Derbyshire Explorers Forum - 30th of September 2023

Tseralo

Tseralo

Active member
lisa social.jpg


Calling out to all explorers of Derbyshire* Caves and Mines. Come join us for a day of talks where you can hear about all the underground exploits of Derbyshire both current and historical. Are you currently exploring and wondering who's got projects on the adjacent patch? Want to fill in the gaps in your understanding of local sites? Want to laugh at your mates when you realise they are digging in the wrong direction to make that epic connection? Are you a seasoned explorer, or new and super keen to get involved, then we've love you to come join us!

We'll be camped out at Castleton Village Hall for the day, with a range of talks from various speakers. Come socialise, swap notes, chat about skills and techniques, tempt people over to come join you underground. Lets promote Derbyshire and Derbyshire Exploring!

For more information, see https://derbyshireexplorersforum.co.uk

*and by Derbyshire we also mean, Peak District, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and anywhere else we've forgot.🙂
 
Tseralo

Tseralo

Active member
Owing to the proximity to Hidden Earth, we have decided to cancel the event as we feel most people will have seen most of the talks already. I had always conceived the event as an alternative to HE, but it is back which we never expected.

If you're not already attending, I urge you to go to https://hidden.earth/ it's a great event, and be sure to attend the Derbyshire round-up and support our other local speakers.
 
Mark

Mark

Well-known member
Shame that, I think there will be a few disappointed Derbyshire cavers who were looking forward to it and won't be attending Hidden Earth.

There have been some significant finds recently and I don't feel 30 - 60 minutes at HE will do it justice, I for one would prefer to hear it from the horses mouth and have chance to discuss it, rather than second hand (no offence Simon)

What is there to lose by keeping the event on anyway
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Mark - I suspect Tseralo means "postpone" the event (not "cancel" it).

I completely agree with your sentiments in the 2nd paragraph; that's exactly why we've started holding the Northern Explorers Forum, which has proved to be really good.

There used to be an annual DCA Congress in the Peak District, which was also really good (you've been around long enough to remember it). I never did understand why it ceased to happen (unless there was a shortage of willing organisers). Jenny may remember.

Anyway, I reckon the DEF will be a good do!
 
Tseralo

Tseralo

Active member
So it’s is a cancel from me. If someone wants to take the Batton and run it next year in the spring for example they are welcome. I’ll offer all the support I can but I won’t be in a position to organise and run something then.
 
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bograt

bograt

Active member
I organised the last DCA congress and it made a significant loss (mainly on the stomp, paying for the band), we decided to give it a rest for a while to build up finances, its still resting, this was about 1987? ---
 
J

Jenny P

Active member
Pitlamp said:

There used to be an annual DCA Congress in the Peak District, which was also really good (you've been around long enough to remember it). I never did understand why it ceased to happen (unless there was a shortage of willing organisers). Jenny may remember.

Apart from the hassle of organising it and, as Bograt says, loosing money on the Stomp, I think one reason for putting it on hold (temporarily, as we thought at the time) was that Hidden Earth was just taking off and becoming a really worthwhile event and we felt we couldn't compete. I honestly can't remember the year of the last DCA Congress but we held it in a pub in Buxton in later years, although I seem to remember that we once ran one in the old Town Hall in the Market Place in Buxton.

Another problem is the date - as Hidden Earth became established as the last weekend in September, it wasn't really sensible to try and have a Derbyshire Caving Congress in September. BCRA now holds its main science symposium meeting and AGM weekend at varying dates in October or November (at varying sites round the country) so we'd be competing with that as well if we went for a date in the Autumn.

I'd like to see a Derbyshire "Congress-type" do happening once again - making it an "Explorers' Forum" instead is a great idea. Having it take place over just one day is also easier to deal with and there are quite a few places in and around Castleton or Buxton which would work well. Perhaps having it in the Spring, instead of the Autumn, would work as well. I'm sure there would be plenty of support from local cavers if it consisted of presentations on happenings and discoveries in the Peak, as opposed to talks on expeditions to far-flung places abroad.
 
Tseralo

Tseralo

Active member
But as usual it was announced incredibly late if it had been planned properly or we were even given an inkling it was happening we would have planned it at another time.

We even attempted to talk to the HE organisers and we’re met with very little response right up until just before HE was announced publicly anyway.

I’ve always found cavers in particular dreadful at organising dates for projects. Maybe i expect too much but other projects I’m involved in we have dates at least 6 months out. The climbing festival I’m involved in has dates out a year in advance. I have work projects with 2028 written on them. This stuff isn’t difficult in fact it’s easier if you are more organised.
 
M

moorebooks

Active member
Tseralo said:
But as usual it was announced incredibly late if it had been planned properly or we were even given an inkling it was happening we would have planned it at another time.

We even attempted to talk to the HE organisers and we’re met with very little response right up until just before HE was announced publicly anyway.

I’ve always found cavers in particular dreadful at organising dates for projects. Maybe i expect too much but other projects I’m involved in we have dates at least 6 months out. The climbing festival I’m involved in has dates out a year in advance. I have work projects with 2028 written on them. This stuff isn’t difficult in fact it’s easier if you are more organised.
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Not for me to explain the reasons for the late announcement I do know finding a suitable venue at an affordable cost post pandemic has been a problem
 
Mark

Mark

Well-known member
The Eldon are now planning to host this event same date, different location.

Eyam Mechanics Institute
Saturday 30th September
2pm until done?

Bar selling good beer at great prices too

The room holds 80 so should be plenty big enough.

Let us know what you think.
 
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