The last year has been incredibly tough for clubs, climbing walls, volunteers and those working professionally in climbing, hill walking and mountaineering.

To understand the current landscape of grassroots physical activity, the Sport and Recreational Alliance (SRA) has teamed up with Sheffield Hallam University on a research project that will enable them to gain insight into exactly what support the sport and recreation sector needs to get back on its feet.

By gaining an accurate picture of what has happened to clubs, climbing walls, outdoor volunteers and professionals, the SRA will be able to represent sport and recreation more accurately in their conversations with government and other partners. The BMC and Mountain Training have been SRA members for many years. 

What is the survey?

Forming part of the nationwide #SaveOurSports campaign launched last autumn, the survey has been developed with a view to produce an accurate, robust sector-wide understanding of the challenges in sport and recreation, both with restrictions remaining in place, and for when sport and recreation returns in the future.

In effect, the purpose of the survey is to firmly establish the scale and scope of the ‘need’ because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The BMC has of course been doing much work in response to the pandemic. The BMC’s Save Outdoor Centres campaign is still live,for example. You can complete the online form for that campaign in just 30 seconds for a letter to be sent to your MP.

Throughout last year and continuing now, the year the BMC has been working closely with the ABC and other partners to support the climbing wall sector.

Why is it useful for you to respond to the SRA?

The reliability of the finding is a common challenge for every piece of primary. The SRA research aims to build a comprehensive understanding of the scale and nature of the challenges all sport and recreation faces. It is therefore important to have responses from those involved in delivering and supporting climbing, hill walking and mountaineering.

This necessitates achieving sufficient responses from a wide-variety of organisations including clubs, climbing walls, outdoor centres, sole traders and everything in between. Gaps in responses will inevitably weaken the collective call for support for sport and recreation.

How will the information be shared?

Headline findings should be available in early March. As a minimum, the SRA will provide each organisation that has helped in disseminating the survey with a dashboard of findings relating to their activities.

Whilst the SRA works primarily in England and talks most to the Westminster government, submissions from clubs, businesses, outdoor volunteers and professionals operating outside England will not be discounted.

When is the deadline to complete the survey?

The deadline to complete the survey is midnight on Sunday 14 February.

For further information about this project please contact the SRA Research and Development team at research@sportandrecreation.org.uk.

WATCH: We need your help to save Outdoor Centres

We want to say a big thanks to every BMC member who continues to support us through the Coronavirus crisis.

From weekly Facebook Lives and GB Climbing home training videos, to our access team working to re-open the crags and fight for your mountain access, we couldn’t do it without you.

Did you know that we've launched a U27 membership offer for just £1.50 / month? And with full membership from £2.50 / month, it's never been easier to join and support our work: 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/join-the-bmc-for-1-month-U27-membership

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