Brecon Beacons Park Society Annual Reports

Cymdeithas Parc Bannau Brycheiniog
Brecon Beacons Park Society
www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org

ANNUAL REPORT 2007/2008

This is the second published Annual Report of the Brecon Beacons Park Society, which was formed in 1992. In the following pages will be found a summary of some of the issues that have concerned the Executive members and helpers of the Society during the year, together with an indication of the progress, or otherwise, which has been made towards fulfilling the objectives of the organisation.

The Society's objectives, which were reviewed, amended, then approved by the Charity Commissioners and ratified by members at the last Annual General Meeting (2nd June 2007) are:

To advance the enhancement, protection and conservation of the countryside and other amenities of the Brecon Beacons National Park for the benefit of the public.

To advance the education of the public in the ways in which to achieve the above including the provision of opportunities for healthy recreation and in particular walking.

The twelve-person Executive, together with various helpers and guests, has met every six weeks throughout the last twelve months. Their time has been willingly given and, apart from meagre travelling expenses, the Society offers them nothing for their trouble. I should like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the membership, to thank Executive members for their ongoing dedication, physical and mental effort and extraordinary commitment, which have enabled the Society to progress in the manner which (hopefully) will be outlined in this Annual Report.

For mainly personal reasons, several current members of the Executive, including three of the four Officers, will not be seeking re-election at this year’s AGM; again, on behalf of the members, I would like to thank them all for their efforts. They will be sadly missed, but I am also sure that others will take their place, and, no doubt, reinvigorate and progress the Society, as befits such a vibrant organisation.

A Park Society Development & Planning Team (Elizabeth Gibbs, Geoffrey Williams and Richard Chandler) has been formed and now monitors planning applications within the National Park, mainly by viewing the weekly list of planning applications on the National Park web site and sending comments or objections. However, local knowledge is very helpful so the team would appreciate members alerting it to anything of concern. The National Park is preparing the Local Development Plan for the next 15 years. Members of the team took part in a Stakeholder Workshop to establish initial ideas on the strategic issues and attended training for local councils to help them develop community involvement to feed local views into the plan-making process.

Society members will no doubt have seen in the press the problem of the Gilestone Campsite at Talybont-on-Usk where permission was gained for a large caravan site. The independent enquiry into the procedure that led to the granting of planning permission revealed severe shortcomings in the Park Authority’s Planning Department. Following a request from the well-organised group of local residents for help in their campaign, we have been very active, attending Park Authority meetings and writing letters. We are hopeful that measures put in place will lead to improvement in the planning process but we are continuing to work to try to ensure discontinuance of the permission.

The Infantry Battle School at Dering Lines on the east side of Brecon has been using the adjacent Brynich Land for military training under temporary planning permission from the Park Authority. The noise of firing weapons has caused serious nuisance for neighbouring residents and has disturbed the peace of the National Park. A public footpath across Brynich Land has also been occasionally blocked and litter of empty cartridges left lying along the path. We opposed extension of the planning permission; this led to a meeting with the Commanding Officer of the Infantry Battle School and other interested parties and the planning application was withdrawn. We expect a fresh application to be made for the Brynich Land to be used for military training with the important qualification that there will no longer be any firing of weapons; this will be a very satisfactory outcome following our intervention.

We have also attended meetings in relation to the proposed development at Cwrt Y Gollen near Crickhowell. Other contentious planning issues with which we have actively engaged during the year were; the WAG-inspired directive to identify Sand and Gravel reserves in the Usk Valley for future extraction; and opposing a proposal for clay-pigeon shoots on the route of the Beacons Way.

The saga continues of the National Grid Gas Pipeline, particularly the route across Mynydd Myddfai. We believe that the contractors do not have the wherewithal to reinstate successfully such a delicate landscape following the trauma of interring a 48 inch diameter metal pipe. Why this was allowed to happen to one of the most ‘protected’ landscapes in the UK will concern us for a long time; the thought that the process might well be repeated in the near future is beyond belief!

Despite our best endeavours, the pipeline was laid during the summer of 2007. The work was monitored closely by a dedicated National Park Warden and Ecologist with assistance from a small team of Park Society members. We held 3 Special Events for our members and friends. These were well attended and informative, although it spoke volumes that no one from National Grid came to the last one – after the pipeline had been laid.

