Mike Darke has now retired as the Society’s Annual Day Excursion Organiser. The Society needs a new Trip Organiser, please volunteer. Mike has asked for the following guidance to be posted for the benefit of his successor.
I provide this synopsis for guidance / reference as an information sheet to the person who replaces me.
Some of you will remember that Peter Hoyle organised and I think inaugurated this annual day excursion before me until he sadly died in 2005. I volunteered to take over and have organised these visits since that date (an experience I have enjoyed until post Covid )
Peter tended to focus on historic cities and if I remember correctly a visit to Lincoln was his last.
In contrast I have tended to concentrate on historic industries, buildings and cities or a mix.
If you look at your sheet there is a summary of the places we have visited since then and allowing for the two years we lost with Covid this will be my 18thyear as organiser of this annual day excursion and last as I have now retired.
For a possible future Organiser who may or may not follow my ideas there are numerous things to consider in organising a day excursion. These include time taken to get there and distance, ( toilet stops and cafe en route we avoid due to time lost ) traffic, expense involved for coach and entry etc.
I have always gone on a Saturday because traffic is lighter and there is no rush hour; some as grandparents are relieved from childminding and as many know, the second Saturday in August is favoured because I always seem blessed with dry and often sunny weather.
I seem to remember that the first visit was £18 which included a guided tour of Ripley Castle and then free entry to Ripon Cathedral. ( I have a new computer and have lost some files ). Over the years to keep the price as low as possible I have tried to use entry to places where it is free entry such as the Anderton Lift Lock or they ask for a donation only (eg Fleetwood Museum / Gainsborough Old Hall or where the cost of entry is low e.g Gladstone Pottery / Grimsby Fish Museum and mix this if possible with a free venue such as tea at Scarborough, Cleethorpes, Morecambe or Llangollen.
I have tried to largely avoid National Trust venues where unless you are a member entry is expensive and causes some logistics. Some NT parks like Lyme Hall & Park don’t take motor coaches on Saturdays.
However, with Covid and post Covid difficulties and the fact that Local Authorities are short of money like Cathedrals etc and there is money to be gained from tourists the price of entry to venues has gone up. Hence, organisations like ours are now having to pay a lot more or just charge the cost price of the motor coach. The motor coach fare to Lincoln this year in 2023 is £26. Passengers must pay on top of this any entry fees
( Interestingly, I received last week an email from Todmorden U3A who are next month to visit Ulverston and Coniston and the coach fare is £26.. This excludes the entry to the Laurel & Hardy museum in Ulverston, £6 and entry to the Coniston Bluebird museum. ( I did consider myself about 4 years ago visiting the Laurel & Hardy museum & the Dock Museum at Barrow which is very interesting regarding the growth of Barrow & Shipbuilding, ( still free surprisingly ), with Walney Island too, ( nothing there and if wet, would be a nightmare) but ruled it out because of distance etc.
As regards the future my suggestion is, due to the age profile of current members and the fact that many who went on these excursions are either sadly no longer with us or now somewhat infirm and cannot travel. The number of members is also down and is about 40 per cent down over 10 years ago. I think also the increasing cost of the Excursions is a major factor too because as I stated earlier, there is now the hidden cost of entry to venues on arrival.
Motor Coach companies require a large non – returnable deposit which we cannot afford with declining numbers on these Excursions. ( The Company I have used for many years knew me and did not demand a substantial deposit but they went into liquidation in 2019. I too, could be confident of a full motor coach ).
As a consequence of all I have stated, I suggest we do not have another trip for a while, ( Cragg Vale History Society are having their first day excursion to a local venue but no motor coach transport. They are now not much smaller in size and age profile than our Society and some members too are members of our Society
Mike Darke Hon Organiser 2006 – 2023 ( dated 16th March 2023 )
The next monthly meeting is on Friday 14th April and the Speaker is Michael Peel, who will show us his film of Hebden Bridge, a Victorian Centre. It will be held as usual in St Michael’s Church Hall, Church Street, off New Road, Mytholmroyd at 7.30pm.
All welcome. Non member visitors £5.00
Reminder that any outstanding annual subs of £15.00, must be paid.
THE ANNUAL TRIP IS CANCELLED due to insufficient numbers.
Mike Darke. Press Officer
