Oxford University Cave Club

AGM Hilary 2008 

Minutes, etc.

"OUCC this term"

OUCC Home Page

Apologies: John Pybus (JP), Lorna Wilson (LW), Tom Evans (TE), Fleur Loveridge (FL), Steve Roberts (SR)

Issues arising from last TGM

ensure the following has been done

1. Club Gear Order

2. Club Stash

3. Ask Fleur if she can be one of the Editors for Proc 15.

Reports

President

The OUCC 50th Celebrations went off very well. The president's invite had a few oldsters (I mean REAL oldsters, not just me). The dinner worked well - many thanks to Tim and Lou for hosting the talks beforehand and the party after. The GB trip was great fun - and the bridge didn't collapse under the weight of about 20 OUCC. It was great to have Richard Gowing and Russell Sunderland, two of our founder members, underground with us. A T-shirt might be organised, but I haven't got around to it.

President's Invite dates 2008 are September 19th-21st; Peter Devlin has booked Lost John's , Penyghent Pot, Birks Fell Cave and Nott's Pot, so tether should be lots of hard caving done.

I am willing to stand for re-election.

Library:

Some books bought this year: the two Jim Eyre books, and the Swildon's 100 years. The usual journals have been received. The website has been kept up to date, and a section on "Club History" added, following the 50th anniversary events. If anyone has any old termcards not in the collection on the website, loan of them for copying would be appreciated.

Chair

Secretary

Annual dinner will happen in week 2 next term

This term's speaker event saw a wonderful account of caving in crete and Chica by Rob Eavis

Thanks to Hilary and Paul for booking dinner spaces. This cost the club a bit more than 30 pounds

Upcoming speaker event: I'll try more contacts. The Oxford Italian Assiciation, OUEC will share a speaker event with us, date tbc

Treasurer

I haven't had the time to create an account summary sheet before going on holiday. I will do this when I return and make sure it's available by the end of term. This will also mean bills for people who've been on trips this term and haven't been charged yet -- you have been warned.

The club finances are in reasonable health, the club should feel it can spend a bit if it needs to (but check once I have a balance sheet).

I am prepared to continue as Treasurer should the club desire.

Meet Sec

Gear Officer

Proc 15 & 16 Editor

Fleur Loveridge's report

"I have foolishly agreed to edit Proc 15. Chris Rogers has been stitched up for Proc 16. It is proposed to run Proc 15 from 1998 to 2003 (to include all Tormenta exploration) and Proc 16 from 2004 to 2008 (to include all Chicago exploration?). I attach a starting list of available material / club activities over the last 10 years along with a proposed contents list for Proc 15. Those items in the contents in italics would require something produced from scratch. I would welcom input from the club as a whole on the proposed contents, especially in terms of ommisions. Photographers and authors are also appealed to for their assistance. Thanks in advance. Fleur."

Expedition leader

Progress going on well.

Fund raising

We have got 400 pounds from GPF and 1000 pounds from university expedition council. We are currently applying to National Geographic Award, Oxford Societies Award, and Gladstone Memorial Award. Two members successfully got 75 pounds each for personal grant from GPF, as part of the Alex Pitcher Award. With some faff, Crisis plan eof the RGS has been modified and sent last Friday. However, deadline is fast approaching for Oxford Societies Award.

Equipment

Chicago's rigged between -300 till -650, with the exception of a further 100m needed for modification. The expedition will work out group gear order list in the next committee meeding. We've nominally agreed to share equipment with Hilary Greave's Texa dive Gear order will be done jointly with the club

First Aid

This will happen in week 8 and during Easter vacation in summer town.

Expedition committee had two meetings last term and one this term. Minutes and action sheets can be downloaded from our website.

Discussions

Chris Day: Caving Complex (see appendix 1)

Hilary Greaves -Discussion of contents lists for Procs 15 and 16. (Fleur has made a list which is attached. Would be good to have a quick brainstorm and see if anyone has anything to add.)

Tom Evans: Feedback on the cave biology project

Election of All 2007-8 officers

no minutes on this!