Our next concern is how Mynydd Myddfai will recover. We continue to press the Park Authority, as the owner of a large part of the mountain, that they ensure that the Grid carries out its obligations to restore the land to its previous condition. This will take time – possibly up to 10 years. We are also concerned about pollution to rivers and the possible effects on fish. The Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency also have responsibilities for pressing the Grid, and we have also urged WAG members and MPs to press them to carry out their tasks with energy and determination.

The Park Authority and the Grid agreed before the pipeline was laid that a Trust would be set up to fund projects which protect and enhance the environment for the benefit of the public. Once the £1m Trust is launched it will be open to bids, which can then be used for appropriate projects within the National Park. The Park Society, one of 5 members of the Trust, has nominated Clive Eiles as one of its directors.

The Society publishes its Newsletter in Spring and Autumn and its Journal, The Beacon, in Summer and Winter. The Beacon Editor, Chris Barber, is grateful for all contributions but needs more: The Beacon is produced mainly for the benefit of Society members so it is desirable that the majority of its content is supplied by them. The Newsletter updates readers on the Society’s activities and news: items from Society members are always sought.

The website continues to grow in content and usage: new features include an easier to navigate 'Home' page, Contents page, Walls of Llangynidr page, articles from The Beacon and Self Guided walks. The most requested pages continue to be the Guided Walks Programmes (masterminded by Jim Wilson) and The Beacons Way. During the last 2 months the Website has been viewed by an average of 147 visitors daily, compared with 84 visitors at the same time last year; a 75% increase. The website was created in May 2004 and subsequently developed and maintained by Nigel Phillips. Pavel Vitek has kindly agreed to take over as the new Society 'webmaster'

In the last year 40 people have attended the Society’s five two-day courses in mountain navigation: 'Get Lost' (basic navigation skills) and 'Get Lost Again' (more advanced) charged only £10 per day, but generated sufficient surplus to purchase a digital projector for the Society and to transfer almost £150 to Society funds. The Courses were developed by Nigel Phillips who has subsequently handed them on to Ian Smith. There is almost a 12-months waiting list for this training, run by an unpaid volunteer, which is compatible with (or even better than) comparable courses costing over £100!

The Brecon Beacons Park Society’s Guided Walks and Events Programme continues to be recognised as one of the best in the UK. Since last year’s Annual Report, organisation of the walks and events, which used to be separate programmes, has been brought together in a single team led by Jim Wilson.

The walks programme provides enjoyable, safe and interesting guided walks throughout and beyond the National Park to both members and non members. The programme endeavours to cover all grades of walk, from Moderate to Strenuous, in each of the three areas of the National Park and to visit a wide range of terrains from valleys to moor land and the high peaks and ridges.

The Programme is published quarterly and over the year consisted of 188 walks and 33 events in all. The walks are delivered by approximately 40 Walk Leaders. All our leaders are Society members who have considerable experience in hill waking and knowledge of the flora, fauna, landscape and history of the park. The Society supported our leaders through subsidy of first aid training and provision of first aid kits and emergency shelters. The voluntary contribution of their time and expertise is what makes our Guided Walks Programme possible.

The Autumn and Winter Programmes had one walk every Saturday and two every Sunday, and the Spring and Summer programmes had one walk every Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus additional walks on Bank Holidays etc. The Friday walks were more leisurely outings often with a particular theme, such as woodlands or wild flowers, and often with guest experts who shared their knowledge with our members. Due to continuing interest, the programme also included the Beacons Way with one stage taking place each month (daylight hours permitting). This element of the programme was very well received, being fully booked and with a waiting list, and the walks enjoyed by all.

In the year to date the Guided Walks element of the Programme has had 2674 participants (up from 2126 last year) who between them have walked 45,868 kilometres of our beautiful National Park. (Note: the circumference of the earth is 40,077 kilometres, so one and a quarter times round the world!)

A variety of events were held throughout the year, including slide shows and talks on subjects as diverse as Archaeology and Wildlife Photography and meetings with National Grid and other organisations involved in the laying of the pipeline, with presentations and also visits to observe progress and problems.

