The current Area Officers have set out the core aspects of their roles below. These are categorized into two primary types: the vital internal roles that ensure the functioning of the Area Council (such as Chair and Secretary) and roles that concentrate on safeguarding our rights of way and rural areas (like Rights of Way Officer). Members are invited to nominate themselves for any Area role at the Annual General Meeting. Additionally, there are Council members without a specific portfolio who can dedicate their efforts to particular projects.
Nottinghamshire members who prefer not to take on formal roles or attend committee meetings can still contribute by supporting projects or rights of way work. For instance, we are currently seeking members to participate in publicity events to help promote the Ramblers.
If you would like to be involved please use this contact form-
The Area Chair's fundamental role is to ensure the consistent leadership of the quarterly Area Council Meetings and to foster the development of the Council as a collaborative team. Additionally, in the Nottinghamshire Area, the Area Chair is responsible for leading the Management Meetings, which take place two weeks prior to the Area Council meetings.
Management Meetings provide an opportunity for Area Officers to come together as a team and gain insight into the work of their colleagues and recent developments. They serve to resolve minor issues, thereby conserving the Area Council's time for more significant matters. The Management Meeting holds no decision-making authority, which is exclusively vested in the Area Council.
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The role of Vice-Chair may seem simple until an issue arises with the Chair, at which point it becomes crucial. Therefore, the Vice-Chair must stay informed on national and area issues through close communication with the Area Secretary, Chair, and Treasurer, and be prepared to assume control or represent at meetings.
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3. Area Secretary – Judith Anson
This is the key role on Area Council and can be compared to Company Secretary in a business. Areas of responsibility are governance and management; making sure that business is carried out as per the Ramblers Aims & Objectives/Memorandums and Articles of Association. Judith manages all the admin for the Area (e.g. room bookings, agendas, minutes, receiving and circulating papers, keeping the records). Area Secretary is the first point of contact for Group queries, for Ramblers Central Office and for the public. The Area Secretary attends the annual Ramblers General Council. There is also a “political” element to this as it is a role that requires considerable experience of Ramblers.
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The Treasurer is responsible for managing the finances of both the Area and its Groups. This role includes completing the annual budgeting process, conducting regular accounting activities,contributing to the Area's Annual General Meeting, and preparing the annual financial return for the Ramblers Central Office.
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5. Area Rights of Way Secretary - Vacant
Ramblers throughout Britain are heavily involved in protecting and enhancing the rights of way (ROW) network, whether it is more strategic issues such as adding new paths and 'lost ways' to the ROW network or problems with existing ROW that need reporting. To achieve this the Area ROW Secretary works with a team of District Coordinators (DCs) who link with Ramblers Groups in their patch and a more detailed description of their work is added below. Groups themselves usually appoint a Footpath Secretary who keeps an eye on their local patch.
If you wish to report ROW problems you can either contact a Group Footpath Secretary or use - in most cases the problem will be referred to the relevant DC.
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6. Tourism & Heritage Paths Officer – Chris Thompson
Created in February 2018, this role will develop over time but it will involve investigating the possibility of setting up new historical trails (possibly long distance) and arranging relevant publicity. The post holder will be a member of Area Council but will work under the auspices of the Rights of Way Committee.
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7. Area Countryside Officer – Vacant
The role of a Countryside Officer can be best understood by recognising that we typically traverse footpaths and rural landscapes. In this capacity, it's crucial to monitor activities that could tarnish the natural beauty and accessibility of the areas we cherish. Threats to our countryside include construction on the Green Belt, establishment of quarries and gravel pits, road development, regulatory changes regarding flood plains and planning, surface coal mining, removal of hedges, and felling of trees. It's my duty to scrutinize all Council planning proposals and, when necessary, file objections. Occasionally, significant developments arise that may conflict with our interests as Ramblers, with fracking and the HS2 project currently being the most significant.
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8. Groups Officer – Alex Ellis
All members of the Ramblers in Nottinghamshire have the option to join any of the 13 Groups, which include 11 geographic-based groups (such as Newark, Rushcliffe) and 2 age-based groups (like One-Step Walkers). These groups are vital for members, offering chances for regular walks and a focal point for social activities. Members also have the opportunity to affiliate with additional groups to obtain details of their walks.
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9. Area Membership Secretary – Diana Munro
The Membership Secretarty monitors membership statistics and reports on trends for the Area, utilising data from Ramblers. Each group has a designated Membership Secretary, and the Area Secretary offers support as needed, including liaising with the Ramblers Central Office when required. An increasing number of individuals opt to be Area-only members, not affiliating with any group. The role's workload has significantly decreased as all information is now directly sent to the groups. Additionally, this position holds the responsibility of GDPR Officer for the Area.
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10. Newsletter Editor – Vacant
The Newsletter (Notts Walker) Editor produces a digital Area newsletter using Mailchimp 3 or 4 times per year, one of which will be early in January for AGM notices. Under GDPR, this newsletter may only be sent to members who have given their consent to Central Office for email communications. The exception is the AGM notification which goes to all members with an email address held at Central Office.
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11. Area Publicity Officer – Vacant
Following the death of Alex Staniforth this role remains vacant. Please contact Area Secretary about publicity issues.
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12. Area Webmaster – Brian Tuffnell
The Webmaster is responsible for maintaining the website, ensuring it remains current and informative. The goal is to keep local communities and members informed about issues affecting local walkers, as well as to promote the activities they can participate in and the events organized by the Area and our groups. Additionally, the Webmaster manages our email systems.
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13. Sub-Committees
The Area also operates two Sub-Committees.
13.1 Communications Group
The Communications Group, chaired by Judith Anson, is responsible for the website, Notts Area Walker (our email communication), the Facebook page, the development of a recruitment strategy, GDPR, the enhancement of communications and raising the profile of Ramblers.
13.2 Rights of Way Committee
The Sub-Committee deals with all matters affecting rights of way and is attended by the Area Rights of Way Officer, the Countryside Officer, Tourism & Heritage Paths Officer, the District Co-ordinators and the Rights of Way Volunteers including group footpath secretaries.
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District Coordinators.
The post of District Coordinator (DC) was introduced to take some of the burden away from the ROW Secretary - the latter post carries with it an enormous workload as it deals with ROW matters over the whole county. The DCs sit on the ROW Subcommittee together with the ROW Secretary, the Countryside Officer, the Heritage and Tourism Officer and the Group Footpath Secretaries. Each DC is responsible for one or more of the administrative districts into which the county is divided. They investigate dangerous or obstructed footpaths and liaise with the County Council so that problems can be resolved. They also monitor planning applications to make sure that the ROW network is not damaged, and comment on any proposed diversions, extinguishments or additions to the network. They work under the guidance of the ROW secretary and are responsible for liaising with the Group Footpath Secretaries within their local government district.