The closing date for applications is the 1st April 2013.

The family of Jonathan Conville established the Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust (JCMT) after he died on the Matterhorn in the winter of 1979/80, aged 27. He was a sound, ambitious climber who had been to school at Marlborough, spent some time in Australia, been in the Army and taught at the Outward Bound School, Loch Eil. He identified strongly with the outdoors where he constantly found challenge. The Trust's aims are to encourage and assist individuals to train for and pursue outdoor adventure in the spirit that Jonathan followed during his life.

In view of Jonathan's great interest in Alpine Mountaineering, the Trust wishes to assist more mountaineers to enjoy the Alps in greater safety. The Trust is aware that many mountaineers, when visiting the Alps for the first time, do not always have knowledge of good practice skills to use on the mountains and glaciers. The Trust is also aware that many mountaineers find the high cost of many courses prohibitive. The Conville courses are aimed at those who have not previously undertaken a training course in the Alps.

In 2013 the Trust is offering a number of subsidised 3-day Alpine courses in Chamonix, co-ordinated by Plas y Brenin and the Mountain Training Trust. The intention is to provide a top class introduction to Alpine mountaineering at the lowest posssible cost. It is not possible to cover Alpine mountaineering in great detail over three days, but an introduction to the basic considerations, like use of equipment, glacier travel, crevasse rescue can be provided. In order to provide the optimum learning experience these courses are run at a ratio of one guide for every three trainees.

This is a stand alone course. You do not have to have, or intend to complete the Conville Preparation (Wales based) course to be able to apply for this course.

The closing date for applications is the 1st April 2013.

More details and an application form at here

Each course place costs approximately £200, yet trainees are charged only £110. This year the Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust will provide over £12,000 to subsidise the courses, and the BMC and the MCofS provide additional financial support. The Mountain Training Trust will absorb costs associated with delivering the courses, which are not passed onto trainees. The minimum age for applicants is 18 years and the maximum age is 30.