The saddest event of the year was the weekend held in memory of John Sansom. 55 people attended a walk up to John’s memorial and the function room of the Bear was full to overflowing for the evening get together. We can only hope that, in some small way, the event helped John’s family by showing the high regard he was held in by members of the Society.

A theme this year has been collaboration: the Society was a major contributor to the Crickhowell Walking Festival and also supported European Geopark Fortnight and World Car Free Day. We are hosting the Welsh Park Societies Weekend, and we will be involved in the Hay Festival.

Plans for the future include continuing to increase the size of our team of walk leaders to allow us to put on more walks similar to those in the current programme to help keep the average number of participants per walk at an acceptable level. We will also continue to contribute to local events and to provide a wide variety of our own events reflecting the interests and concerns of the membership of the Society, and continue to build on the successful legacy of the previous Walks Secretaries John Sansom and Nigel Phillips.

This exciting long distance walking route across the National Park was established by the Society in conjunction with the Park Authority. Management of the trail is the responsibility of the Beacons Way Steering Group on which the Society is represented by Ben Sladen and Chris Barber. A revised edition of the Beacons Way Guidebook is currently being prepared by Chris Barber and will be published by Walking Wales Magazine later this year.

During the last twelve months, Society Executive members have attended numerous meetings with National Park Officers and Members, including: Area Advisory Forums, Corporate Management Liaison Team, Geopark Management Group, Area Access Forums, Beacons Way Steering Group, Local Development Plan Seminars and Stakeholders Workshops, as well as numerous ad-hoc meetings with individual National Park staff on various issues.

Membership of the Council for National Parks (CNP) takes a considerable toll on Executive members’ time and resources, with CNP expenditure currently accounting for over 18% of the Society’s membership income. Executives regularly attend Council meetings in London, Welsh Advisory Group meetings in Cardiff, Welsh Park Societies meetings in Aberystwyth, Societies Chairs and Chief Executives meetings in Birmingham or London and the National Park Societies Conference, which was held in Snowdonia during November 2007. The Executive believes that, in the light of the low emphasis and support recently given to Welsh matters by CNP, there are questions to be asked concerning ‘best value’ for the time and resources which are given to CNP. However, it has been decided that we should retain our membership, to be reviewed again in 2009.

Walls of Llangynidr (WOL) – originally a partnership between the National Park, the Dry Stone Wall Association and Llangynidr Community Council – is now incorporated into the Park Society. In 2007-8 WOL continued its twin aims of training new dry stone wallers and employing craftsmen to rebuild the mountain walls of Llangynidr. During its eight years of existence, WOL has trained over 100 wallers and is investigating new training programmes for those with learning disabilities. In 2007 a stretch of mountain wall on Glaisfer Isaf above Llangynidr was rebuilt by Dewi Vaughan.

WOL is interested in working with other communities in the Park to develop similar projects

The Beacons Way Art Trail, a joint venture by the Society and the Brecknock Museum Art Trust has funding from various local sources. Eight artists living near the route, selected through open competition, had works cast or etched in metal and set in stones at various points along the Beacons Way. The Art Trail was formally inaugurated in April 2007 with a book launch and exhibition at the Art Shop in Abergavenny. Further exhibitions featuring the artists followed at the Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery and Mount Street Gallery in Brecon.
A guide to the works, 8 Stones 8 Artists, by David Moore is on sale in major galleries and museums in Wales, and information centres in Powys

The Park Society has been working with the Education Service of the National Park to develop a new project, Art in the Park, which aims to take groups of school children out into the Park to take part in enjoyable activities inspired by the works of the Beacons Way Art Trail; and, in the process to develop their appreciation of the landscape. Funds have been raised to pay for the transport and the time of the artists involved. The project is to be targeted at schools in socially deprived areas on the periphery of the Park where there is poor uptake of activities organised by the National Park Education Service.

Rights of Way issues and problems are monitored by the Society, by keeping an eye on proposed closures and diversions and also reporting problems on footpaths to the Park Authority. The RoW behind the Sgwyd yr Eira waterfall continues to be closed (for health and safety reasons) and the Society is lobbying the Park Authority and others concerning what will happen there. We recently opposed closure of a footpath in Brecon and a diversion at Llantilio Pertholey.

