ON August 3, the club changed the venue of its Thursday evening meeting (temporarily) from the Baptist Church Hall, Alvechurch, to the Arrow Valley Countryside Centre in Redditch.

The 36 members present were welcomed by Mr Steve Sullivan, Manager of the Centre, who gave a most interesting talk on how the Centre came into being, its current activities and its future plans. The educational aspect of current activities, such as environmental and outdoor activities, as well as pond dipping, and hedgerow studies, fit in nicely with Steve Sullivan's teaching background and his enormous interest in all aspects of the countryside.

After the talk, Steve gave a conducted tour of the Centre's facilities and an outdoor trip (between showers) to view the facilities within the compound.

The first walk of the month was on Sunday August 6, when 34 walkers, led by Roger Middleton and Tony Williams, tackled the third section of the long distance path The Shropshire Way. The 10+ mile route was a somewhat strenuous walk, taking in the Stiperstones Ridge with its lovely views of Shropshire and neighbouring counties.

Continuing the Group's summer programme of extra evening walks, 22 members took part in a short walk on August 10, which started and ended at the Ewe and Lamb, Hanbury, and it would have been out of character for the Group not to partake of the hospitality at the end.

The annual 'Fish and Chip Supper' walk on August 17 encouraged 28 members to work up an appetite by a short walk over fields in the direction of Feckenham before returning to Astwood Bank for the real evening event of eating fish and chips in the open air out of the paper!

Alan and Eunice Evans led 14 members on a walk through the Cotswold countryside on Sunday August 20. The 10 mile route started from Blockley, passed through delightful Cotswold villages, including a lunch stop at the inn at Donnington, before returning to Blockley.

The last event of the month was a walk around the Clent Hills.

On August 27 Ken and Pat Hodgkinson led the month's shorter walk of 5 miles over these picturesque hills.

For membership details phone 01527 870708).