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Matt Dickenson came to Oakham School to speak about Everest and his exploration film making career. His background (after leaving Gresham's school) has been as a specialist film maker working for National Geographic Television, Discovery Channel and the BBC. Among the highlights of his career have been some quite thrilling experiences on Everest (which he was fortunate enough to summit) and other peaks. He has frequently lectured about these experiences at schools and colleges around the country and will be presenting at around 45 schools later this year.

The reason for the tour is to publicise a new book series coming out entitled Mortal Chaos. It is written for teenage/young adult readers and has been commissioned by Oxford University Press. It has had many glowing reviews including one from my son Thomas (14) who thought it was brilliant and he is eagerly looking forward to getting hold of the next in the series.

The presentation was highly visual with slides and video and lasted for about an hour with time for questions afterwards. Previous audiences have included The Royal Geographical Society and Harrow School.

There was a genuine educational value to the talk (geography/human science/environment) but the emphasis is on encouraging young people to find ambitious targets of their own which it did. The pupils and parents who braved the snow to attend found it fascinating.

If you would like to find out more about Matt then his website is www.mattdickinson.es There is more information about the new book series at www.mortalchaos.es

If you would like to talk to Matt about him presenting at your school please do email dickinson_matt@hotmail.com

Steve Gorman

Slides and notes re the HMC Conference at Trent College can be found here:
http://www.independentoutdoor.org.uk/node/322/edit?destination=admin%2Fc...

2nd Jan 2012 Ben Nevis, Douglas Boulder SW ridge, III, lots of fresh powder snow, snow showers and spindrift all day, high winds kept us low on the mountain (850m). Conditions on the summit plateau must have been very bad. Ice and mixed routes are holding their own high in Coire na Ciste. Freezing level was around 600m all day.
Photo of descent courtesy of Will Tranter

In early 2012, Mountain Leader Training will be launching a new website and online Candidate Management System. This sytem is a huge investment into the management of all our candidate details, and will bring all of your contact details, awards, CPD and membership details into one easy to use location.

In order to contact as many of our candidates and members when we launch we need to check we have a valid email address for you. We are therefore asking if you could please complete and submit this short form http://bdb.im/6p so we can update these account details.

Please help us circulate this message to everyone in the Mountain Leader Community by sharing this message in as many places as you can, Forums, Websites, Email, Facebook, Twitter and of course word of mouth.

...just had an email from Dr Richard Broughton, based in Liverpool and a key worker for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). He is director of the consultation process for the new code of practice for the outdoor industry. He says:
"Post-consultation, we have established a cross sector working group to
assist in the development of the new Code of Practice - its shape, scope
and content. The group has met three times and we have made steady
progress. As well as helping to shape the code's content etc, the group
has also considered matters around reassurance to users of good
standards among providers, and with respect to providers how they can be
assured to some extent of their future compliance with statutory health
and safety duties.

We are meeting again in a little under 3 weeks and have one final
meeting planned for January. The intention is for the code to be
finalised around this time as well as clear statements on the others
matters I note, namely reassurance and compliance. I have noted your
e-mail, and will ensure that once arrangements are in hand for wider
circulation etc you are made fully aware"

Keep checking this blog to get details of the Code as soon as it goes public

...last weekend the team gathered at the Manchester Grammar centre at South Stainmore between the Lakes and the Dales. Open boating on the Eden and Lune, plus a meeting to discuss the new website, the programme of CPD on offer for 2012 and beyond, and the national conference on November 5th 2012.