"Summits of Excellence"

St Andrews University Mountaineering Club

Business Plan - April 2006

The St Andrews University Mountaineering Club (STAUMC) is an organisation with a long and successful history. Records dating as far back as the 1930's describe an active club, which, amongst much else, centred in the early development of local climbing, played a key role in University expeditions to Greenland in the 60's and 70's (gaining a number of first-ascents) and, most importantly of all, has introduced thousands of young men and women to the freedom of the hills.

The aims of the club have remained fairly constant down the years and these are outlined in the Club Constitution as follows:

• To foster a love of mountains,
• To hold climbing meets both during and out of term at suitable centres,
• To provide lectures on mountains and mountaineering, and,
• To provide opportunities for novice members to learn to look after themselves and others in mountainous country.

To these ends, the main business of the club has been the organising of weekend trips to mountainous areas, suited to walking and/or climbing. However, the club has always been proactive in better serving its members: a recent example is the partnership with the Department of Sport and Exercise which has greatly improved the Sport Centre climbing wall.

The Mountaineering Club is welcoming and friendly, offering encouragement to anyone interested in mountaineering. The club aims to retain walkers with a basic level of fitness and climbers of any level. Usually, walkers with a low-level of fitness can be better catered for by Breakaway, the University Hillwalking Society. Breakaway offers larger trips which are led, whereas the Mountaineering Club has been highly successful in promoting peer-to-peer mentoring in smaller groups. We also believe that there is no ceiling of opportunity within the Mountaineering Club - if a member is interested in, say, Alpine mountaineering, they are almost certain to discover another member with similar ambitions and perhaps experience. From our researches to date, it seems that Breakaway does have a ceiling and we may therefore attract some of their more experienced members to our own meets.

In addition, we are aware of a number of climbers of intermediate to elite level who rarely participate in club activities. They normally have their own transport for "getting away" and choose to use private indoor climbing centres, such as Avertical World in Dundee. We shall be reviewing our own activities and publicity to see whether we might better attract such people as members.

The Mountaineering Club is currently operating at a successful level. This can be measured by the regular attendance at meets (running at capacity), consistently good turnout at climbing sessions (held bi-weekly in the Sports Centre) and positive feedback from members. There is also firm evidence that a large number of members are improving their skills and fitness or entering new areas of mountaineering.

We believe, however, that it is not only possible to maintain this level of success but to exceed it. To this end we set the following goals:

• To maintain or improve good attendance on trips,
• To maintain or improve good attendance at climbing sessions,
• To raise the profile of the club within and without the University,
• To provide opportunities for members to acquire the skills necessary for climbing outdoors,
• To provide opportunities for members to acquire the skills necessary for walking/climbing in winter,
• To develop support for performance/non-novice climbers,
• To encourage greater transfer from Breakaway,
• To increase the number of lectures,
• To develop lasting links with former (graduated) members, and,
• To attract external investment to the club.

The club benefits from a broad experience across its members and committee. Specifically, Richard McDonald, the President, has previously served the club as Treasurer and Secretary and is therefore well placed to oversee the running of the club for the next year. Alexander Russell, the Club Development Officer, has not only served as club Treasurer, but also as Secretary of the Athletic Union. This places him in a good position for "politicking" on behalf of the club. The committee's technical experience encompasses all aspects of British mountaineering, allowing the committee to arrange support for novice members, and the club also benefits from the support of Honorary Members and some alumni.

Club finances have been well managed in the past, but the club has had some £1200 of University funding withdrawn by the Athletic Union over the last three years. This has placed financial strain on the club, which has survived by increasing membership fees and meet fees. However, there have been difficulties in maintaining club gear at the level required for introducing novices to winter skills and climbing. To counteract this, we hope to attract external investment in the club at a level which will, in part, provide for the replacement of expired equipment. We also hope that under its commitment to performance sport, set out in the Strategy for Sport and Exercise, the Athletic Union will make additional monies available to the club to provide support to performance/non-novice climbers.

