In reply to DuncanTunstall:
Duncan
Membership discussions between the BMC and the AC go back quite a few years now and revolve around - money (BMC subscriptions) and the fact that many of the AC's activities take place overseas. As the world's first mountaineering club - the AC is an exceptional and unique club; it was one of the founders of the BMC back in 1944 so clearly there has been a long history of involvement between the two organisations.
There are approx 320 mountaineering clubs affilaited to the BMC and my feeling is that the bulk of these clubs are satisfied with their membership of the BMC and the work and services they get for their money. It might be worth me noting down a few relevant points:
1. Club subscriptions will be stable until at least 1 Jan 2012. The BMC AGM this year agreed on a subscriptions freeze for 2011. The National Council meeting last weekend agreed to put a proposal to next year AGM for 'no increase' in subscriptions in 2011. In the view of the BMC President, Treasurer and myself - the balance between club and individual member subs is not about right.
2. As of 2-3 months ago we have a formally constituted Clubs Committee within the BMC. This is a signifiacnt development which ensures a voice for clubs at the heart of the BMC. There are 2 'National Club' reps on Clubs Committee - John Farrow (|Rucksack Club) and Fiona Samders (CC).
3. The BMC has made a strategic commitment (in our 2009-13 Strategic PLan) to improve our work and services for clubs and to continually review and improve our club membership renewal process in order to minimise the administration burden placed on club secretaries and officials.
4. We're committing to providing quality technical support for clubs:: 2 weeks ago we ran a technical seminar for affilated clubs at the BMC office; this covered legal insurance and huts issues in depth and was well received by the 50 or so club members who attended.
5. All club members receive £10m worth of 3rd party liability cover that as part of their membership of the BMC.
The BMC is mixture of individual members and club members and it is essential that the organisation strikes the right balance in the way it deals with these two forms of membership. We are also a very broad church organisation (covering everything from himalayan moutnaineering to bouldering and summer fell walking) so its always going to be the case that not everything we do will be relevant to everyone.
Ultimately - the AC is very very important to the BMC and it is essential that we keep on talking. It was encouraging to hear that at the AC AGM there was a strong vote in favour of the AC retaining its current relationship with the BMC
(note: apologies - I could spend all day on this subject and had better get onto some of the other questions on this forum!)
Cheers
Dave