Mary Lewis is the Society’s footpath secretary and members can assist her by reporting problems encountered on footpaths; (contact details are given in the Society’s Newsletter).

Society members have long expressed concern at the state of repair of some of our best known upland walking routes. We thus welcomed the production, by the National Park Access Officer, of an ‘Upland Erosion Strategy’ setting out a phased programme of funding and repair with possible administrative structures. We have expressed the desire to be involved in this process, and will, if necessary, take the lead if the Park Authority does not give this Strategy its deserved priority.

The Society takes a close interest in the heritage of the National Park and, through our guided walks and special events, helps members and visitors appreciate its wealth of archaeology and history and the importance of conservation. We regret that the Park Authority no longer has an archaeologist on its staff at a time when greater attention to conservation is needed. We continue to press for more engagement with heritage issues, evidenced by our campaign on Clydach ironworks.

In 2007 the Executive Committee expressed concern that the Clydach Ironworks, an important industrial historic site, was in urgent need of repair, stabilising and maintenance. Management of this site is the responsibility of Monmouthshire County Council and Chris Barber is liaising with their Project Officer, John Townend, to achieve some action. A contract is now in place for initial work on the site, following which new site information boards will be installed. Additional funding is being sought for more extensive consolidation work.

The remarkable geological heritage of the western area of the National Park received recognition in 2005 when it was awarded the status of a Geopark with associated European funding. The Society is represented on the Geopark Management Group and has been seeking development of the project, including publication of geological walks. Membership of the European Geoparks Network is to be reviewed in September 2008 and we are pressing for action to secure this renewal.

Treasurer’s Report

Financial Statements for 2007/08 are published as a separate document
(contact Ben Sladen, Hon Treasurer, for more information: ben.sladen@aulden.plus.com )

Members’ subscriptions reflect the new rates and the growth in membership. The increase in gift aid tax will not be repeated, as a number of established members agreed to join the scheme in 2007.

During the year the Society moved its banking from a high street bank to the banking arm of Charities Aid Foundation. That switch did not go smoothly, largely due to the failure of some members’ banks to effect the change-over properly (nearly 30% made mistakes!), but we now receive better rates of interest and at quarterly intervals (previously annually). We also investigated moving from standing order to direct debit, but the costs proved excessive, even assuming all standing order members would agree to the change.

The increased cost of the Walks and Events Programmes, Newsletter and The Beacon reflects larger print runs and the inevitable rise in postage rates.

The Society has adequate reserves to meet even a significant deficit in any one year. A feature of the year has been the ‘arrival’ of the Restricted Funds – monies given to us for specified purposes. Walls of Llangynidr relies entirely on grants.

We thank Usk Valley Trust for its assistance in walks leaders’ training and equipment. As noted elsewhere, a good number of members are interested in becoming leaders. We thank also The Morel Trust for their grant towards publicity at this year’s Hay Festival for the Society and the Beacons Way artworks and artists. Our new display boards (in use at the AGM) will feature there.

Membership has broken through the 600 mark for the first time and now stands at 615 compared with 575 a year ago. The Society gained 115 new members during the year, but a larger number than usual did not renew. Members with e-mail have found the Society making greater use of this quicker and cheaper method of communication: we hope it has been useful.

Our founding members inaugurated the Society on 13th September 1992; over the last fourteen years the Chairman has reported on each year's events at the Annual General Meeting. The Society’s Executive Committee has decided that, with so much happening at the moment, information about our activities and achievements should be made available to members and to the wider public in the form of an Annual Report.

The Executive meets every six weeks to discuss and take decisions about issues which are pertinent to the 'enhancement, protection and conservation of the countryside and other amenities of the Brecon Beacons National Park for the benefit of the public'; we hope this Report provides an overview of those issues and actions during the last year.

Sadly, the most notable event of the last twelve months was the untimely death of John Sansom, for many years the Society’s Honorary Secretary, the instigator of the much respected Guided Walks Programme and creator of 'the Beacons Way' long-distance walking route, as well as an active campaigner for everything worthwhile in the National Park. He is greatly missed.

