BCRA > Newsletter > Newsletter 7

This text contains news items extracted from BCRA newsletter 7, published in January 2007

Newsletter 7, January 2007. PDF format. 260K

There are updates to some of the information in this newsletter; see updates, below.

Contents

This is an edited version of the newsletter, making use of links to other web pages, where convenient.

• Important Announcement
• BCRA Membership - Fees for 2007
• Hidden Earth 2007 (Change of Venue!)
• BCA Contact Address: Correction
• Invitation to apply for research grants
• Legacies Provide Funding for Research Projects
• BCRA Cave Technology Symposium
• BCA Third-Party Public Liability Insurance
• BCRA Publications
• New BCRA Officers
• 133rd Council Meeting held on 25 June 2006
• 134th Council Meeting held on 19 Nov. 2006
• Cave & Karst Science: paper v. electronic publication
• Gift Aid Scheme
• Tratman Award

Important Announcement

Due to some administrative difficulties some BCRA members may not have received those publications or benefits to which they may have been, or thought they may have been entitled to. If you are missing any BCRA publications, please let us know. (The next issue of Speleology - number 8 - will go to the printers sometime in January; the next issue of Cave & Karst Science - volume 33(1) - is at the printers now).

Some individuals have continued to pay an out-of-date fee direct to BCRA by Bank Standing Order despite an earlier communication explaining that this money would be treated as a donation and not as a membership fee. Since January 2006 those individuals have not been members of the Association. However, rather than completely ostracise these people, it is proposed to send them Cave & Karst Science on request. Please contact us if you wish to take advantage of this offer, and please note that any unclaimed payments made directly to BCRA's bank account after January 2007 will be considered to be purely a donation and will not entitle the individual to any further membership benefits.

BCRA Membership - Fees for 2007

BCRA membership fees for 2007 are the same as 2006. Your BCRA membership fee comprise several parts - an administration fee, your contribution towards the public liability insurance policy, and the fee for receiving Cave & Karst Science. Because the fees are collected on 1 Jan, and the insurance expires on 31 Dec, there is now a discount for new members who join part way through the year.

Please note that there was a mistake in the table on p4 of BCA newsletter 7. CIMs cannot join BCRA for the fees shown there. Instead, CIMs must either upgrade to DIMs or subscribe as a non-member.

Invitation to apply for research grants

Application deadlines: 1 April / August / December 2007

Following the establishment of BCRA's new Cave Science and Technology Research Initiative (CSTRI), the British Cave Research Association is pleased to invite applications from members for grants towards research projects in the four areas of

• Speleogenesis of British Caves
• Archaeology and Palaeontology of British Caves
• Biology of British Caves
• Caving Technology

Grants of up to £2000 are currently available for suitable projects. It is anticipated that this opportunity could appeal to undergraduates who are considering working on a cave research dissertation, to postgraduates embarking on a Masters or PhD research degree and to anyone who wishes to pursue an appropriate research project under academic supervision.

Applications will be considered by the awards Panel against the criteria of advancing BCRA's research aims (as set out in our Cave Science Policy; see Cave Science and Technology Research Initiative) and furthering our present knowledge of caves.

The Panel consists of experts in each of the research areas, who will be pleased to give advice and guidance about potential projects, and who may be contacted via the Administrator. Applicants may be called for interview and will be informed of the Panel's decision within one month of the closing date. Papers that present the work and results of the research should be offered subsequently to Cave and Karst Science or to Speleology.

Further information about the CSTRI, the Cave Science Policy and how to apply is available at bcra.org.uk. Five copies of the application should be sent on paper to the BCRA-CSTRI Administrator, David Checkley. See Contacting Us.

Legacies Provide Funding for Research Projects

At Hidden Earth in 2005 the Cave Science and Technology Research Initiative (CSTRI) was announced. This committed BCRA to providing £5,000 / year over the next five years for grants to support new, exciting research in speleogenesis, archaeology, biology and caving technology. This initiative was made possible by the generous legacy made to the Association by Graham Balcombe.

Already two grants have been made under the initiative, one to support the use of new techniques in stalagmite dating and the other to fund the investigation of pulsed electrical energy for rock blasting.

Looking forward, the Association would like to expand this programme of grants. Support for the study of caves and associated phenomena are, after all, one of the Association's key objectives. To do this we need to secure additional funding either through donations or legacies and so we are asking all members if they are able to help in this fund raising. This could be by means of a donation or by inclusion of a legacy in your will. As the Association is a charity, both these methods of giving are tax efficient. The Association can reclaim basic rate tax under the Gift Aid scheme, provided that the donation is made from taxed income. Similarly legacies to charities are fully exempt from inheritance tax.

Your support in this important initiative will be greatly appreciated. If you have any queries about the Association's scientific programme please contact Dave Checkley.

Cave & Karst Science

As noted in the report of Council meetings, above, it has not been possible to assimilate the information we had gathered on members' preferences for a paper or electronic version of C&KS. This was due to a lack of man-power. We hope to make some progress with the electronic version during 2007.

Updates

The following updates apply to the text of BCRA newsletter 7

Overseas postage now £6. (p1, p9 & note 8 on p8). Members who wish to have their publications posted to an overseas address must pay a surcharge of £3 for postage to western Europe or £6 to the rest of the world.

BCA Public Liability Insurance. (p6). There have been some slight changes to the information regarding the public liability insurance.

Overseas Membership. The BCRA newsletter did not fully explain the position regarding overseas membership because this was (and still is) awaiting conformation. We hope to be able to report the exact situation soon. However, please note the following...

1. BCA currently only accepts Club Membership from UK-based organisations. Overseas-based organisations should consider subscribing to publications as a non-member.
2. If you an individual member residing overseas then you should be aware that there are certain limitations to the public liability insurance cover.
3. Additionally, anyone who wishes to have any publications posted to an overseas address must pay a postage surcharge. The cost is £3 for Western Europe or £6 to the rest of the world (payable to BCA) for Speleology & the BCA Newsletter, plus a further £3 or £6 (payable to BCRA) for Cave & Karst Science. Non-member subscribers must also pay this surcharge.

Subscriptions to Cave & Karst Science. To clarify a point, please note that subscriptions to C&KS are available to non-members at £16. This is a cheaper option than joining BCA if your sole interest in UK caving is a subscription to C&KS. Publication of C&KS is running behind schedule, so please note that if you have been a member of BCRA but you have not renewed your membership in 2007 we will endeavour to ensure that you still receive the late-running 2006 issues of C&KS that you have paid for, and we will tell you when your subscription has expired.