MEF - Can you help?

14th March, 2008

This has been read 27,339 times

The Mount Everest Foundation has supported over 1,350 expeditions in its 48 year existence and has made a unique contribution to mountaineering history, helping to maintain the position of British mountaineers amongst the greatest in the world.

Luca Signorelli comments on the worthwhile nature of expedition funding in the forums:

"I strongly believe that one of the main assets of British climbing in the greater ranges was the possibility (given by organizations like MEF) for impecunious young climbers with big ideas and little money to have some chance to fulfil their dreams with some degree of independence"

The BMC has in the past received funding support from UK Sport, but this has now been stopped. Last year the MEF made the difficult decision to dip in to the reserve funds, which enabled them to cover the shortfall arising from the cut in UK Sport funding - meaning the BMC were able to award grants as usual, but this can't happen every year.

This year the MEF is planning to award £30 000 in expedition grants. They are looking to raise more funds from donations and from events such as the lecture by Mick Fowler in London on the 9th April (Info Here).

Want more info on the MEF? Click Here

Want more info on the Mick Fowler Lecture? Click Here

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Comments

CJD

12 Mar, 2008

I support the idea of grants - it allows mountaineering, like other grant-dependent activity, to retain the emphasis on ability rather than wealth. just my 2p.

jl100

12 Mar, 2008

I support the idea of grants but wouldn't like to donate money to climbers as i can think of worthier causes. Most climbers will find a way to practice their sport whether they have grants sponsorship or not.

Luca Signorelli

12 Mar, 2008

Not sure if anyone on UKC really needs the opinion of a slimy Latin foreigner (i.e -> me), but... ...absolutely yes! In the melancholy knowledge that some of my fellow Italian climber may read this and vehemently disagree, I strongly believe that one of the main assets of British climbing in the greater ranges was the possibility (given by organizations like MEF) for impecunious young climbers with big ideas and little money to have some chance to fulfil their dreams with some degree of independence... ...otherwise (here comes the part someone may not like here in Italy) you end up like many impecunious young Italian climbers with big ideas and little money, who normally end up forced to take part to trips paid by a) big clubs or b) corporate sponsors or c) a mix of a and b. With often debatable results, as it's been demonstrated in the last few years.

AlisonS

13 Mar, 2008

Do you think there will be any tickets available on the door or do they have to be booked in advance? Some of my friends are a bit slow about making their minds up!

Al Evans

13 Mar, 2008

Hi Francoise, of course we should, we support just about every other sporting activity so why not mountaineering? Most mountaineers, very few in fact, make the sort of rewards for excellence in their sport that other sportsmen get.

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