There are now two sources of funding to support the care and maintenance of crags in England and Wales and to promote the sustainable access and conservation of our cliffs, mountains and uplands. Read on to learn about the grants available.

The BMC Crag Care Fund

The BMC has created a £10,000 fund to support the care and maintenance of crags in England and Wales.

Half of this funding will go towards essential works at BMC owned and managed crags, including Horseshoe Quarry, Craig y Longridge, Bwlch y Moch. The other £5000 will go towards Area projects throughout England and Wales.

The aim is to fund practical projects and activities that directly benefit crags and access and volunteer opportunities, with an emphasis on ‘on the ground’ work rather than policy related work or the development of literature.

What type of work does the Crag Care Fund support?

• Materials and equipment for rock repair work
• Materials and equipment to support ground erosion control work and footpaths around the crag
• Equipment for woodland and vegetation management work
• Expert advice and survey work e.g. tree surgeons, ecological or botanical assessments
• Volunteer initiatives such as crag clean-up days or litter-picks
• Area / Club 'Adopt a Crag' initiatives

To learn more click the link here.

The Access & Conservation Trust

The Access & Conservation Trust (ACT) aims to promote sustainable access to cliffs, mountains and open countryside by facilitating education and conservation projects that safeguard the access needs of climbers, hill-walkers and mountaineers.

ACT is a charitable trust, established by the British Mountaineering Council and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS). It was formed in late 2001, and has grown out of the BMC's successful Access Fund. ACT will allow tax efficient donations for more expensive UK-wide projects.

What type of work does ACT support?

• Landscape Site Based Work.
• Campaigns and Policy Development
• Rural Development Initiatives
• Sustainable Transport Initiatives
• Information Resources & Publications
• Research
• Training & Support for Access Volunteers

To learn more click the link here.

What are the main differences between the Access and Conservation Trust and the Crag Care Fund?

• Scale. ACT will aim to support larger projects with greater financial contributions.

• Geographical Coverage. ACT supports projects throughout the whole of the British Isles with a landscape and regional focus.

• Objectives. ACT aims to support a broader range of projects than the Crag Care Fund. Projects will focus on the sustainable use and conservation of the outdoor environment.

• Legal Status. ACT is a charitable Trust making gift donations etc much more straightforward and tax efficient.

Do you think you have a an idea for a project? From local footpath work, national campaigns to crag clean ups and litter picks, we might be able to help. Contact Cath or Martin on Cath@thebmc.co.uk or Martin@thebmc.co.uk.

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