Introduction
Round Up of International Tourist Guide Day 2001 events in England and Wales and a big Thank You from the Guild.
International Tourist Guide Day is held annually on February 21st and events are organised by registered guides around the world. This year Guild members held many events around the UK and worked incredibly hard to promote the work of Blue Badge Guides, for which we are very grateful. We felt the day should have two aims: to promote registered guides, especially to those who might employ guides; and to give something back either to the local community, or to colleagues at sites and on coaches etc who work closely with BBGs.
This report covers most of the events that have been reported to me or the Guild Office in time for inclusion in this report. Thanks go to all those involved in a many ways (including organising events which may not have had the desired response from locals or the media!) and I apologise for any omissions. Thanks also to the many coach companies who donated free coaches and drivers for ITGD.
ITG Day is a great opportunity for marketing BBGs and for improving public relations in many directions so it is never too early to plan events for next year! Where possible I have included contact numbers as it may be helpful to network with Guild members who have been involved in this year's events.
Finally a huge thank you to all those who have helped behind the scenes, especially Maggie, Mehmet and Ariya at the Guild Office; to all who have put forward ideas and constructive criticisms; to Rosemary Honey for distributing leaflets to language schools and public libraries around London, and to Phil Cookson, APTG ITGD coordinator.
Sue Barnecutt Smith,
Guild ITGD co-ordinator.
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Events
Cumbria
Blue Badge Guides were involved in both town and country walks. They offered walks in Kendal, Penrith and Keswick and at the National Trust site at Aira Force, a beautiful waterfall near Ullswater. Wendy Higgins (tel. 015396 24226) coordinated these events in 2001 and, like several other areas, she says that Cumbria are hoping to plan more events for 2002.
**Fortunately ITGD was before the foot and mouth outbreak took hold, but Cumbria Guides have been proactive in offering alternatives to walking in the countryside.They are now planning a county-wide programme of town walks to go under the name of "Tarmac Tours", an idea for other BBGs to follow?
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East of England
Colchester Tourist Guide Association decided to celebrate ITGD by asking "What did the Romans really do for us?" As BBGs in Britain's oldest recorded town, they offered tours of the visible remains left by the Romans when they abandoned Colchester 1600 years ago.
Anna Moore, chair of Colchester Blue Badge Guide Association (01206 766638) reports that the BBGs were joined by Colchester MP, Bob Russell, the Mayor and Mayoress and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress as well as local people and visitors. They toured the ceremonial gateway, the town walls, the remains of a villa and even the Roman drains! The walk ended at the theatre - one of only five Roman theatres excavated in Britain.
Blue Badge Guides from City of St Alban's Tour Guides (Stuart Whitefoot, tel: 01582 766372) guided some 50 residents living near Bernards Heath through the course of the Second Battle of St Albans which took place on part on the heath in 1460, during the Wars of the Roses. The battle culminated in a Lancastrian victory.
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Heart of England
The Forest of Dean Tourist Guides also had good media coverage when they took two different groups of elderly people on days out in the Forest of Dean. There was coverage on the local BBC radio station with an interview on The Anna King show, and news items on the morning news. They also had good coverage in local papers. Even more significant was the fact that the local coach company were delighted with the guides!
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London
Several Blue Badge Guides offered walks around the capital:
Hilary Booth - Medicine, Mayors and Money, took visitors from Bart's to Bank - from St Bartholomew's Hospital, (where she had pre-arranged for her group to see the Hogarth painting) to the Bank. Well attended with interest shown in the information she imparted, and follow-up interest in Blue Badge Guides. Time Out seemed to be the main source of reference, and visitors included Americans as well as local Brits.
Alan Cross took people away from the hustle and bustle of Sloane Square and the King's Road for a gentler walk through the village of Chelsea. His group were able to enjoy some hidden architectural gems, hear about famous residents past and present, and see why it is such a wonderful place to live. Michael Portillo, the local MP sent a member of his staff to improve their knowledge of the byways of his constituency - so now we can expect at least one locally-well-informed MP at the next election!
