Representing a touch over 65,000 members and employing 25 full-time staff, the modern BMC gets through about £1.75m a year.

Some of this goes towards running the office. But most of it goes toward the activities that people join us for: keeping crags open, safety and equipment advice, lobbying important people to nip problems in the bud, liability insurance for members, running events, marketing, producing a website and Summit magazine to tell everyone about it.

So where does this million-and-threequarters actually come from? Well, the 2007 Annual Accounts show that last year 59% of the income needed to run the BMC came from membership subscriptions, 30% from trading activities (including travel insurance), and a slim 11% from Sports Council grants.

The figures are healthy. Membership is growing – an 8.4% increase in the last year – probably down to our new membership database starting to generate new marketing possibilities and the recent very successful Direct Debit offer.

Read the full blog entry at: SUMMIT - THE ISSUE