Blog
(Current)
Blog updates are only on an
"ad hoc" basis when I have something to say and will not be
particularly regular. Latest entries first.
Pinned Blog
Charity Suggestion
It has been suggested to me by several people that I should charge for my walk information and indeed I have had unsolicited offers of payment (declined) from people who have used my directions. I am flattered that people think the information is worth charging for but I have deliberately chosen to keep it free to encourage walking. If you want to be kind, you could make a donation to
charity and I would like to suggest Zarach
to which I have donated.
Zarach was started by a
teacher who noticed a child at school seemed tired. This turned out to be
because he had no bed! She decided to do something about it. To cut a long
story short, her activities have grown into a full blown Registered Charity
(No 1179539). I cannot imagine a child living in such dire straits that they
have nowhere to lie for a decent night's sleep. It turns out bed poverty is
much more prevalent than certainly I thought and has a significant effect on a child’s education.
A Zarach Bed Bundle includes a brand-new Bed, Mattress, Duvet, Pillow, Bed Sheets, Pyjamas and Hygiene Kit.
They also work with local partners to include Food Parcels and, if needed, a school uniform.
Lots more information on
their website. Please help if you can.
10 January 2024
Having watched the Mr Bates v the Post
Office, in effect a dramatised documentary, like over 1.2 million other
people who signed a petition to strip the CEO of her CBE, I feel a probably
hugely disproportionate sense of outrage, considering I was not personally
affected.
Paula Vennells (CEO) is a completely
disgusting character who tried to cover up the failings of the Horizon
computer system and denied natural justice to hundreds of individuals,
resulting in extortion from them of money not due, unlawful prosecutions and
imprisonments, suicide and bankruptcy. For what, to protect the reputation
of the Post Office or to protect her bonuses and CBE?
He sidekick Angela van den Bogerd was also
involved and appears to have clearly tried to mislead a judge according to
him. Contempt of Court? Furthermore in respect of one sub-postmaster who
committed suicide, she personally went to The Wirral to coerce his widow to
sign a non-disclosure agreement in return for a £120,000 pay off.
Behind all this, Fujitsu who developed the
Horizon system, knew their system was faulty but kept quiet and
denied everything.
The drama has brought the whole issue to the
fore and there are going to be repercussions which will reverberate for some
time.
Vennels, van den Bogerd
and other board members need to have inappropriate bonuses clawed back.
Restitution needs to be had from Fujitsu and most importantly the
prevarications to wiping out all the unjust convictions and payment of full
restitution and damages to the sub-postmasters/mistresses need to be ended.
2 January 2024
Happy New Year to everyone for starters.
2023 ended with a disappointing spell of
atrocious weather which I have to confess quite literally dampened my
enthusiasm for walking. It was not just the thought of going out in the rain
but ploughing through the quagmire that seems to be everywhere. As I write,
there is promise of better weather towards the end of the week but I will
believe it when I see it.
The New Year came in with no change, though
the weather did not prevent visiting friends for what is now our traditional
get together with a quiz (which I lost) and a game. I think I actually drank
only a modesty amount of alcohol this year for no particular reason.
I had one or two emails in 2023 from people
to tell me that something had changed on the routes I had described. This is
very useful because it enables me to update the directions for the benefit
of the next person to do the walk. Things do change - fingerposts rot off
(though usually get replaced eventually), stiles become gates, I even had an instance
where a whole stone barn used as a reference disappeared! Obviously, I cannot be repeatedly
re-walking my routes, there are too many, too dispersed. Depending on what
the change is, I generally include a note in [square brackets] or possibly
italics, or just amend the text depending on circumstances. Please carry on providing this
information so that everyone can have confidence in the directions. I am not
aware of any other walking media that offers this service.
Since getting a new iPhone in
2023, I have started using the OS App. It is very accurate and gives to
access to 1:25000 maps for a modest annual charge. You can download my gpx
files. All my walks are also now on the OS Website, though to find them you
need to go to "All Routes" and zoom in closely to the starting
point. I have started the title of all my walks with "Happy Hiker walk
- (name of walk)" to make them easier to identify as there are so many.
Having praised the OS App, I
would still not rely on it fro the entirety of a walk for fear of running
out of power. I use it for an occasional check as necessary.
For details about the OS App,
see https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/apps/os-maps-subscriptions/
All information on this
site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any
damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.
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