Mend our Mountains

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
Great honour today to represent the BCA at Westminster. Me and the chair were there for the launch of the BMC Mend our Mountains - raise one million campaign. Following the success last year of the Mend our Mountains crowd fundraiser which successfully raised over ?100,000 to fix high level trails in National Parks across the country such as the Swine Tail on Inglborough. Every BCA member can be pleased to note that BCA donated on your behalf to that campaign. Now BMC with corporate partners such as Cotswold have set the bar higher to a million. The event in the members dining room was hosted by Ruth George MP for High Peak. Speakers included Alan Hinkes, first Brit to summit all 8000ers. Alan did us proud as the Only  speaker to mention caving.  Needless to say conservation of our high level footpaths is a cause worth supporting. Please look out for a crowd funding push to the finish line this time next year.

It was also great to meet one of the bosses of the BCA insurers Perkin Slade/Howdens who sponsored the reception. It was actually under his kind invitation that me and Jane attended.  Be assured that Jane, Andy and Lillian did the caving community proud as always.

It was also a great opportunity to catch-up with many supporters of the BCA's own campaign and to make many new contacts. The great thing was that everybody appreciated the value the outdoors has to our nation in teams of physical health and wellbeing.  Met some really supportive people  and I think well worth the long journeys we all took to get there.

 

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
A few photos from last week.  Didn't like to get the camera out too much and didn't get a decent shot of BCA chairman Andy Eavis, oops!

You don't get me in a suit often - weddings and funerals usually but made the exception for Westminster
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Ruth George MP for the High Peak opening proceedings.  Now primed on caving!
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Jane with her old friend Alan Hinkes.  The only speaker to mention caving - well done mate!
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Me (left) chatting to Labour Peer Lord Haworth about his love of the mountains.
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David Rutley MP (on the right) who I took down Bar Pot to GG main Chamber last year.  He told me it was one of the most memorable things he'd ever done - in a good way I think.  On the left is Nick Kurth, acting president of the BMC.  In the centre is Jane's old boss, Andrew Denton, now running the Outdoor Industries Association.
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Katie

Active member
Good work Tim and Jane! Although I think a better representation of caving would have been your digging oversuits complete with mud ;-)

We took David Rutley (and his son) caving a few years ago in Giants. The then MP for High Peak, Andrew Bingham, came too - but we got him stuck and had to lower him down a different way!
 

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
Someone from the High Peak should go and introduce themselves to Ruth George.  She was interested to meet cavers and hear about the positive things caving brings to the area.  Certainly worth making contact now in case issues occur in the future where you might want help.  Just explaining the voluntary roles of cave rescue etc is a good start.  (y)
 

Pegasus

Administrator
Staff member
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/alan-hinkes-regales-westminster-crowd-to-rally-support-for-mend-our-mountains-make-one-million

;)
 

Pegasus

Administrator
Staff member
Derbyshire cavers....

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/volunteers-wanted-night-adventure-support-mend-our-mountains
 
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