The first recorded ascent of a mountain was made by the Roman Emperor Hadrian of Mt. Etna in 121 AD. Since then people all over the world have been climbing mountains, either for scientific reasons, national pride or purely for pleasure, although it is generally accepted that mountaineering as a sport started with Sir Alfred Willss' ascent of the Wetterhorn in 1854. Britains have been at the forefront of the sport of mountaineering since then, with the first club for mountaineers being set up in London in 1857, The Alpine Club. At this time mountaineering was mainly an activity occupied by the middle classes; it wasn't until after the second World War when unemployment was at a high and fast, easy transport was becoming available that the working classes had the opportunity to enjoy the British mountains. This is when mountaineering became the popular activity that it is today.

The earliest University of St Andrews Mountaineering Club Constitution currently in the club files is from 1937, although there was undoubtably a group of mountaineers at the University much earlier than this. Membership fee at this time was 1 shilling, and was open to all male matriculated students. Since then the Constitution has been remarkably unchanged with only a few major changes between 1937 and what we have today. Female members were first allowed to become full members in 1947; previous to this they could be associate members and attend the regular lectures that were put on, but not attend any meets. Between 1940 and 1947 activity in the Club was suspended due to the war, although according to records a little activity took place during 1943 and 1944. The club has many notable first ascents to its name, mainly in Greenland where regular exploratory trips were made in the 60's and 70's. The club also enjoyed a good reputation in the 80's, with famous mountaineers such as Dougal Haston, Joe Tasker and Tom Patey visiting St Andrews to provide lectures for the members.

Today, the outdoor and adventure scene in Scotland is thriving. More people than ever before are aware of the benefits and rewards of involvement and many are enjoying a variety of adventurous outdoor activities. These range from relatively sedate rambles to more extreme sports such as white-water kayaking and ice climbing.

Climbing, in particular, is undergoing a modern renaissance with a large increase in standards and availability/accessibility. This is seen in sustained growth in the number of climbers throughout Scotland, the expanding provision of indoor climbing walls and "new routing" at previously unseen difficulties (for example the new E11 rock climb near Glasgow, or the winter XI in the Cairngorms - both co-incidentally set by Dave Macleod of Strathclyde). Facilities wise, Scotland has vast outdoor resources, but it also contains the world's largest indoor rock wall (Ratho Adventure Centre, near Edinburgh) and the world's largest indoor ice wall (The Ice Factor, Kinlochleven) along with many other top class venues. These are helping to introduce new people to the sport and help existing climbers to train to greater levels than ever before.

The benefits of outdoor activities are also being recognised by government - the health benefits and increased income for remote areas are but two of these. Actions like the Land Reform Act and the creation of the Cairngorms National Park (the largest in the UK) have helped here. Furthermore, SportScotland has recently assisted in the creation of Glenmore Lodge, Scotland's national outdoor adventure centre. Glenmore Lodge is an excellent facility, situated in the Cairngorms National Park, that teaches beginners, coaches intermediates and offers training and assessment courses to leaders and instructors. Focusing on kayaking and mountain-sport, it is doing great work in training Scotland's outdoor adventure community.

Finally, much Scottish tourism is based in the country's natural beauty (as well as its history and friendly reputation). Included in this is adventure tourism: people are travelling to Scotland specifically to enjoy their outdoor sport of choice. In our context, the most notorious is Scottish winter climbing, which often involves unusual or challenging conditions, but draws climbers to Scotland from all over the United Kingdom and from overseas. When it comes to outdoor activities Scotland is world renowned, and with good reason!

• To foster a love of mountains,
• To hold climbing meets both during and out of term at suitable centres,
• To provide lectures on mountains and mountaineering, and,
• To provide opportunities for novice members to learn to look after themselves and others in mountainous country.

In the Mountaineering Club we believe that there are many rewards to be gained from active membership and from involvement in mountaineering. The club provides students with the opportunity to travel all over Scotland, gaining personal experience and knowledge of such (wonderful) places as Glen Coe, the Isle of Skye and the Cairngorms. Often these are places that members would not have otherwise been able to visit. This is particularly true of our Junior Year/Semester Abroad students, many of whom come to Scotland wishing to see the beauty of the country. The club gives them the chance not only to see these areas but to properly explore them "away from the beaten track".

