At long last I can go to orienteering events without needing to invite, persuade, demand, badger or even plead with anyone to write something for Waffle. How on earth did it all start and more importantly according to my non-O friends how on earth did you get into orienteering in the first place?

Before orienteering, John and I had always enjoyed walking, mountains and travel but had never got into organised sports activities. John's school background of an elitist games ethos had ensured that he hated all sports. My only serious sport was badminton.

We met on a Ramblers Adventure Holiday in Ireland and our first married home was in the Peak District of Derbyshire where we could continue our love of the outdoors. It wasn't until our children were 9 or 10 that John read a newspaper article about fitness for the middle aged  and decided to run round the block (1.5k). When he came back he was so exhausted that it frightened us both into looking for a way to get fit. Another, this time local, newspaper article about orienteering took us to the Boxing Day Canter at Uddens Drive in 1976 where we hadn't a clue what was happening and after an hour wandering round the paths walked towards the finish to be greeted by shouts of 'Run!' To which the reply was  'Why?'

Things took off rapidly from there, buying the right gear and travelling all over the country and eventually abroad in pursuit of our new found enthusiasm. Soon after we started being regulars some eminent WIMs asked us to help on the finish at an event. We were so flattered to be asked and didn't find out till later that they were desperate for any assistance! Organise an event – OK, Do some mapping – well we'll try, and all too soon plan an event - Good grief! (John ended up planning the JK at Penhale in 1997 and organising the World Championship Relays at Aviemore in 1999!))

So it progressed to becoming a family way of life with regular competition and event preparation enjoyed by all four of us. In the pre-computer age large teams of people were needed at the finish to check that the correct pin symbol had been punched into the correct box on the control card and to subtract start times from finish times. Perhaps it's harder for newcomers to feel so involved so quickly nowadays.

Around the end of the 1970s  Mikki Boroughs decided to retire as editor of Waffle.  In 1981 with a sense of trepidation I took over the reins of Editor. In those days Waffle was typed onto Gestetner  masters and run off by hand at A4 size. Various ladies with secretarial skills did the typing, including John's secretary at Brockenhurst College and there was no chance of photos or map extracts with each edition hand stapled and all the envelopes had to have hand written addresses.

As time progressed technology improved with electronic typewriters and eventually basic word processors with printing done at a copy shop in Ringwood. As John's typing improved and it became possible to import articles Waffle began to have more variety and even maps and black and white photos. The move to have printing done by BML at Romsey (Nigel Benham's firm) vastly improved the quality and appearance of Waffle, but we never could really justify the costs of colour as used by some club magazines or even of many extra pages.

Both John and I wish Mary and Mike every success with the new look 'Waffle'.  We know that however hard they work and however many good ideas they may have YOUR willingness to write something for Waffle is crucial. Please don't disappoint them!

Barbara Warren