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Appendix 1/2 Caving Complex

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----- Original Message -----

From: Christopher Day To: OUCC committee

Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 11:49 AM

Subject: Fwd: Caving Complex

Forwarded is the response from Neil. It could be worth having a look at their climbing/abseiling wall - or have you visited this one already Hilary? I think you did some research into possible SRT training sites at one point, Cheers,

Chris

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Neil Addington" <neil.addington@scout.org.uk>

> Date: 14 February 2008 11:38:53 GMT

> To: "'Christopher Day'" <Chris.day@earth.ox.ac.uk>

> Subject: RE: Caving Complex

> Reply-To: "Neil Addington" <neil.addington@scout.org.uk>

>

> Hi Chris

> It sounds as what you can give us is what we want. We don't have  any firm  plans at the moment but as soon as we do I'll get back in touch and  arrange  to meet with your members for their views.

> On site we have a climbing/abseiling wall which sounds suitable for your needs. If you'd like to visit and have a look around you can see our  facilities for yourselves. Regards,  Neil

>  -----Original Message-----

> From: Christopher Day [mailto:Chris.day@earth.ox.ac.uk]  Sent: 14 February 2008 10:45 > To: Neil Addington

 Subject: Re: Caving Complex

>  Hi Neil,

> thanks for getting in touch with regards your plans for a new cave  complex - it's a very nice idea. 

> Whilst we couldn't provide substantial input on the design we'd  certainly be happy to comment on preliminary plans and provide ideas  from a caver's perspective. One possibility is that you could come to  show us your thoughts/plans during one of our cave club meets (we  meet every wednesday evening typically in St Edmund's Hall college)  and the members present, suitably merry on cheap college beer, could  provide feedback & ideas.

>  From a training point of view, of most interest to us is a suitable  location for a doing ropework practice, both introductory single rope  technique and more advanced rescue practices. Typical requirements  are: i) suitable height for doing abseils, prusiking, passing  deviations...ii) a top platform from which the experienced members  can instruct & check on the novice members during their first  descents/ascents iii) at least four to five rope attachment points  iv) close proximity to Oxford centre.  Currently we use a bridge in Wolvercote, which satisfies those  requirements but we would of course happily consider better  locations. Again we could provide thoughts on this if you were  thinking of including such a facility.  Kind regards,  Chris

> > On 13 Feb 2008, at 16:05, Neil Addington wrote:

> >> Hi Chris  >> We are an activity centre based just outside Oxford catering mainly > to the youth market and are looking to convert our swimming pool > complex into a man made caving complex. >> >> I was wondering if any of your members would be interested in >> advising us on design etc. and even to maybe using the completed >> complex for training sessions? If you are interested, could you >> either e-mail me at this address or give me a call at the number >> below?

>> >> Regards, >> >> Neil >>

>> Neil Addington >> Centre Manager >> Youlbury Scout Activity Centre >> The Scout Association >> Tel: 01865 326264

_

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Appendix 2/3 Cave biology project more details

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Cave biology project more details

From: Graham S. Proudlove <g.proudlove@manchester.ac.uk>

To: therealsmith@gmail.com, thomas.evans@merton.oxford.ac.uk, jcooper@lincoln.ac.uk, jlh76@cam.ac.uk, jfh22@tiscali.co.uk

Date: 23 Jul 2007 - 3:20p.m.

Adam Kessler (CUCC)

Jes Hatchett (CUCC)

Tom Evans (OUCC)

Jonathan Cooper (OUCC)

John Harper

I recently sent to you an information pack (all except John Harper) on Androniscus and Nanogona in caves. I hope that you found this useful. Please let me know if you need any further information.

I have now posted to each of you 20 tubes containing 100% ethanol (John only 11 tubes - more to follow) and for Adam, Jes and Tom a pair of forceps for handling the animals. I assume that Jonathan and John will already have these available but let me know if this is not the case. There is no time limit on this so any samples at any time will be very valuable.

One final point on sampling. Please use a separate tube for each animal so that we can look at gene flow within single cave systems as well as between them.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Cheers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Graham

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Graham S. Proudlove, British Cave Research Association Biological Recorder,

Department of Zoology, The Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester,

Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. Tel. +44(0)161 275 6001.

Email: g.proudlove@manchester.ac.uk. Web: bcra.org.uk/biology

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