Membership

Welcome to HAWOG, North-West London's best and most active outdoor group. Over 80% of our Members live in North-West London, and we have an equal proportion of male and female Members.

HAWOG is one of the oldest outdoor groups in the country with a history dating back to 1936.

We offer a range of opportunities for people of all abilities to explore the countryside within our events programme of walking days, weekends and weeks away. We organise events locally in the Chiltern Hills, the Thames Valley and the Surrey Hills, to longer trips across the UK and even international destinations.

Membership is open to anyone aged 16 years or over.

Below is some key information about our group:

Our Events

  • Participants should be interested in taking part in, and then as a Member organising, outdoor events. These can include countryside walking, cycling, rock-climbing, etc.
  • We try to offer a walking event each weekend, and a weekend away each month. Our day events often take place in the local area, and our weekends away will involve overnight stays at youth hostels, bed & breakfasts and campsites.
  • We colour-code events in our programme as a guide for participants: Green is 'easy'; Amber is 'moderate' and Red is 'challenging'. Everyone who is reasonably fit should be able to complete our Amber events. If you are not sure whether you should attend an event, you can ask the event organiser for guidance.
  • We organise a social meeting each month in central Harrow. These are great opportunities to meet Members and gain more information about the group. We also organise some evening social events, for example a visit to a local restaurant.
  • We encourage and support members to gain skills in basic navigation (map and compass in countryside locations).

Joining our Events

  • Most of our events can be attended without advance booking. A few events, mainly our weekends/weeks away, need to be booked and paid for in advance.
  • Most of the longer events can be booked and paid for online by responding to the organiser's email or using the Book Now button on the event page. You'll be informed if a place is allocated for you and sent a link to pay any deposit. If you book a place and it is allocated to you then you are expected to pay for it.
  • We expect participants to join before attending any events other than a recruitment open evening at the hall.
  • We advise all participants to wear adequate footwear for countryside walking, including a good rain-resistant jacket and trousers. We recommend bringing a backpack, with water, snacks, first-aid essentials, and sun cream if appropriate. We often require participants to bring a packed lunch.

Communication

  • You can subscribe to our email group, including a free weekly e-Newsletter here.
  • You can join our Facebook page for all other communications, such as car sharing, social notices, etc. here.
  • Members often write a short report of events they've organised, or submit photographs of events they've attended, which are published here.
  • For more information please visit our Frequently Asked Questions and Constitution pages.
  • Please feel free to contact us with any specific questions.

We look forward to meeting you at an event soon!

If you have never been a member of HAWOG before, you will need to join the group before attending any event (other than a recruitment open evening at the hall). If money is an issue then please let us know (either in person or by email). We endeavour to take personal circumstances into account and offer reduced price membership where appropriate.

You will be asked to provide contact details to the event organiser at any event you attend (your full name, telephone number and email address). This is necessary to help the event organiser contact participants on the day, should anyone get lost or issues arise. The organiser will also pass these details onto the HAWOG team, so that we can get in touch with you about future events.

You can drop in and meet Members at our social meetings in central Harrow, which take place at Our Lady & St Thomas Of Canterbury Church Hall, Roxborough Park, Harrow, HA1 3BE (map). The hall is 5 minutes' walk from Harrow-on-the-Hill Station. There is plenty of parking at the church or on the nearby residential roads. Please check our programme for upcoming meetings.

If you would like to speak to someone prior to attending an event, then please email us and we will respond as soon as possible.

Please be aware that everyone attending our events is subject to our Code of Conduct.

We look forward to meeting you at an event soon.

Membership Benefits

  • Attendance at all day events, with no additional supplements.
  • Access to borrow and use group equipment (group shelter, books/routes, maps etc.)
  • Coverage under our public liability insurance (but not for personal injury)
  • The ability to submit proposals and vote at our Annual General Meeting each October.
  • Use of our email group and Facebook page for communications (subject to approval by the HAWOG team).
  • Opportunity to gain navigation and walk leadership skills at our training events.

Membership Obligations

  • To attend at least one outdoor activity each year.
  • To be aware of outdoor safety and protocol, not endanger the safety of others and manage risk appropriately.
  • Keep current with all group protocol and communications.
  • Abide by our Code of Conduct and respect our Constitution

Costs

To receive Member benefits you need to pay our membership fee. The price of annual Membership is discussed and agreed by members at our AGM each October. The following prices were agreed at our 80th AGM on October 18th 2018:

  • New and rejoining Members: £10 per annum
  • Members who wish to leave the group can claim a refund for any outstanding months' membership. Please contact us before the next month and we will organise a refund.

You can join us using online here.

Everyone joining our group should be aware of our constitution and member benefits and obligations.

New Members

If you've never been a member before and want to join, click the Pay Now button below to get the HAWOG membership package for £10.00:

Rejoiners

If you're renewing your membership, click the Pay Now button below to renew your HAWOG membership package for £10.00:

Methods of Payment

Note that you don't need a PayPal account to pay online above. If you don't have a PayPal account, choose 'Pay by Debit or Credit Card' after clicking 'Pay Now' and you'll be able to pay without setting up a PayPal account.

Whilst most membership, surcharges and events can be paid for online, there are a few alternatives for attendees and events where online payment is not possible:

  • Get someone else to pay online for you.
  • Ask the organiser of events you need to pay for, if they will accept payment direct to them (and they pay group for you).
  • Occasionally, cash and cheques may be accepted at key events and dates.
  • Cash and cheques may be accepted for a small handling charge.

For all of the above, please ensure the Chair, Treasurer or event organiser knows how you will pay. Please email us for more information.