The BMC's campaign to fund eight urgent upland repair projects on some of Britain’s most iconic peaks has become the most successful crowdfunding appeal for mountain paths ever, reaching its target of £100,000.

Thanks to more than 2500 pledges to the Mend Our Mountains campaign a total of £103,832 has been raised on Crowdfunder.

Working with eight national parks, the campaign will fund repairs to damaged paths on some of Britain’s most popular peaks, including Snowdon, Scafell Pike, Ingleborough, Kinder Scout and part of the Brecon Beacons Horseshoe, as well as contribute towards vital repairs to moorland on Dartmoor, Exmoor and the North York Moors.

The campaign, which launched on 14 March, got off to a flying start with £22,000 raised in the first week. Pledgers were able to bag some fantastic rewards including days out with outdoor experts and celebs including top climber Steve McClure and comedian Ed Byrne.

Mend Our Mountains also grabbed the attention of the national media, including the Times, BBC Breakfast News and Radio 5 Live, which helped boost momentum. With interest still running high, an extra week was added to the campaign to make sure no-one missed out on pledging.

The overall ‘UK Wide’ Mend Our Mountains fund brought in an incredible £36,490, smashing the original £20,000 target. Mend the Lake District, Mend Snowdonia, Mend the Peak District and Mend the Yorkshire Dales all sailed past their £10,000 target. The UK Wide fund will be distributed between all eight national parks involved, helping the projects which didn’t meet the adventurous £10,000 targets.

Mend Our Mountains is set to make a difference to the physical landscape and it has made its mark in the political landscape too.  During the campaign, Greg Mulholland MP submitted an Early Day Motion in parliament which recognises the fantastic response to the campaign and calls for “an investment in infrastructure and support for the UK's most treasured landscapes so future generations can continue to enjoy these areas sustainably.”

BMC hill walking officer Carey Davies said: “We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated and supported Mend Our Mountains. The response to the campaign shows the depth of affection which many walkers, climbers and outdoor users feel for the environment and their willingness to chip in voluntarily to help maintain it.

“Mend Our Mountains has highlighted the pressure which many national parks and public bodies are under due to cuts and squeezed budgets. But it isn’t just about the money – it’s also about raising awareness of the need to look after our landscapes. These hills are ours to climb and ours to care for.”

Mend Our Mountains has been supported by Sir Chris Bonington, Doug Scott CBE, Julia Bradbury, as well as major brands including Costwold Outdoor, DMM, Alpkit and Steep Edge, along with many other smaller but important sponsors for the individual projects.

The BMC and the national parks are grateful to all who have supported the campaign through donating time, money, prizes and through spreading the word. Due to the success of the campaign, the BMC will be looking to take Mend Our Mountains forward in the future – in what shape or form this will be is yet to be decided.

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 just launched a new 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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