The Beacon: Two editions (Summer and Winter) of the Society’s magazine, ‘The Beacon’, have been published since the last Annual General Meeting; the number of pages has been increased from 32 to 40 and the quality of the journal’s appearance and presentation continues to improve. 600 copies of each issue are printed and sent out to all members of the Society, Members of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and various other appropriate organisations. Currently content is mainly material written by members of the Executive Committee; but it would be much appreciated by the Editor, Chris Barber, if Society members could provide articles, letters and general items of interest for future issues.

The Newsletter: Now in its second year, the 8-page Newsletter keeps Society members in touch with Society news and events as well as reporting items of general interest about the National Park. It aims to provide short, newsy items rather than longer articles and is published in Spring and Autumn. The Editor, Miriam Griffiths, seeks newsworthy contributions from Society members and other organisations about events, activities and interesting developments – recent or imminent - within the Park.

The Website: www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org continues to expand in content and grow in usage. At the time of the 2006 AGM the site was taking just under 20,000 'hits' per month, and over the last twelve months this has risen to over 50,000. At the last count, there were 90 pages containing 191 pictures covering a range of subjects, including: Guided Walks and Special Events, 'the Beacons Way', articles from 'The Beacon’, Newsletters, News and Issues of Concern and a downloadable Membership Application. A series of web-based, printable Self Guided Walks in the National Park will be available soon for use by anyone who accesses the website.

As well as being increasingly active on a range of fronts, the Society is growing: at 31 March 2007 we had 575 members, compared with 526 a year ago. We have five membership categories – Individual; Under 18; Family; and Individual Life and Family Life membership.

The Society’s Guided Walks Programme, widely recognised as one of the best in the UK, is open to members and non members. Walks at all grades from Moderate to Strenuous venture throughout the National Park area’s wide range of terrains. In the past year the Walks Programme had 2126 participants who between them have walked 38,845 kilometres in and around our beautiful National Park! (Note: the earth’s circumference is 40,077 kilometres.)

This last year’s quarterly published Walks Programme had nearly 200 walks, led by approximately 30 Walk Leaders. Some Leaders offer walking trips to other areas: in the last year groups have visited Snowdonia, done long distance trails elsewhere in Wales and we’ve had our first ever walking trip abroad. All Leaders are Society members with considerable experience in hill walking and knowledge of the Park. Their much appreciated voluntary contribution of time and expertise makes the Programme possible; during the year the Society supported some Leaders to update first aid training.

The Autumn and Winter Programmes, which surprisingly have the highest numbers of participants, offered one walk every Saturday and two every Sunday (to try to keep numbers to a reasonable level). The Spring and Summer programmes had one walk every Friday, Saturday and Sunday plus additional walks on Bank Holidays etc. The more leisurely Friday walks/events often had a particular theme and included the ‘Working in the Park’ series with guest experts. The Beacons Way stages on the first Sunday of each month (daylight hours permitting) were fully booked with a waiting list.

Walks Secretary Jim Wilson and Assistant Secretary Anne Pritchard continue to build on the legacy of previous Walks Secretaries John Sansom and Nigel Phillips. Future plans include putting on more walks to keep participant numbers at an acceptable level and adding some less demanding walks (like the existing “Walking at a gentler pace” series). Possible additional navigation and first aid training and equipment for Walk Leaders will also be considered.

The Society’s first walking trip abroad took place last summer when, led by Clive Eiles, nine of us spent 10 days trekking through Hornstrandir, the uninhabited north westerly tip of Iceland, most of which is a nature reserve. Our route went north along stunning, varied coast terrain with few tracks, visiting abandoned farms, huge cliffs and a glacier; we swam in natural hot water pools, watched the midnight sun touch the horizon and rise again. We only twice met other walkers but all the Icelanders were friendly and helpful. The couple who ran the last place we stayed in, an old lighthouse, sent an email to thank Clive for bringing such a wonderful group to stay with them!

The intention and hope behind the Special Events programme is to offer a range of events of interest to our members. Some events are out of doors and may involve a gentle walk; others are indoors and involve no walking.

We have had one event every month over the last year, and intend to continue this pattern. The range is wide, including illustrated talks in the evening and visits to places of interest at the week end. The themes during the last year have included wild life and nature reserves, conservation, farming, archaeology, geology and the pipeline across Mynydd Myddfai. We hope you have enjoyed them, and Events Secretary Clive Eiles thanks those who have made suggestions and asks members to keep those ideas coming.

