cavermark said:
bugger Easer Sunday. I'm on a family holiday that week. I'll have to send some stuff along. Will anyone do some minutes/write ups?
This is a very good point. These gatherings are always excellent but time then goes by and memories fade - it all becomes forgotten. This is a real shame (and an opportunity missed).
A long time ago we held a similar gathering (perhaps a bit more formal, under BCRA's banner) on the Peak Cavern system. But before the event we asked all those who were doing a presentation to contribute a written version so it could all be published. The result was it filled a full edition of BCRA Cave Science - and this particular journal is still regularly consulted by Peak District exploring cavers.
I'm not suggesting anything quite so ambitious for the Bradder gathering but I'm sure some publication somewhere would be only too pleased to include it. If it gets recorded properly it'll have so much more value.
The key thing is to ask folk to write stuff down
before they give presentations; that way it's easier to write as it's all very much in the mind.
One other suggestion; often the Q & A sessions at the end of each presentation bring out many more interesting facts. It's also worth recording these in some way on the day (perhaps with a voice recorder or someone who is good at shorthand?)
That date's in a busy period for me and I doubt I can get there myself but it'd be great to think it's all going to appear in print, to peruse at leisure.