The following items are issued for information and available for reprinting in club publications etc.
NCA will appoint Dave Edwards and Associates on the 1 August to provide technical advice on NCA's training schemes and related maters. This appointment fits in with the previous appointment of RAM Business Services to provide administration services. NCA now looks forward to building on the existing Local Cave and Mine Leader Assessment and Cave Instructor Certificate schemes to provide an even better service to those who are award holders as well as those who wish to become award holders.
From 1 August, persons with technical queries on training should contact Dave Edwards and Associates by E Mail on trainadvice@nca.org.uk or by phone or fax on 01298 85375 or in writing at 1 Sycamore Barn, Off Main Road, Taddington, BUXTON, Derbyshire, SK17 9TR. Dave Edwards and Associates will not be dealing with administrative matters which should continue to be sent to RAM Business Services by E Mail on trainadmin@nca.org.uk or by phone or fax on 015396 22040 or in writing at Sun Lea, Joss Lane, Sedburgh, CUMBRIA, LA10 5AS.
The primary role of Dave Edwards and Associates will be to provide information and advice on the LCMLA, CIC schemes and the trainer / assessor system to applicants, holders, trainers / assessors, NCA's Training Committee and NCA's training administration. The contract also covers other aspects to ensure that the training schemes remain up to date and provide a quality service.
After many years, Butch has stated that he wishes to stand down from the post due to changing family and work commitments. NCA is therefore looking for a replacement for this key role. The role of the Training Convenor is to direct the work of the Training Committee in shaping the future of both recreational and professional caver training. It includes managing two service contracts and chairing the Training Committee together with the National Coordinating (LCMLA) and the CIC Panels (which normally meet on a week day).
Expressions of interest and further information on the role of the Training Convenor can be made to Bob Mehew, Mick Day or John Cliffe.
4th March 2001
Due to the current outbreak of Foot & Mouth Disease, the NCA Executive have decided to postpone the NCA AGM (and subsequent Council Meeting) due to be held on 17th March 2001. A new date has been arranged for 16th June 2001, at the same location of Alvechurch Baptist Church Hall, subject to the crisis being resolved by this time.
In the intervening period the Executive will make any decisions necessary resulting from the postponement of these Meetings with wider consultation as they deem appropriate.
Alan Wood
Hon Secretary
27 February 2001
The situation has deteriorated rapidly during the past few days with twelve cases now confirmed in various parts of the country. In view of this very grave situation everyone is requested to immediately stop all caving and associated activities until the crisis is over. Indeed all unnecessary visits to the countryside should be avoided. Many clubs have closed their headquarters to visitors and have cancelled bookings.
The MAFF website at www.maff.gov.uk has up to date information on the situation. They also have a helpline available from 0800 to 2300 daily on 0845 0504141.
Graham Price
Conservation Officer
National Caving Association
www.nca.org.uk
24 February 2001 (updated)
The current foot and mouth outbreak is extremely serious and the Countryside Agency, the National Trust and other organisations are advising everyone to stay away from all areas containing livestock. Cavers are therefore being asked to follow this advice and limit their activities until all restrictions are lifted.
It is very important that everyone cooperates in this matter which poses a severe threat to the farming community and others. If there is any doubt whether a cave is situated on land that may be affected please contact the regional Conservation and Access Officer; contact details for which can be found on the NCA web site at www.nca.org.uk. The basic rule to follow is DO NOT go onto any land if there is any doubt, or without first obtaining permission from the landowner.
Currently there is no access to many caves on Mendip, in the Peak District and the North, however some local Wildlife Trusts and other organisations are continuing to allow access onto some of their land and access to some other non-grazing land may be permissible, but it is essential to check first.
General information on the disease and restricted areas is available on the MAFF web site at www.maff.gov.uk.
Graham Price
Conservation Officer
National Caving Association
9 November 1999
Following the open debate at the National Caving Conference
in September, a Joint Working Party
has now been established. After
discussions at BCRA and NCA Council
meetings, representatives of both
organisations first met 17th October.
The meeting was chaired by Dr John Frankland, and there was an excellent spirit of co-operation and positive thinking throughout. The many and various activities of both organisations were looked at in some depth with a view to devising ways and means of consolidation.
It was accepted throughout that nothing should be taken away but rather that activities be put together and added to with the long term aim of provided a better deal for British Caving – hence the agreed title for the Working Party.
The group is working towards an agreed briefing paper, which will hopefully be put to both Councils early in the New Year. To this end it has agreed to meet again late in November.
Historically, this has been a difficult area for British Caving. For this reason the group has agreed to release a brief press statement, like this one, after every meeting so that everything is fully in the open. It also seeks that apart from official fully agreed resolutions of either Council or Constituent Bodies that any other statement or written comment should be clearly issued and marked as a “personal view”. This is purely to try to avoid mis-representation or confusion arising.
