.
Such groups can hold low cost raffles and provide alcohol at private events or on licensed premises.

Committee. The committee is comprised of the named officers and all walk leaders, with the Chair or Secretary and any 4 others quorate in terms of making a decision. Meetings may be face-to-face or online and business may be conducted out-of-committee by email.

Aim. The Group aims to organise an annual walking festival in and around Ulverston.

Objectives. The following objectives have remained constant throughout the Group’s life:
• Be open to all who respect the countryside, its beauty and wildlife.
• Provide a programme of walks and related social events, led by volunteers appropriate to all social groups.
• Focus on Ulverston and Furness, but including Coniston and the Duddon Valley.
• Promote the use of public transport and car-sharing where possible.
• Hold an annual meeting.
• Elect, or re-elect, and maintain a minimum of 2 officers each year.
• Have financial reports kept and audited annually.
• On dissolution of the Group, donate any remaining funds to a similar organisation agreed by the Committee.

Insurance. The Group is insured through The Ramblers, on an annual rather than event basis, with public liability cover of £5,000.000.  A requirement of this insurance is that risk assessments are completed for each activity, and that the Group has a constitution. The cover is for a membership of 250-400 members, including those attending the walks and who are recorded as members. While up to 500 walkers may be shown to have attended walks in a particular year, many of these will be people who have attended several walks, bringing the total membership well within the insurance parameters.

The following summary of cover is from a 118 page document held by the Secretary and has no legal basis whatsoever.  It is purely a guide.  

We have cover against a compensation claim against the Walking Festival under:

• Public liability – for bodily Injury, abuse or damage to a third party or their property (Including a claim against a member (a signed up walker); by one member against another; liability under the Data Protection Act; for defamation or related to the use of a vehicle used in connection with our activities).
• Professional Indemnity – against a claim of negligence, breach of duty of care or failure to educate or supervise (covering a walk leader but also including a membership dispute or infringement of intellectual property rights).
• Management liability – against a claim against an officer or committee member (including walk leaders) arising from their actions taken or decisions made.

GDPR. The key elements applicable to the Group are that personal details of members are kept secure for 6 years, in case a claim is made against the Group, and that all members on a particular activity agree to be included in a photograph, or are actively excluded from being photographed. Next of Kin details are held by lone walkers (not in a couple or in a group known to each other), on a card in their coat or rucksack top pocket and not disclosed to the Group except in an emergency (cards provided by Walks Coordinator).

Instructions for Walk Leaders – are produced and are available on this website. They include a generic risk assessment and additional risks and mitigating actions in relation to each activity. Each walk will have 2 walk leaders , both capable of leading the walk, with walks limited to 20 for Easy and Moderate walks, and 12 for Moderate Plus and Hard walks.

The Programme. The Festival is normally for the 10 days leading up to the May Bank Holiday, with three or four walks a day, depending upon the availability of walk leaders, and ideally with an Easy, Moderate or Moderate-plus/Hard walk each day.  A walk starting from Ulverston should ideally be included each day. These are described in more detail under WALK NOTES. The management of the walking groups is discussed under WALK LEADER INSTRUCTIONS

Decisions taken at Post-COVID Meetings:

• Funds.  £1000 was a maximum target for funds retained between events. This would be achieved and maintained by offering free or reduced-price walks. Small grants would only be made to a charity that had directly supported the Group in some way (eg MR cover, use of toilets/car parking, special access, or presentation provided during a walk). (5 Aug 21)
• Meetings.  Two meetings a year would be held, one to arrange the programme and the other as a wash-up after the festival (thank-you social). The accounts could be presented at either. (5 Aug 21)
• Accessibility.  The Group have tried to be accessible to all, but the very nature of a walking festival is limiting. One stile is enough to limit a walk. Walks that could include, for instance, wheel chairs and push chairs, would ideally be included in every programme. (5 Aug 21). In 2024 we posted ‘As a trial this year, we are prepared to try to provide a walk for anybody needing support in any way (for instance, someone using a wheelchair or with reduced sight).   An option may be to arrange a personal walk with one of our leaders to suit your situation.  If you are interested, let us know via the booking email’.  However, there were no takers. (12 Jun 24)
• Outsiders.  The Group would not allow other organisations to piggy-back onto our events. It has not worked in the past and they always have their own agenda.  However, visiting Sir John Barrow House, Swarthmoor Hall, or the Newland Furnace as a part of one of our walks, was recommended.
• Programme.  The programme to be on the website with no printed edition. (13 Oct 21) The task of managing the booking-in System could be separated out from the coordination of walks and walk leaders, if a volunteer was forthcoming – to be known as the Booking Secretary. (25 May 22)
• Booking.  Walkers to be invited to book in by email, to avoid over-subscribed walks. (13 Oct 21) Bookings should be allowed up to 5 above the walk size limit before the walk is closed on the website, to allow for reserves.
• New or External leaders.  Walks or activities offered by non-regular walk leaders or new leaders were to be led by a regular walk leader, possibly supported by a subject expert.  (25 May 22)
• MR Collection.  A collection for Mountain Rescue at the end of a walk would be optional but recommended on walks with higher fell content.  (5 May 23)
• Stiles.  Instances of poor stiles or other obstacles to rights of way were to be reported to the appropriate local authority. (5 May 23)
• Off-Comers.  Advice to be made available such as links to Coro, Roxy, Laurel & Hardy Museum and the Town Website. (5 May 23)
• Car Share and Lifts. It was felt that the difference between ‘a lift to a walk’ and ‘car share’ needed to be further emphasised.  The former is only intended for those who really NEED a lift, probably due to not having access to a car, including those who attend the festival by public transport.  It is not for those who have access to a car but prefer not to use it.  This group should use the ‘car share’ arrangement whereby walkers come to Ford Park (except for the Saturdays due to the Park Run) and share cars with other walkers to reduce petrol usage and parking at the walk start.  Those unfamiliar with the area could use this arrangement either to share with others or to follow another car. On some walks in 2024 both walk leaders had to fill their cars with walkers who had requested a lift, when ideally one of the leaders would have gone direct to the start to meet any early arrivals.  (12 Jun 24)
• Similar Walks.  Repeating walks or having 2, or even 3, walks which were very similar had worked well and should become normal.  One on a weekend and one mid-week might be popular. (12 Jun 24)
• Walk Grades.  The limit of 12 on Moderate Plus Walks could be raised to 20, with the leaders’ agreement, for walks in rural or low fell areas where the risks were low.  However, a Moderate or Easy walk in a built-up area might be better with a maximum of 12.  (12 Jun 24)
• Timing Clarification.  In future the departure time from Ford Park should be shown as ‘leaving Ford Park at ….’