Saturday 16 April saw the 2016 Clubs & Huts Seminar held at YHA Castleton, Losehill Hall in the Peak District alongside the BMC AGM.

With the BMC AGM completed in the morning the Seminar commenced after lunch with over 40 members from 30 different clubs actively participating in a programme including insurance support, photo archiving opportunity, supporting members, and hut booking system,.  Delegates were invited to stay at the YHA and enjoy the celebratory buffet provided in the evening and the presentation of the George Band Award to Ben Lyon.  The charity auction which took place later that evening raised over £3800 for the BMC Mend our Mountains Appeal and Climbers Against Cancer.

Session Feedback

Image archiving session

Rab Carrington presented on an exciting opportunity for clubs to store photo images.  Each club will be given the opportunity to upload images to a central website (http://bmc.photoshelter.com) where the images will then be available for viewing by anyone who wishes.  Each club will be encouraged to add photos of historical importance to their club. This could be a first ascent club members did in the Alps in the 1950’s through to a refurbishment of their club hut in 2016 - each club will be able to choose what is of ‘historical importance’ to them.

More detail about this opportunity will be available soon but clubs were asked to view the site at (http://bmc.photoshelter.com), view the guidance notes, and consider what photos they would like to include.

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The Q&A session saw lively discussion across three key areas

Item 1 – Concession rate for older BMC members

Because this was first raised during the main AGM Q&A session earlier in the day the Executive Committee will investigate this.

While the majority of the delegates were sympathetic to the issue, and several described similar problems with retaining an association with older members in their own clubs, the general view was that this was a problem that the club should resolve its self.  However the delegates were not against the idea of a concession rate if the BMC thought it affordable and worthwhile.

Item 2 – Use of social media

There was a lively exchange of views about the advantage clubs can gain by embracing social media and about some of the problems that accompany it.  It was agreed that more information on the subject would be useful both with case study examples and some club guidance notes.

Item 3- Web hosting

The question of hosting club web sites was raised and whether the BMC had considered hosting or brokering with a third party to host sites for clubs as savings might be possible with a volume agreement.  The concept of the Club Mini-sites, due for delivery this summer,  was described and it was explained that the idea of hosting club sites had been discussed but the BMC did not have the capacity nor sufficient technical staff to offer such a service at this time.

Actions were taken away on these three items for BMC staff and key volunteers to progress over coming months.

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Details from other sessions that were delivered on the day will added below in due course.

Next steps

Your help is required in providing feedback on the event, whether you attended or not.  Please follow this link to get to the feedback form.  It won't take long to complete the form and you will have the opportunitiy to suggest topics for future seminars.

If you wish to discuss other areas of club development please email jane@thebmc.co.uk.

Find out more

Training courses for club members

Clubs Guidance Notes

Huts Guidance Notes

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