Constructive comments, views and opinions will be welcomed and should preferably be sent to one or both of the following:--
Bob Mehew 8 Dunbar Road, Hillside, SOUTHPORT, PR8 4RH Email: mehewrd@email.msn.com
David Judson Hurst Barn, Castlemorton, MALVERN, Worcs WR13 6LS Email: judson@tesco.net
17 March 1999
Draft Policy on Fixed Aids
NCA's Equipment Committee have now published their second draft of a
Policy on fixed aides in caves and mines. The code is based on the
principles incorporated in the anchor replacement policy and should not
in themselves be contentious. The aim of the proposed policy is to
provide the same level of protection for the users and for the installers
as currently provided for Eco-anchors under the Association's Anchor
Replacement Policy. The idea for the new policy grew out of criticism of the
Anchor Replacement Policy that it only permitted the use of the resin-bonded
Eco anchor. The new policy has the scope to include any type of anchor or
fixed aid so long as it is formally adopted by an NCA member body or club,
and so long as a programme of maintenance is scheduled.
A
potential problem may be created by the definition of fixed aide, namely "Fixed aid means artificial fixtures or fittings placed in a cave for
the purposes of safe access, progress or egress for regular use or for
rescue, excluding those items covered under the Association's separate
policy on anchor replacement". However, the policy goes on to state
"Fixed aid does not include parts giving structural strength to cave
walls or supporting roof structures etc". This therefore
specifically excludes shoring, mine caps and even boulder choke
stabilisation devices.
On the one hand, all of us have used as an
aide the scaffolding bars incorporated into shoring or possibly even a
restored climbing shaft which clearly blurs the boundary. On the other
hand, are there sufficient suitably qualified and experienced persons
able to take on the burden which would arise if the policy is expanded to
covering access enabling aspects. This aspect of the code has now been
brought up at two regional councils and seems worthy of broader discussion.
The text of the current draft of the policy may be found on
the Equipment Committee's website at http://www.conformance.co.uk/EQUIPMENT/eq_index.html,
or
copies are available by post or fax direct from Nick
Williams.
Views are welcomed and can be sent to: NCA Equipment Committee Convener,
Nick
Williams, The Hall, Great
Hucklow, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17
8RG, England. Tel. +44 1298 873807, Fax. +44 1298
873801, Email: equipment@nca.org.uk
17 March 1999
NCA Training Grants
NCA Training Committee has decided to vary the conditions for awarding grants
towards training events organised by a club or group. In the past, proposals
of suitable merit have been given grants equivalent to 25% of the cost of the
training event. The committee has recognised that this creates a situation
where there is no impetus to apply for a grant because the low cost of the
event does not make it worth the effort. The committee has therefore decided
that it will in future consider applications for grants for sums up to £25 in
value, what ever the overall cost of the event. This will enable clubs to
apply for a grant where the overall cost is much less than £100 and
potentially obtain a grant of some meaningful value. Grants based on
applications for events costing above £100 will still be limited by the 25%
condition. Clubs and groups are also reminded that a training event can
cover any reasonably caving or mining related activity, such as
surveying,
photography, conservation, digging or even equipment care and testing.
Please contact Tony Flanagan as NCA's Training Co-ordinator with your
proposal at : The
Annex, Thornton-in-Lonsdale, Westhouse, Ingleton, via
Carnforth, LANCS, LA6 3PB
Given the Training Committee only meets
around 3 or 4 times per year, an early application is recommended. There is
a limit on the overall funds available which can be given as grants and hence
not all applications will be successful.
10 January 1999
UKSC Grant Award covers expeditions
Several years ago, the Great Britain Sports Council (SC) was
split up into the 4 national councils (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland
and Wales SCs) together with a United Kingdom SC. Combining the changed
rules of eligible grant aided work with a need to identify "national
elements" of a programme and a massive change in the detail of making
submissions has proved a major task for NCA. One immediate impact of these
changes was the loss of the expedition funding and a failure to get a grant
out of the English SC. The hard work of Mick Day, Chairman of NCA, in the
absence of a Treasurer has now paid off. The UKSC has recently confirmed to
NCA that it will provide a grant, which will not only support the work of the
training and equipment committees, but also has reinstated an expedition
grant. The grant is for up to £20,000, of which NCA's application indicated
that £5,000 would be ear marked for the expedition fund. NCA now awaits the
result of its application to the English SC for a grant to support the work
of the training committee in England. Further details will be posted on NCA's web
site. This good news greets the co-option of Bob Mehew into the
Treasurer's role prior to confirmation at NCA's AGM. Bob can be contacted at
8 Dunbar Road, Hillside, Southport, PR8 4RH and via E-Mail on finance@nca.org.uk.
In view of the timing of this news, the dead line stated for
grant applications to the Ghar Parau Foundation will be relaxed. The next
meeting of the Ghar Parau Foundation is scheduled for 7 March. If you wish
to make an application, please contact Dave Judson as quickly as possible on
01684 311057