Well it is the start of the 40th Ruby Anniversary Year of the IHSGB. (1986-2026). Of course the new membership year starts in August, officially, but we wanted to get the ball rolling with such a monumental milestone! 

Without you, the Society wouldn’t be able to carry on & would eventually just become a passport organisation. This is still a real threat if we do not keep trying to get more support & volunteers to help run our society.  We really appreciate your continued support and membership. 

With this in mind, we start the celebrations off with a new challenge to complete this year! YES you have the rest of the year to complete it so hopefully the rain will have stopped by then!! (Until 31st December 2026.)… So we really hope that lots of people will join in. 

The leisure group has worked very hard to create this challenge. It should have something for everyone! There are 40 tasks to complete, of which I have attached the document below. You may wish to download, save & print it off! Also a list of the details on the challenge itself. 

Don’t panic though!! You don’t need to complete every single challenge. There are various markers to reach a level of achievement and you will receive a rosette, upon completion. The Challenge Sheet can be downloaded Here.

If you have any queries, please contact leisure@ihsgb.co.uk who will be happy to help you.  I will try and send a monthly reminder in the email updates and let’s hope that the weather starts to improve soon so that people can get things underway! 

What is the Challenge? There are 40 tasks. This Challenge is to last for the whole year, so lots of time to plan.

What will I need to do? Some tasks will require you to take photos, join in activities or write a few sentences.

What happens if I find a task impossible? Some tasks will require you to take photos, join in activities or write a few sentences. You can substitute from the list of substitutes A-G. This also includes two tasks of your choice.

Do I need to complete every task? This Challenge is to celebrate our Ruby Anniversary. Try to complete as many tasks as you can. Don’t forget you can use some substitutes.

Do I need to keep a record? Keeping a log is important (using an old fashion weekly/monthly planner is OK). You can keep a record in whatever format you prefer. 

What happens at the end of the year? You submit your Challenge sheet. Awards will be presented at The 2027 Awards Evening.

Every participant will receive a rosette.

• If you achieve 50% of the challenge = Bronze Award
• If you achieve 51%-70% of the challenge = Silver Award
• If you achieve 71% or more of the challenge = Gold Award