The club also gives members the chance to expand their skills in, or through, mountaineering. Most members join as novices then take the opportunity to build their skills and fitness. For many, the sense of achievement in reaching the top of their first or last Munro or in leading their first climb is the greatest reward they could receive. Furthermore, by becoming an active member of the club, people are able to take on responsibilities. Members of the committee get a great deal out of organising weekend trips, climbing days or social events and along the way they pick up important organisational skills which readily transfer to other areas of their lives. This responsibility can also develop into a leadership role: a significant number of older members enjoy giving peer-to-peer mentoring in small groups and their sense of reward encourages some to go on to a career in mountaineering. Accompanying this growth is the development of many personal qualities. For example, achievement gives rise to self-confidence, actively managing risk on the hills produces good judgement and club life aids friendliness and amiability. As the University aims to complement academic excellence with rounded development, clubs such as ours not only serve individuals directly but also contribute strongly to graduate employability.

Mountaineering attracts people with a degree of physical fitness and either an initial interest in the outdoors, adventure or indoor climbing. Often, these interests have their root in earlier experiences, perhaps through involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, a childhood abseil or similar. The club can also provide a good, early experience, encouraging a novice to greater involvement. As such, the first weeks of every year are extremely important in grabbing the attention and interest of new members; at this time friendliness and excitement are strong allies. Curiously, it is unlikely that a novice, recruited in this way, would fully realise the type of activities they may later aspire to.

The University market also includes a number of established hillwalkers, climbers and mountaineers. The club has greatly benefited from this, although there has been some difficulty in attracting established climbers who have their own transport or prefer to use private indoor facilities, such as those offered by Avertical World in Dundee. It is hoped that as the club develops support for performance/non-novice climbers, word will spread and we shall tap this market. We also wish to encourage the growth of a climbing community, using the club as a common meeting ground for all climbers in St Andrews.

In recent years, interest in the club has been high with order of 100 members joining every year. Some of these will regularly climb at the Sport Centre (where the club runs sessions), some will come away for a one-off trip, some will take regular weekend trips, some will be involved in all aspects of the club and a few will disappear to other priorities.

The club has two main sources of competition: Breakaway, the University Hillwalking Society and Avertical World, a private climbing wall in Dundee. Each provides a unique service which can benefit the club, but we seek a better understanding to maximise this benefit and avoid competition.

Breakaway targets hillwalkers of all levels, offering graded walks with leaders. This contrasts with the "mountaineering ethic" of peer-to-peer mentoring in small groups, but is useful for serving walkers with a low level of fitness who may simply wish to see something of the Scottish countryside. Focusing as it does on hillwalking, Breakaway has a rather obvious ceiling on the activities available to members. Also, conversations with Breakaway committee members have revealed frustration that after a certain point of development with the society, one becomes committed to leading walks and often those which do not appeal to the leader. We believe that the Mountaineering Club would do well to target such people in its marketing since it can offer them the true freedom of the hills and encourage them to go on to new things. There need be no betrayal of loyalties, since Breakaway runs trips every second weekend whilst the Mountaineering Club goes away every weekend, allowing members to be involved in both organisations. This transfer should be fostered to the benefit of all, but shall require the building of several bridges.

As a modern development, Avertical World offers facilities far in advance of the Sport Centre climbing wall. It would be foolish to deny this and not take advantage of this blessing. Indeed, club members normally make at least one trip every week. It is a competitor in the sense that some St Andrews climbers use the opportunity to climb without making touch with the club. The arrangement of a regular club night should be effective in raising awareness of the club and attracting these climbers to it. We shall seek the support of Avertical World for this as a discount would be successful in drawing climbers in to the club.

• A high level of activity - weekend trips run at near capacity and bi-weekly climbing sessions are well attended,
• A varied membership of different levels and aspirations, encompassing socialites, climbers, walkers and a number interested in overseas expeditions,
• A large and increasing base of experienced mountaineers,
• Evidence of members improving their skills and fitness and entering new areas of mountaineering,
• The Sport Centre climbing wall which is excellent for introducing novices to climbing skills,
• Recent upgrades to the Sport Centre climbing wall, providing more routes of greater interest,
• Trips to a variety of good locations, and,
• Good social opportunities for members.

• Small amount of organised climbing (climbing specific/oriented trips),
• Low turnover from the indoor wall to outdoor climbing, especially to the mountain environment,
• Few lectures taking place,
• Low publicity within and without the University, and,
• Late start to pub socials.