On the initiative of the Society and particularly Elizabeth Gibbs, in January 2006 the Society, the National Park Authority and Keep Wales Tidy offered prizes for primary and secondary school projects that raised awareness and engaged young people in thinking about litter and its impact on the environment. There were six excellent entries from primary schools but disappointingly, none from secondary schools.

Llangors School won the first prize of £500: the judges felt the pupils had been encouraged to think for themselves and to use various imaginative and creative approaches to raise awareness of the problem of litter. The runners up received prizes of £100. Prizes were presented by Councillor Mrs Margaret Morris, outgoing Chairman of the Park Authority, at the Mountain Centre where the entries were displayed throughout the summer. It is hoped that the project can run again in 2008 and that it will attract entries from Secondary schools.

The Park Society runs courses in basic and more advanced navigation for hill-walkers; 'Get Lost' and 'Get Lost Again'. Nigel Phillips instigated and leads these courses and in the last twelve months eight courses have been offered, which have been attended by 66 participants. The small financial surplus generated by these courses is transferred to Society funds.

On behalf of its members, the Park Society Executive has recently campaigned on a variety of National Park issues of concern, including the National Grid gas pipeline, Sand and Gravel Extraction in the Usk Valley and the need for more Archaeological services within the administrative framework of the Park. Increasingly the Executive intends to highlight the damage caused by illegal off-roading activities, funding and restoration of the upland landscape and trying to ensure that Officers of the National Park allocate the paltry sums of money awarded them by the Welsh Assembly Government in line with their stated 'conservation and enhancement' aims.

A big issue for the National Park in the past year has been the route for a huge new gas pipeline, four feet in diameter, linking new terminals at
Milford Haven with the national gas transmission system.
We objected strongly to any route through the National Park, and in particular to the proposed route across the open moorland of Mynydd Myddfai and Mynydd Bach Trecastell, where pipelaying work is starting as this Report goes to press. Our concerns about the risks of constructing the pipeline in such an environmentally sensitive area were sadly highlighted when a Park Society member reported the wanton damage being caused by the vehicles of National Grid's archaeological contractors. Work was immediately suspended following the reported damage and National Grid has tightened site controls to prevent a recurrence.

Our objections to the pipeline’s route through the National Park were over-ruled when the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry gave consent on 7 February 2007, but several points we made in our submissions, coordinated by Roger White, were included in the stringent conditions of the consent. Many of our detailed observations had also been accepted by National Grid in its Environmental Statement. Following our recommendations, the Park Authority has appointed a Pipeline Warden to oversee the route through the Park. We have also secured a commitment to long-term management of the environmentally sensitive locations to avoid the problems which occurred on the previous pipeline between Gilwern and Hafodyrynys. National Grid has agreed to promote a programme of remedial measures along that earlier route.

Having highlighted access issues, we are glad to note that National Grid has agreed to keep all footpaths open, whether or not designated as rights of way, except when they have to be diverted for health and safety reasons.

Clydach Ironworks

The Executive Committee has expressed concern that the Clydach Ironworks,
which is the responsibility of Monmouthshire County Council, is in urgent need of repair and maintenance. Chris Barber raised the matter and is liaising with John Townend, contracted by the County Council as a Project Officer, to work up an improvement scheme. He hopes that work will commence shortly, following consent from Cadw and confirmation of 50% grant towards the cost.

The Park Authority published its Draft Rights of Way Improvement Plan (RoWIP) in April 2006. We expressed concern that this did not provide a sound strategic base for planning, drawing particular attention to the need to make a
proper assessment of erosion control, to address errors in about a quarter of the definitive maps, to provide satisfactory maintenance on the existing network, and to present consistent and coherent cost estimates. The Authority has several times delayed publication of the final RoWIP, but assures us that account is being taken of our comments, which are coordinated by Roger White.

We are also consulted on proposals to alter rights of way. There were only five of these in the past year: two reasonable diversions, which we supported; two proposed closures, which we successfully opposed; one bridge closure on the Beacons Way, for safety reasons, leading to route consultations. Park Society members make an important contribution by reporting to the Park Authority any problems, obstructions and broken furniture encountered on rights of way.

