There are plenty of free pdf creators about. The best I've come across is pdf995 - available from www.pdf995.com - as it doesn't seem to corrupt any fonts when you upload it to a website. It also allows conversion of a pdf file to text which most don't - unless you pay!

To Chris Pitt. What's wrong with forms in PDF format ? If you haven't got Adobe Acrobat Reader, it can be downloaded for free from this site: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

I'll rejig the Norfolk and Suffolk entry forms for next year (provided our committee don't mind) to include email address. We can then do as suggested, but it would depend on our various 'postboxes' (those you send your entry to) having email accounts. It varies year to year, and it isn't always the case that our volunteers have entered the latter part of the 20th century (though it is more convenient if they have). I'll apologise in advance that anything like route descriptions and results are (nearly always) in PDF from us - they don't always start out in MS Word... (and I don't know of a postscript to MS Word converter. There is a PDF to Word converter but it costs...)

I dont think that anyone is seriously suggesting that organisers rely exclusively on the internet / email for entrys, confirmation, route descriptions etc. Obviously there are still some people that dont have internet access and as you say would become disenfranchised. In my opinion though it would be good to see a move towards these kinds of facilities becoming more generally available, as an option. I think that it would benefit organisers and entrants alike.

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the SEF in MS Word rather than PDF?

If you wish to disenfranchise those LDWA members who do not have or want Internet access, then yes, snail mail is defunct. However, to be fair to all then perhaps the Dorset Giant is a good model (as far as I remember). You could have all you want including the route description emailed to you, and it worked well. But they didn't require it - post still worked. However, I suppose we could allow virtual walking at some point in the future, it would avoid having to actually purchase things like trainers, waterproofs and maps ;-)

In my opinion SAE's are a pain. I would much rather just have confirmation, details and results e mailed to me. Surely all this snail mail stuff is way past its sell by date?

I entirely agree. As a virgin event organiser (Three Rings of Shap!)it is a major pain to distribute entry forms. We do not have a website though the local community site has kindly adopted us, but I imagine it would be possible to get our Word documents onto this site without too much difficulty? This could then include other documents such as any Final Details and Route Descriptions.
If I ever do this again I will certainly encourage more electronic transfer such as emailing Entry Forms etc.if web download is not available.
On another note - what do folks think of the dreaded s.a.e for confirmation,routes,results etc.? As an organiser it is another pain, as entrants often omit or send wrong size envelope etc. Would an extra pound on the entry fee be acceptable to cover postage for those who do not have access to a computer?

Yes, it would be a major plus to have the forms in electronic format, as most form appear to be created on some sort of word processor, this shouldn't be to much of a chore to put them on this site. A good place to link them would be on the pages where you details of the walk.

Many Local Groups have entry forms which can be downloaded from their own website, and the local group website is included in the event listing on this website. All Norfolk and Suffolk entry forms can be downloaded in this way. I would guess that if a local group does not have a website, then they probably don't have their entry forms in a format which could be uploaded (yes ok, I mean without someone scanning them...)

Hi

I don't know if this has been discussed before (in Strider or elsewhere), but it would be really handy if application forms for all events could be downloaded from this website.

For events that don't use SEFs, I've often had to email, telephone or write to the organiser to request a form, which is a minor inconvenience for me, but a more major one for the organiser if he/she receives many such requests.