About Us
Who are we? What are we doing? And why are we doing it in the South East?
East Grinstead Climbing Club has been going for well over 30 years (est. 1985) and we’ve done a fair bit of adapting to change during that time. Climbing was a simpler sport when the club was first formed, but it now covers a wider variety of activities, from bouldering through to Alpine mountaineering, from summer toproping on sandstone to winter ice climbing, and everything in between.
An essential part of the club is the collective experience gained over the years, but… everyone has to start somewhere, and we go out of our way to welcome people of all ages (over 18) who are starting out or who are relatively inexperienced.
We were especially pleased to see the opening of a new bouldering wall in East Grinstead: Volume 1 Climbing, and it’s now a regular venue for club members. There should be a few of us there most Fridays, and they have agreed a modest discount to encourage club members to come along!
The Climbing
We have to accept that our location means climbing on plastic is inevitable, but getting out on the crags is still the Club’s main objective. The Meets Secretary can call on a wealth of experience when drawing up the meets schedule for the year, but meets happen because individual members make them happen. This is not a club for people who want everything done for them by someone else.
Membership
So what do you get with your membership? Obviously you get the company of like-minded people, but the club is also BMC affiliated, which means that you get BMC affiliate membership too. So you get copies of the BMC Summit magazine and are covered by their third party liability insurance – and with the BMC membership card you get pretty good discounts (some as high as 20%) in most climbing and outdoor activity shops.
The Library
We have an extensive library of guide books and reference books available. Members have access to the book list and can borrow items via our Librarian.
Other meets
Once a year we hold the club’s AGM, and this is usually followed by a meal in a local pub or curry house. All members are encouraged to come to the AGM, as it’s an opportunity to voice opinions on how the club is run, to influence the club’s future direction, and to participate in the club Awards Ceremony.
The Sandstone Volunteers Group
The club is an enthusiastic supporter of the SVG – we do a lot of our climbing on sandstone, so we feel that it’s only right that we should put in a bit of effort to maintain the rocks and the surrounding area.
The SVG typically has a couple of working group meetings per year, and they also hold a meeting at which issues relevant to Southern Sandstone can be addressed, in conjunction with the BMC.
If you want to take part in one of their Work Groups, please contact us and we will let you know when and where the next one is going to take place.