Catalogue description RAMBLERS ASSOCIATION

This collection consists of administrative and publicity material relating to the national and local activities of the association, including minutes, financial material, details of the routes of well-known walks, press cuttings and press releases.

It also contains subject files produced by the main Ramblers Association offices on the various campaigns and sites of interest with which the association has been involved.

Separate deposits were also received of material generated from the offices of the Director of the association, the Assistant Director of the Access section and the Countryside Secretary of the Southern Area.

Listed by Nicola Avery 18SEP2003

The collection has been arranged as follows:

LMA/4287/01 - Administration, including minutes and finance (1926-1997)

LMA/4287/02 - Subject files on campaigns and sites of interest (1850-1998)

LMA/4287/03 - Files of the Director of the Ramblers Association (1986-1999)

LMA/4287/04 - Files of the Assistant Director (Access) (1988-1999)

LMA/4287/05 - Files of the Countryside Secretary of the Southern Area (1964-1981)

LMA/4287/06 - Press and publicity material including press releases (1911-1995)

Ramblers Association, 1935-

National Council of Rambling Federations, 1930-1935

THESE RECORDS ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION, ALTHOUGH RECORDS CONTAINING PERSONAL INFORMATION MAY BE SUBJECT TO CLOSURE PERIODS

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor

The Ramblers Association was formed in 1935. It grew out of the National Council of Rambling Federations which in turn was formed in 1930 as an amalgam of the local Federations of Rambling clubs which had been increasing in number since 1905. The association consists of a National Council, responsible for general policy, and an Executive Committee which controls the work of the association. It is organised locally into Areas, which are responsible for all local activities and for recruitment of members.

The association's main aims are to protect public paths and rights of way, including provision of signposts and other waymarkers; to increase access for walkers by establishing statutory rights of access; to safeguard the countryside from overdevelopment and pollution by organising national and local campaigns; to educate the public about their rights and responsibilities in respect of the countryside.

Past presidents of the association have included Tom Stephenson, an eminent walker and journalist who steered the association through its early years, Janet Street-Porter, journalist and television personality and Fay Godwin, photographer and countryside campaigner.

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