Alison Haslam caused a stir by phoning in when she heard London Live's morning programme on "Notorious London" - a perfect lift-off for her Scandalous St James's walk. Seventy people arrived at Green Park Underground and Alison wondered if she should have hired some Bow Street runners as guards - but it all went well, and even locals found out things they didn't know about! All good publicity for the BB.
Brian Hicks
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Brian Hicks gathered a crowd for his 'Secret Westminster' walk from Green Park - and raised such enthusiasm for his version of Blue Badge Guiding that members of the group started writing to each other about the walk, as well as phoning Brian.
For people who preferred a weekend walk, Marilies Jackson guided a walk around "Charming and Trendy" Primrose Hill on the Sunday after ITGD.
Sue Jackson showed her visitors the London of Dickens and Shakespeare in the area around St Paul's and Fleet Street. Her group included students (of all ages and several nationalities, keenly interested in her quotes) as well as some Americans and Europeans.
Muriel Jones' Financial City, showed about 20 people the money, insurance and futures institutions of the City of London. Her visitors included a Swiss journalist who is intending to write something in a Swiss paper, and a US tour guide from Washington who is planning to write something for their Guide's round-up newsletter.
One London guide appreciated the problems of parents who want to enjoy guided tours but have small children in pushchairs, so Abigail Lawson (lawsonabi@hotmail.com) planned a British Museum tour for parents with small children in push chairs. Abigail did this tour for 4 parents and 4 small children in push chairs. She reports: "the children were all well behaved but I kept the tour fairly short and moved around regularly as the children are likely to be better behaved if they do not stop too long in one place. All the children were under two years except one girl aged 3¾ years old, so not a great deal of comment was made! The older girl seemed most interested in spending her 50p on a scarab beetle in the shop. However she did like the new view of the Great Court from the 6th floor above the controversial south portico. "The four adults really enjoyed the tour and were very appreciative of the fact that the British Museum now has plenty of large lifts and disabled access. We even managed to get the push chairs up the few steps to see the pediment sculptures of the Parthenon. The idea of something special for parents with small children seem to create a great deal interest".
Abigail's Note for Guides:
The main lift at the B.M. supposedly takes 15 but I could not imagine getting much more than six adults and six push chairs in. This means you have to book and be pretty sure that people would turn up.
Joy Levene
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Joy Levene - dressed impressively as Queen Victoria, took her subjects on a journey through Queen Victoria's life. Starting at Queensway Underground and finishing in Kensington. In the morning she had about 70 people (ably marshalled by Gabriel Leigh Wood) and in the afternoon, about 50 people (ably marshalled by Trevor Jeanes).
Her group included Americans, Germans and Australians as well as British subjects, and the walk generated interest in Victoria, the centenary of her death, and the Victorians.
Hilda Matthews - after appearing in front of Southwark Cathedral, with Blue Badge prominently displayed in the travel section of the Daily Telegraph (17 Feb. see picture), Hilda volunteered to do a Southwark and South Bank - Medieval to Modern, walk on ITG Day -and inveigled Mehmet (stalwart of the Guild admin staff) to accompany her. So now we can be even more sure that the Guild's admin. team know exactly what Blue Badge Guiding is about!
Some guides were able to have use of special transport which enabled them to take disabled people on tours. Mona Berman took a group of disabled people on a London panoramic tour, with a walk by the river at the Tower of London, and Eva Grant is taking a group of disabled people from Abbeyfield at Kew on a London tour on April 4th.
Chris Moreau-Feodorov took a group of West London schoolchildren and their parents on a tour of the New Palace of Westminster. This was the idea of another London BBG, Alla Butterwick, who organised the event.
Richard Palmer kindly did a Chelsea walk for a second group on Friday, 23 Feb, which included Americans and Germans as well as Brits.
Hampton Court Palace played host to local community group volunteers on
21st February, ITGD. Guests were treated to a super tour of the Palace and its fascinating attractions by Historic Palaces/Blue Badge Guide Sara Burn Edwards. Among the societies represented were Richmond upon Thames Arts Council, the Museum of Richmond, Hampton Horticultural Society, the Canadian Women's Club and the Kew Society.
