BCA Membership
Well-known member
Hopefully you are all aware that the British Caving Association is driven and run by a large number of passionate volunteers who give up their own free time to develop and promote British caving. However to aid with the administrative tasks BCA also has three part-time employees. All three are also involved with the British Caving Library and the BCRA.
It occurred to me that BCA members may not know that all the BCA employees are also cavers and that it might be nice to tell you all a little about them.....
Mary
What is your role at BCA? Training Administrator. Also BCRA/BCA librarian for the British Caving Library.
What is your favourite thing about working for the BCA? My fav thing about working for the BCA is that it keeps me in the weird and unique caving community. How long have you been caving? Been caving since 1974 with a big gap from about 2015 until three weeks ago when I went down Kingsdale Master cave .....still recovering
Favourite Cave? Fav cave is Lost John's
Where have you been caving outside of the UK? Been caving in Ireland, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and France.
Which cave or mine would you choose to live in to hide from the Zombie apocalypse? I would go down Critchlows in Lathkill dale because it's so awful being taken by zombies would be a mercy
Karen
What is your role at BCA? My role in BCA is as a Library Assistant and also Book-keeper, supporting the BCA Treasurer, but in the past I have also been Training Administrator and BCRA Clerical Assistant.
What is your favourite thing about working for the BCA? Like Mary, one of the main reasons I enjoy working for BCA is still being involved with the quirky caving community.
How long have you been caving? I've been caving 26½ years. I started caving at the age of 35 and I've always wished I started much younger. I'm still caving, but sporadically these days and I'm trying to accept that there are some caves I'll never do now.
Favourite Cave? I love wet caves and my favourite trip is probably from Poulelva Pot to Poulnagollum in Co Clare, Eire.
Where have you been caving outside of the UK? I've been caving in Thailand, France - Vercors, Jura, Haute Garonne and Massif de Bauges - and regularly in Ireland, both Co Clare and Co Fermanagh (strictly UK but it involved a ferry and we were in and out of Eire regularly we were so close to the border!).
Which cave or mine would you choose to live in to hide from the Zombie apocalypse? If there was a zombie apocalypse I'd probably choose to live in Water Icicle Close Cavern. I spent so much time in there from 2009 to about 2015 when my brother, Keith Slatcher, and his mate Pete Collins were digging in there, that it felt like home.
Katie
What is your role at BCA? My main BCA role is as membership administrator, looking after individual and caving club members of the BCA. I also look after the BCA artificial cave, help with BCRA membership/ publications and work in the British Caving Library part of the year, when membership work is quiet in the summer.
What is your favourite thing about working for the BCA? It is great to be able to work and help my hobby at the same time. I am also heavily involved in Derbyshire CRO and the Eldon Pothole club, but neither of those pay me - whereas BCA pays me to think about caving
How long have you been caving? 20 years. I started caving in 2004 with Sheffield University SS.
Favourite Cave? The Peak/ Speedwell system. It is on my doorstep and has great variety. Awesome streamway, airy pitches, wet bits, pretties, mining history, big passage, mud, tight awkward bits and even a slide - a bit of everything!
Where have you been caving outside of the UK? I've been caving in Greece, China, Mulu and Albania
Which cave or mine would you choose to live in to hide from the Zombie apocalypse? I would live in the Hillocks/ Knotlow system. Warm and dry in places, but also access to running water. Multiple entrances if you need an escape route, but all vertical which would hopefully stop the zombies (or is it Daleks I am thinking of?)
It occurred to me that BCA members may not know that all the BCA employees are also cavers and that it might be nice to tell you all a little about them.....
Mary
What is your role at BCA? Training Administrator. Also BCRA/BCA librarian for the British Caving Library.
What is your favourite thing about working for the BCA? My fav thing about working for the BCA is that it keeps me in the weird and unique caving community. How long have you been caving? Been caving since 1974 with a big gap from about 2015 until three weeks ago when I went down Kingsdale Master cave .....still recovering
Favourite Cave? Fav cave is Lost John's
Where have you been caving outside of the UK? Been caving in Ireland, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and France.
Which cave or mine would you choose to live in to hide from the Zombie apocalypse? I would go down Critchlows in Lathkill dale because it's so awful being taken by zombies would be a mercy
Karen
What is your role at BCA? My role in BCA is as a Library Assistant and also Book-keeper, supporting the BCA Treasurer, but in the past I have also been Training Administrator and BCRA Clerical Assistant.
What is your favourite thing about working for the BCA? Like Mary, one of the main reasons I enjoy working for BCA is still being involved with the quirky caving community.
How long have you been caving? I've been caving 26½ years. I started caving at the age of 35 and I've always wished I started much younger. I'm still caving, but sporadically these days and I'm trying to accept that there are some caves I'll never do now.
Favourite Cave? I love wet caves and my favourite trip is probably from Poulelva Pot to Poulnagollum in Co Clare, Eire.
Where have you been caving outside of the UK? I've been caving in Thailand, France - Vercors, Jura, Haute Garonne and Massif de Bauges - and regularly in Ireland, both Co Clare and Co Fermanagh (strictly UK but it involved a ferry and we were in and out of Eire regularly we were so close to the border!).
Which cave or mine would you choose to live in to hide from the Zombie apocalypse? If there was a zombie apocalypse I'd probably choose to live in Water Icicle Close Cavern. I spent so much time in there from 2009 to about 2015 when my brother, Keith Slatcher, and his mate Pete Collins were digging in there, that it felt like home.
Katie
What is your role at BCA? My main BCA role is as membership administrator, looking after individual and caving club members of the BCA. I also look after the BCA artificial cave, help with BCRA membership/ publications and work in the British Caving Library part of the year, when membership work is quiet in the summer.
What is your favourite thing about working for the BCA? It is great to be able to work and help my hobby at the same time. I am also heavily involved in Derbyshire CRO and the Eldon Pothole club, but neither of those pay me - whereas BCA pays me to think about caving
How long have you been caving? 20 years. I started caving in 2004 with Sheffield University SS.
Favourite Cave? The Peak/ Speedwell system. It is on my doorstep and has great variety. Awesome streamway, airy pitches, wet bits, pretties, mining history, big passage, mud, tight awkward bits and even a slide - a bit of everything!
Where have you been caving outside of the UK? I've been caving in Greece, China, Mulu and Albania
Which cave or mine would you choose to live in to hide from the Zombie apocalypse? I would live in the Hillocks/ Knotlow system. Warm and dry in places, but also access to running water. Multiple entrances if you need an escape route, but all vertical which would hopefully stop the zombies (or is it Daleks I am thinking of?)
