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Hi, my name is Peter Welch and I started this club back in 1997 because I found that there were many detectorists out there that had real problems in gaining permission to detect on farm land. I found that it was easier to gain permission to search if a club was mentioned, land owners seemed much happier with a more organised approach and to have someone accountable. Hence The Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club was born.
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Peter WELCH detecting at Wendover
I have been asked many times where we are based, well we aren't really based anywhere which is why I said earlier our club is unique. We don't have a club house or other meeting place, all our meeting is done on actual digs. Our weekly digs take place in and around Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, and Oxfordshire in the UK. So where are we based ? I suppose you could say the London UK North and West home counties, well, some of them any way !!
The club is such that you pay a yearly membership fee of
£24 (£12 for e-mail ) this includes your weekly newsletter, which is posted to your home address every
Thursday or Friday ( or sooner if I can manage it ) if we have a dig
that week.
The newsletter
contains full details of that weekend's dig and, if I have
managed to arrange one, details of our mid week dig.
I try to arrange a mid-week dig as often as possible, sometimes permission
for this dig does not come till Wednesday so all I can send out about this
dig is the e-mail and leave a message for callers.
Brief details of our digs are also posted on our Calendar / Events page on this web site
as soon as they are arranged and members can also, if they wish, have dig details e-mailed to them by Paul.
Occasional guests are allowed by prior arrangement if accompanied by current members or if joining the club on the day as long as they are in possession of all required documentation, guests will have to pay a £10 guest fee on the day.
We also hold a rally once a year and that is usually very well attended and comes with all the usual rally goodies and events. At Christmas time we hold a special Christmas dig with a token hunt and lots of seasonal prizes.
I try to move the digs around Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Oxfordshire to try and be fair to everyone as we have members in all those areas ( and more ) but of course it is very much dependant on where I can get permission to hold a dig at the time.
We usually see about 80 to 100 of our members at each dig. There is always plenty of room for everyone and I always try to make sure there is sufficient safe parking space for everyone.
Membership Cards
We now have laminated membership cards with the members photograph on them. Could you please attach this card to your detector on the day of the dig. The land owners may well ask to see your membership card.
FID / NCMD Membership & Insurance Cover
I have to be certain that all participants that attend events I organise have appropriate insurance cover. All members must have current FID or NCMD membership and third party insurance.
There are Links to both organisations on our Links page.
Club Rules
Following some very good suggestions by members and to get over some problems we have had in the past there are a few improvements listed below which will be implemented this year.
1. All participants must show their new FID photo card on entry to a venue and before the start of an event.
2. Membership cards must remain visible at all times on your detector.
3. A record of membership numbers will be needed and retained before the start of each event.
4. Guests must accompany a FID card holder who will be responsible for his/her conduct.
5. Holes MUST be filled properly, turf side up. Gates MUST be closed. Litter MUST be removed.
6. Out of bounds areas Must Not be searched.
7. Guests and those not receiving the news letter must be informed of these rules.
8. Events will be patrolled by nominated marshals to ensure the above rules are being observed.
9. Failure to abide by rule 5 and 6 will not be tolerated and offenders will receive a warning. On the third offence offenders may be refused admission to future events.
10. Unauthorised visits to Weekend Wanderers farms and sites will lose us permission. No returning without prior arrangement.
General Code Of Conduct
Members and guests of The Weekend Wanderers Detecting
Club must abide by the Detectorists Code of Conduct which is reproduced
below with kind permission of
The Federation of Independent
Detectorists
1. Get permission before detecting on private
land. Never Trespass.
2. Make an agreement on sharing finds with the
landowner to avoid any later misunderstandings.
3. Report all your finds to the landowner,
even those that must be declared to the Coroner as well.
4. Remember to shut all gates, never walk
through standing crops, do not startle animals or nesting birds.
5. Fill all holes, even on ploughed land or
beaches. Never leave a mess or damage grass, a sharp trowel will cut a
neat plug and once replaced and firmed in, the find spot will almost be
invisible.
6. Most metal rubbish can be recycled, the
Planet belongs to all of us, so dispose of your unwanted iron, lead, cans,
silver paper etc. With care for the environment, and never leave junk on
the site.
7. Never detect on a scheduled archaeological
site, to do so is a criminal offence unless you have permission from the
Secretary of State for National Heritage.
8. Report all Gold or Silver artefacts over
300 years old to the local Coroner, also hoards of coins or plate of any
age or material. (
If you report your finds to your local FLO they are normally only
to happy to take over the reporting process on your behalf )
9. All bombs, mines, ammunition or chemical
containers, should have the find spot marked and be reported to the
Police. Never attempt to move them yourself.
10. As a FID member you have a lot to be proud
of, so always be friendly to people who ask about your hobby, help them
find lost metal objects when requested and never break this "Code of
Conduct" or give the hobby a bad image.
Many thanks to the FID for allowing me to reproduce their code of conduct on this page.