DPET Walk Planning Page

e-mails to 7 May - 21 Jun 09

Hi David,

see below and earlier e-mail trail through link @ DPUT Walk Planning. We discussed earlier but I suspect you may be on holiday presently and possibly this coming Sunday, 28th June 2009 when the walk takes place. Unfortunately, I am walking elsewhere in the morning and tied-up with some paying work in the afternoon but I have done what I can to date to help..

Peter is desperate to talk with you and of course there is no substitute for this. But on speaking with him this evening I do think that the latest and earlier leaflets given to the walkers before they depart might hit the spot. Perhaps we might arrange to hand each walker a pack-up and give them a good send-off even if unable to guide?

For Peter's benefit this is the NOTT Campaign link NOTT Campaign and your earlier items around which the leaflets are based are at The Wooden Waggonways, The Western Way, Lanchester Common, The Pitman, The Townships and Manors and Coal and Coal Mining. Each of these articles are factually accurate, well written and worth a read before or after the walk. Some day, I do hope to see them in published form. Add to these a further 4 leaflets in particular which we might get on line soon and there is a published work in there. The Lords of Pontop Hall, Hamsterley Hall, The First Parish of Collierley & The Boundary Stones, The Catholic Mission of Pontop Hall are the ones that you might consider ellaborating on-site but I see that we at least have them in Leaflet form.

Of course, the flora, fauna and geology are just as rich and again we have some good leaflets. Also if you type in Sammy Mann into the site's search engine Site Search you will likely get more than bargained for, but at least the basic info you seek. Finally, If you wish to avoid the expense and environmental impact of printing off all this paper, I suggest a one page hand-out, such as this, will let folks browse at leasure from the comfort of their armchairs before or after the walk is done and perhaps reflect a little until next year.

Over to you. Enjoy your walk.

Regards,

David Shields

Moderator

www.pontvalley.net

PS. Please help us by giving us a plug and if so inclined, sign the on-line petition on the site homepage. Can someone put this on forum? The publicity can't hurt.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: John Metson <ataa58@dsl.pipex.com>
To: DAVID SHIELDS <fpmnc@btinternet.com>
Sent: Saturday, 20 June, 2009 1:13:13 PM
Subject: pont valley walk

Dear David

I've now fixed a route for the sponsored walk we're arranging for the Durham Palestine Educational Trust on 28 June. It will start at the Plough pub near Mountsett Crematorium, head down into the Derwent Valley and join the Derwent Walk. Lunch will be at the Derwent Walk Inn. After lunch we'll walk back to the Plough via Medomsley and Pontop Pike.

I would really like to speak to David Marrs to ask him about what walkers should look out for on the route. could you possibly give me his phone number please.

Haven't forgotten I've got your map.

Regards

John Metson

DPET Planning as at 7 May 2009

John Metson of DPET willl join us from 7.30 a.m on Thu, 7 May 2009 to blaze a trail on behalf of the Durham University Education Trust, an organisation dedicated to raising funds on behalf of those Palestinians who wish to study here in the UK but otherwise would lack the financial resources to attend what is one of our premiere universities.

Amongst other things, he seeks reassurance that as a non-political organisation, DPET will not be linked to any political organisation in their quest to attract walk sponsors. Not unlike the Pont Valley Network in fact which supports the NOTT campaign, but seeks to be tollerant of all views, whether for or against UK Coal's ongoing application to surface mine the Bradley site

We will walk and talk with John today, exploring the Pontburn Valley, helping him to plot a route suitable for 30-40 people of mixed ages and abilities. We will as always do so with courtesy, extending him and his organisation a warm welcome. The stumbling block is unlikely to be lack of interesting things to see, we have these in profusion, nor even a good pub to break for lunch. It is perhaps more likely to be attitudes and beliefs, resolving the little details that otherwise present barriers.

We'll carry on doing what we can to carry on communicating openly, looking to record information on our website so we can work together around what we all share and enjoy, resolving any differences. If we succeed in planning this walk, we will of course include the route and description in a new walk leaflet to add to our library. Please do what you can to help.

We're helping to plan another walk some time in June (09), this one on behalf of the Durham Palestine University Trust) and we need help with this. This webpage to pool our ideas, suggestions and info inputs as they emerge. We'll be watching out on behalf of the network; someone in DPUT will do likewise. Avoid telecalls and e-mails - use comments so we can use our IT to take some of the pain out of planning.