Members of the Park Society Executive are consistently active in liaising with other organisations, charitable and statutory, which are interested in the management and well-being of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Within the formal structures of the National Park Authority, Executive members sit on the six-monthly Area Advisory Forums and the three-monthly Local Access Forums; we have representatives on the Beacons Way Steering Group and the Geopark Management Group and are involved in the consultation processes leading to a new National Park Management Plan and Local Development Plan. Executive members’ views on Rights of Way and Planning and Development Control matters are proffered regularly.

Membership of the Council for National Parks keeps the Society in touch with a range of issues affecting all National Parks. The Society’s news and views are represented at meetings of the Council, the Welsh Advisory Committee, Welsh Park Societies, Chairmen and Chief Executives as well as the annual National Parks Societies Conference and a number of promotional/ consultation gatherings throughout the year.

Ad hoc meetings with representatives from like-minded organisations such as the Brecknock Wildlife Trust, Brecon Beacons Tourism, Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission and National Trust, as well as individual Officers of the National Park Authority mean that Society Executive Committee members are kept well-informed – and busy.

The establishment of the Beacons Way by the Park Society in conjunction with the National Park Authority has been an outstanding achievement and a fitting memorial to its main instigator, John Sansom. Ongoing management and development of this 98 mile trail is now the responsibility of a Beacons Way Steering Group, on which the Society is represented by Ben Sladen and Chris Barber. Planned improvements include replacement of a footbridge at Ty Hendrey in the Swansea Valley; west to east waymarking of the route; installation of display boards at each end of the route - Skirrid Fawr and Bethlehem village; monitoring numbers of walkers using the route.

The Beacons Way Art Trail, developed by Brecknock Museum Art Trust and the Society, will comprise eight blocks of local Old Red Sandstone along the route, inset with relief images created by artists in or near the National Park.

The Brecon Beacons Park Society, one of the smaller ‘Friends of National Park’ Societies, is growing steadily at a time when other Park Societies report a declining membership trend. The Society will continue to strive to work constructively with the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, complementing its public body role with our blend of voluntary, grass-roots outlook and strategic approach.

Over the next twelve months, the Park Society Executive is aiming to give the Society a higher profile within and without the National Park and a number of new and exciting projects are planned. You may expect major initiatives to:

- raise funding for the restoration and preservation of Dry Stone Walls within the National Park;

- work with partner organisations to tackle the huge problems of upland erosion and continuing damage caused by illegal off-roading;

- monitor and protect the delicate landscape of Mynydd Myddfai and Mynydd BachTrecastell in the aftermath of Gas Pipeline devastation;

- become actively involved in the strategic and mundane planning processes within the National Park

…. whilst still offering what is probably the best Guided Walks Programme in the United Kingdom.

To do all this the Society will need help. So if anyone out there is interested in making a donation, or in contributing time and expertise to any new or existing areas of activity, please contact the Chairman or any member of the Executive. It will not necessarily mean joining the Executive Committee (but you will get stimulating discussion and tea and biscuits at Executive meetings!)

Balance Sheet at 31st March 2007
	2007	2006
ASSETS	£	£
Bank Balances	13,987	13,109
Less creditor	0	(5)
NET ASSETS	13,987	13,104
Representing:
General Fund	10,522	10,351
Life Fund	2,702	2,753
John Sansom Memorial Fund	763	0
	13,987	13,104

A more detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st March 2007 is available from the Society's Hon. Treasurer.
Contact Ben Sladen: ben.sladen@aulden.plus.com

Income has been sustained across all categories and we hope that the trend will be maintained. To keep pace with growth in costs, expanding activities and improving services to members, proposals for increases in membership fees from January 2008 will be proposed at the AGM - the first increase since 1999.

Expenditure reflects the increasing and expanding range of Society activities which benefit members and fulfil the Society’s aims regarding the National Park. Wherever possible, costs are offset – for example, increased printing and postage costs are in part offset by mailing The Beacon with the Walks Programme. The Society is able to cope with a year or two of expenditure exceeding income.

Gift Aid. There has been a good response to the request to adopt gift aid and it is hoped that more members will take this up. Tax recovered in 2007 will be greater than in 2006, but will drop back when the reduced base rate of tax takes effect; the Treasurer can provide further information.