• Relationships with Breakaway are good,
• Relationships with Avertical World are good,
• The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCoS) is actively supporting university mountaineering clubs,
• The Athletic Union and Department for Sport and Exercise are in transition with the Strategy for Sport and Exercise. This has attracted more money to university sport at St Andrews, targeting performance sport and development clubs, and,
• Outdoor activities are widely recognised as "life-sports", making them ideally suited to SportScotland's goal of increasing participation in sport on a long term basis.

• Recent reductions in Athletic Union financial support, estimated at £1200 p.a. over the last three years,
• Car accidents involving hire cars, which would leave the club financial obligations,
• Becoming "top heavy", leaving an experience gap in one year group, and,
• Accidents or fatalities involving club members.

The club benefits from a broad experience across its members and committee. Richard McDonald, the President, has previously served the club as Treasurer and Secretary and is therefore well placed to oversee the running of the club for the next year. Hal Jacob, the Treasurer, brings experience to this role from the cycling club and Kerry Law, the Secretary, has been very active and serves the club with excellence. Alexander Russell, the Club Development Officer, has not only served as club Treasurer, but also as Secretary of the Athletic Union. This places him in a good position for "politicking" on behalf of the club.

The committee's technical experience encompasses all aspects of British mountaineering, allowing the committee to arrange support for novice members. This represents recent growth of skills and experience in the club, which can be harnessed in a chain reaction of development. This shall be essential to provision of opportunities for novices to learn for themselves. The club also benefits from the support of Honorary Members and links with some alumni.

Having analysed the Mountaineering Club, its aims and vision, it is apparent that the club is already well-managed and operating at a successful level. We believe, however, that it is not only possible to maintain this level of success but to exceed it. To this end we set the following goals:

• To maintain or improve good attendance on trips,
• To maintain or improve good attendance at climbing sessions,
• To raise the profile of the club within and without the University,
• To provide opportunities for members to acquire the skills necessary for climbing outdoors,
• To provide opportunities for members to acquire the skills necessary for walking/climbing in winter,
• To develop support for performance/non-novice climbers,
• To encourage greater transfer from Breakaway,
• To increase the number of lectures,
• To develop lasting links with former (graduated) members, and,
• To attract external investment to the club.

The solvency of the club's day to day activities is well maintained through a membership fee and a meet fee, which are regularly reviewed. The club also has some fundraising power from social activities and receives a fixtures grant from the Athletic Union. In addition, the Athletic Union annually assists with the club's affiliation fees and is committed to supporting attendance at inter-university competition.

However, as noted, financial support from the Athletic Union has been reduced over the last three years by an estimated £1200 p.a. This is made up of a reduction in the club's fixtures allowance of £900 p.a. (there was some spirited discussion until that A.U. Executive admitted just how deserving the club really is, but the Athletic Union has its own history of underfunding) and a reduction in affiliation support of 50%. We have also mentioned the club's vulnerability in case of a car accident. Whenever a change in finances surprises the club, an easy reaction is to not invest in gear that year. This is, of course, a false economy and leads to a depletion in equipment and hence ability to help novices learn. Thus, to provide security, we look to bring external investment to the club, some of which would be earmarked for annual investment in gear. The club has much to offer external investors: marketing of product, recruitment of high-quality graduates with demonstrated qualities, publicity within the University and the opportunity to piggy-back on the club image. The formation, marketing and maintaining of a suitable package is goal ten above.

At present, the club tries to ring-fence a portion of membership fees for equipment and external investment would release this. Some of this released money will be used to pay the half of affiliation fees for which the club is now responsible. Remaining money would allow a reduction in meet fees (which have been slightly above cost for some time); at present, the cost of regular attendance is a barrier to increased participation across a variety of backgrounds. Finally, if the Athletic Union is unable to invest in support for performance/non-novice climbers (discussed below), this too could be sought from external investors.

Under the goal of developing support for performance/non-novice climbers (goal six) we note the need for regular training at a facility such as Avertical World. To train there twice per week is likely to cost an individual £20 per week on transport (bus) and entry. This would be in addition to gym fees in St Andrews and is clearly an off-putting sum. However, this development is partly in response to Athletic Union pressure so we ask that they seize the opportunity and invest as befits their commitment to performance sport (possible under new monies awarded to the Athletic Union from University Court). The sport of climbing is such that an investment could see a quick return in placing in local, national and inter-university competitions. Similarly, we ask that as the club returns to inter-university competition the Athletic Union will increase the club's fixtures allowance to facilitate annual attendance.