Following the tour, which included the extensive Palace kitchens and the exquisite chapel, guests were entertained at a reception in the Tiltyard Restaurant by Sodexo Prestige, the Palace caterers, where they were joined by the Visitor Services Manager, Sue Whittaker.
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London Blue Badge Guides offered a variety of coach tours:
(From Left) Chief Marshall Peter Crook, Andrew MacKinley MP & Freda Bates.
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Freda Bates took some of the marshalls and staff of Westminster Abbey toThurrock on a visit supported by Thurrock MP Andrew Mackinlay who was there to see the party off from outside Westminster Abbey on 21 Feb. They were also planning to see Tilbury Fort or Coleshill Fort .
Barbara Crosse, the Guild's Windsor site liaison rep., and Richard Hampton took staff from Windsor Castle to Westminster Abbey where they were given a warm welcome. The Windsor staff included castle wardens, voluntary stewards from St George's Chapel and staff from the Royal Library and Archives, shops and the Saxon Tower. After the tour of Westminster Abbey the group went around 'lesser known' London which was much appreciated.
Liz du Parq took 19 children and three helpers from one of the statistically most deprived housing estates in south London on a visit to the Tower of London. The estate is the part of a major regeneration initiative and the children almost never have an opportunity to go on such an outing, but feedback suggests that Liz's tour was very well received, despite giving her a few grey hairs! The coach was provided by Lambeth Passenger Transport and one of the estate's community organisations paid the entrance fees.
To promote good relations between coach drivers and BBGs Rosamund Forester offered a tour for coach drivers to see inside the Tower of London, one of the sites they so often have to stay outside. This was much appreciated and worth promoting more widely next year.
Ros Hutchinson took Yeoman Warders and staff from the Tower of London and other Historic Royal Palaces on a visit to Leeds Castle, Kent - always much appreciated (it also includes a visit to the Ringlestone Inn), and it helps keep up the HRPs' goodwill to BBGs!
Wendy Myers (020 8428 6773) wanted to do something for her local community group, so took a group from St John's parish church, Pinner to Somerset House and the Gilbert Collection. The age range of the group was from 10 years old to over 70 and they all enjoyed it and appreciated the skills of Blue Badge guides.
Barbara Pukwana (020 7328 9613) took members of the International Club of St Martin in the Fields, to Oxford. This is a club of senior citizens, mostly ex civil servants, teachers, lawyers and so on, who are doing much fund raising for St Martin in the Fields charity projects. In Oxford, Christchurch offered the group free entry so they enjoyed a tour of the college as well as a walk around Oxford town. Barbara was interviewed by Fox Radio.
London BBG Rosemary Snell, is head of Social Work at the Wimbledon Guild of Social Welfare and organises the Drake House club for retired people who want stimulating activites. This year 47 members appreciated a half day London panoramic tour guided by Rosemary - ending up with tea at the Royal Festival Hall before returning to Wimbledon.
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North West England
Gareth Edwards, coordinator of ITGD for the Guild of Manchester Tourist Guides (tel: 0161 736 5530) reported on six Manchester walks run throughout the day, with themes of: Manchester Past and Present; Manchester - World Leader; Manchester Renewed; Manchester's Theatres and Concert Halls; Victorian Manchester; Rights of Way in Manchester. These were well attended with nearly 100 walkers. In Manchester the walks were free, but a donation to a local charity was suggested. This raised £111.70 for St Ann's Hospice, Manchester. The Manchester Guild was particularly glad to collect for this hospice as it was there that Richard Reddington spent his last days. Richard was a popular and respected Blue Badge Guide who died in January.
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South East England / Southern England
Frances Farrar-Brown and Sherian Morgan (sherian@totalise.co.uk) took 30 elderly residents of Arundel, most of them from four sheltered housing schemes on a half-day trip to visit Lancing College Chapel and the English Martyrs Church in Goring, where Gary Bevans painted his amazing reproduction of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The coach was provided by Heritage Coaches, and arranged by SEETB. The successful outing was much appreciated by all who went, including two members of the local Rotary Club who sponsored coffee and cakes at the Tollhouse Inn at Bramber. Local papers took pictures but their cameras were playing up so no coverage is expected.
