Our Ramblers year started off so well. We had a fantastic run-up to Christmas with two Christmas Lunches and Festive Refreshments with Jan and Paul, including a sing song with the G&H pop-up choir. Our Festival of Winter Walks was well supported with 11 walks and an average attendance of 22. We enjoyed our New Year Lunch, a walk in Fitzrovia and a Quiz night. At the end of February our membership was at 447, three away from our target. The Walks Programme was in fine form with the potential for 275 walks being offered in the year and then everything stopped.

When lockdown began, we roamed alone from home. Once strict lockdown eased many members joined together in informal walking groups of six. One member, Keith, continued to follow the walks programme as a solitary walker.

As June approached, the Committee decided to prepare the next four months Walks Programme thinking we could be ready to go if restrictions were lifted. Frances, our editor, managed to conjure up a Newsletter by encouraging members to recount their Tales from Lockdown.

When Ramblers gave us the go-ahead at the end of July the positive response from our Walk Leaders was overwhelming. Many of those whose walks were in the past offered to fill gaps in the future programme. It took the Committee, with support from Cynthia, two weeks to prepare a modified programme and on August 17 this was sent to all members to allow a two-week booking period. We restarted with three walks on 2 September and it was so good to be able to meet up again as a group. Initially we had to find our way through the new procedures, but gradually we became adept at remembering to book two weeks ahead and numbers out on walks steadily increased.

This year three donated gates were dedicated to past members. The first at Chiddingfold to Jill and Roger Billet, founder members of G&H. The second at Witley to our friend Sue Edgington and the third at Chiddingfold to Len Clark CBE.

Next year we aim to celebrate the 50+1 Anniversary of the inaugural meeting of Haslemere Ramblers. Founder member, Richard Evans, has already put pen to paper with some fascinating reminiscences of the early days when the walks programme consisted of one walk a month on a Saturday or Sunday.