About the Group

History of the Gay Sunday Walking Group

The Group started in March 1972 when twenty-seven of us went to Sevenoaks in Kent on a walk led by Vivian Waldron. He set up the walking group as one of the social groups within the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and we were then called the CHE Walking Group. Vivian's work for gays also included setting up Friend the gay caring organisation.

In the late 1970s CHE became a purely political organisation breaking links with most of the social groups. We then renamed ourselves and one member ran the group informally, arranging walks and sending out the walks' notices.

By 1997 the group had become too big to continue without a structure. Some of the regular walkers worked to set it up as a society. The present structure came into being on 1 December 1997. This enabled us to affiliate to the Ramblers' Association, open a bank account, take out limited insurance cover and publicise GSWG.

GSWG Now

The backbone of GSWG is its walk leaders. These stalwarts plan a route through attractive countryside, find out train times, find a pub big enough for thirty or more hungry walkers, keep us together and generally make sure we have a good day out. We are always in need of new leaders but members are not under pressure to lead walks

As well as our days out some GSWG members are off to Majorca in April for a week's walking. This will be a joint event with CycleOut the gay cycling group. We also hope to have a late summer weekend walking in the South Downs. Members' ideas for new walks and walking activities are always needed. Anyone with suggested walks should speak to Graham, phone John or Bryn or email GSWG.

GSWG is affiliated to the Ramblers Association

More about the GSWG.

There is only one class of membership, ie no joint memberships and no reduced fees for anyone including walk leaders and the committee. Members may bring guests with them on walks (unless the Walks Notice says otherwise) provided the guests have read and agreed in advance to keep to the Group's Code of Conduct.

Other points:

• GSWG has a committee of chair, secretary, treasurer and two to seven members to plan the walks, keep the money, send out notices, promote the group and do the necessary work.
• Walk leaders and committee members work for the group for free and get no expenses or payments of any sort.
• All correspondence to members is addressed to firstname and surname, without 'Mr' etc. Envelopes have only the member's address and 'from P.O. Box 42661, London SW5 0WG' on the outside.
• Our bank account is with NatWest in Fleet Street; it's a minimal cost 'club' account. Two of four named committee members must sign the cheques.
• We do not have to register with the Data Protection Registrar as we keep only names, addresses, telephone numbers if supplied and renewal dates on computer. Ex-members' details are deleted quickly.
• The constitution forbids the committee passing members' names, addresses and phone numbers to any non-member or any other organisation. The committee will only give one member another member's address or phone number in exceptional circumstances.
• All the above information is in the constitution of the GSWG which we have made as democratic as possible. If you want your own copy tick the box on the application

Anyone wanting information about how to join GSWG click here.

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