Also, in South East England, Jill Manning-Press gave a talk to the local Probus club
Terry Bremble reports that Oxford BBGs gave three well-supported tours with the themes of Inspector Morse, Lewis Carroll's Alice (with BBG Ruth Ward) and an evening Ghost Tour with Annetta Harvie.
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Wales
Margaret Butler (Tel: 029 20752679) had good coverage on BBC Radio Wales when she took a group of Carers (of people with Alzheimer's disease) on a coach tour of Cardiff Bay, the Vale of Glamorgan and Cosmeston Lakes (for wildlife and a reconstructed medieval village). The tour was followed by a picnic tea at Llandaff Rowing Club. The coach was provided free by Wheadon's coach travel, the tea was provided by Margaret, and the Rowing Club only charged half the usual hire fee.
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West Country
Salisbury City guide Penny May (pmay@salisburycityguides.co.uk) reports a very good response to Salisbury City Guides Children's Tour on Saturday 17th February. "About 25 children plus assorted parents and grandparents and tiny siblings were greeted by the Precentor, Canon Jeremy Davies. We then split into to two groups - Kathy Quinn took the over eights and I was left with the tinies! However, they were fine and seemed to enjoy looking at colour, crosses and animals. In fact, the tour went well over the allotted one hour but no-one seemed to mind. Several of the children are determined to return, the idea of a tower tour proving particularly attractive - whether the parents were so keen on the idea of 332 steps is another matter!
On Wednesday 21st Feb Shirley Reeves accompanied 16 walkers on a Salisbury city tour but sadly had no takers for her offer of an afternoon bicycle ride to Old Sarum. It is a pity as we have good cycle tracks in the city and the site is well worth a visit".
However, on a bitterly cold Friday 23rd Margaret Smith and Penny May attracted 25 walkers for the walk in aid of the Mayor of Salisbury's Appeal - The Foyer Project for young people. They offered a light-hearted look at Mayors Past and Present, in particular the rogues gallery, and ended up taking tea and cake in the Chairman's Parlour at the Salisbury District Council offices at Bourne Hill. The Mayor had accompanied the walk and was very pleased with the £75.00 raised. The Salisbury Journal attended at the beginning of the walk and showed interest in BBGs.
Frederica Templer took her Italian class for a guided walk around Salisbury
Photo from The Cornishman 1.3.01
Bryony (left) & Pat about to set off
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In the far south west, Penzance BBGs Pat Beasley (01736 360950) and Bryony Rylett (01736 362452) (members of the Association of West Country Tourist Guides) had a good response, positive feedback and coverage in The Cornishman newspaper for their guided walks for representatives from tours organisations and the holiday industry. The walks were around Penzance town and harbour and the walks were followed by discussions with participants. They were given a souvenir leaflet produced by newly-qualified Truro BBG Alison Stevens.
In Dorset Diana Goetz, secretary of AWTG, took 12 people around old Shaftesbury, and Dorchester Guides guided members of the Historical Society of Salisbury on a coach trip to Abbotsbury and Portland.
Guild of Registered Tourist Guides - Bristol and Bath Region made the day as international as they could. Two cheerful, interesting (and interested) groups from all over the world joined their walking tours of the old city. They were members of the Bristol International Student Centre, a Christian charity which offers a social programme and friendship to overseas students of any religion - or none at all.
Four walks organised by the Winchester Area Tourist Guides Association taking in highlights of Winchester were attended by over 50 people. The event was publicised by Radio Solent, Radio Win FM, Southern Evening Echo, Hampshire Chronicle and Winchester Extra.
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Yorkshire
The Yorkshire Association of Blue Badge Guides (secretary, Louise Keegan tel 01904 701216) ran a guided walking tour of York by Roger Armistead and a country walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey and back by Steve Bell.
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END NOTE: This report raises various points for discussion within the Guild when discussing ITGD 2002. All constructive comments and ideas welcome.
Report by
Sue Barnecutt Smith
London Blue Badge Guide
Guild Co-Ordinator - International Tourist Guide Day.
ITGD Introduction