See e-mails to date under 1st sectionbelow; respond to this with a comment if you've anything to add. More sections will emerge as planning gets underway.

Background e-mails to 11 Apr 09

Thea, good on you and as we seem to have reached the point where some mutual planning input is needed, I've opened a 'planning page' on www.pontvalley.net. It's not brilliant but will do to start the ball rolling,get folks aboard and avoid e-mailing people to death. These opening e-mails contained in 1st section below. An e-mailed webpage to follow.

Use a comment reply to let us know what you can so far and from the comment threads I'll build sections for the page as and when. Say who, where, when, why and what; the how will drop out of the emerging detail. Without the webpage, we'll struggle to pull it all together and keep it neat and tidy. Tie it in with any other websites you want with a link.

I need a primary and contingency date, numbers, route start-point (do you want to start at Watling Woods (nr Pont at the top of the valley and work down to Lintzford, via Bradley? Off road, on road, public rights of way, old drover's roads, waggonways, abandoned mineral railways (now cycleways), any diversions to take in areas of special interest (heritage and/or eco-related)? Single guide all the way to destination or handover between village guides en-route? Preferred start-time? Assembly point on arrival? Arriving in vehicles and if parking facilities required? Pick-up arrangements for return to vehicles or circular route (Leadgate - Medomsley - Hamsterley - Lintzford - Rowlands Gill - Burnopfield - Dipton)? Sponsorship details/forms/on-line and/or paper? Any media contacts/releases to make? Cellebrity guests?. And so on.

If you want a meet, shout out. Preferrerably at one of our fortnightly NOTT meetings but I can get across to DUBS if necessary.

David

From: Thea Khamis <Thea_Khamis@derwentside.ac.uk>
To: DAVID SHIELDS <fpmnc@btinternet.com>
Cc: durhampsc@tiscali.co.uk
Sent: Saturday, 11 April, 2009 7:46:54 AM
Subject: RE: Fund raising walk

No second thoughts at present. Am copying this to John Metson who is organising the walk for DPET. I think a good half way pub is sought. Can you advise?

Cheers.
Thea

________________________________

From: DAVID SHIELDS [mailto:fpmnc@btinternet.com]
Sent: Tue 07/04/2009 18:28
To: Thea Khamis
Cc: lorraine marrs; Karen Adamson
Subject: Fw: Fund raising walk

Thea, let me know if you've had 2nd thoughts. David

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: DAVID SHIELDS <fpmnc@btinternet.com>
To: Thea Khamis <Thea_Khamis@derwentside.ac.uk>
Cc: Karen Adamson <karen.2.adamson@btinternet.com>; lorraine marrs <lorrainemarrs@yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Thursday, 26 March, 2009 2:30:00 PM
Subject: Re: Fund raising walk

Thea, great idea and exactly what we're trying to achieve. A bit of joined-up thinking and anything that brings in the media is very welcome.

It's a pity it's not May when we have the "Coal Caravan" coming through on 2nd and our own 2nd anniversary cellabrations a little later. We're also hosting an "Aldi Management" team thing on 17 May in Leadgate that will likely stretch across and down into the upper Pont (Watling Woods).

We'll help guide you, give a hand with media copy and will also help generate local publicity through the website and forum. Or we'll leave you to get on with it, whatever.

You should have had sight of our walking/heritage guides, if not we'll get them to you. You'll have at least half a dozen to choose from and more if David Marrs, our resident expert gets his second wind.

Good thinking and keep me posted.

David
01207582385

________________________________

From: Thea Khamis <Thea_Khamis@derwentside.ac.uk>
To: fpmnc@btinternet.com
Sent: Thursday, 26 March, 2009 12:45:07 PM
Subject: Fund raising walk

Our Durham Palestine University Trust holds a sponsored walk each June to raise funds for post grad studentships at Durham for students from the West Bank and Gaza.

I've suggested we walk in the Pont Valley and double up our fundraising with a protest against any open casting in the area.

I'll let you know what's decided tonight, and would welcome any ideas.

Thea Khamis

Created on 11/04/2009 09:01 PM by dshields
Updated on 21/06/2009 09:06 PM by dshields