On the sixth of January the Forum resumed its meetings after the Christmas break.

Our first speaker of the New Year was Janet Neipokojczcka who had travelled from Hemsworth.  Janet previously lived in Kendal where she became a tourist guide specialising in walking tours in both the Lake District and Scotland and had undertaken a number of long distance walks around the Lake District.

In 1991 she decided to walk 1,000 miles around England accompanied by a pack horse in aid of the Winged Fellowship, a charity which organises holidays for the physically handicapped.

Her talk entitled Beyond the Far Fells described this journey.  Accompanied by a Lakeland pony called Roy she started out from Kendal and in ten weeks visited, among many places, Nottingham, Cambridge, London and Snowdonia using, where possible, ancient bridleways and pack horse trails.  Janet’s talk was illustrated by some excellent colour slides showing places and people of interest and the varied conditions which she and Roy experienced.  The Forum members were delighted to hear that Roy, at 28 years old is still going strong living at Addingham near Ilkley.  Mike Earle proposed a vote of thanks which the members supported with warm applause.