Derbyshire Caving Association

Information Circular 2005/3, June / July 2005

NEXT DCA MEETING

DCA Council (open to all DCA Members): Saturday, 22 October 2005, 10am. at Monyash Village Hall

The Hall will be open from about 9.30am with tea, coffee and biscuits on tap. The Old Smithy Cafe, next to the Pub, does an excellent breakfast from about 9am.

The following DCA Meeting will be the AGM 2006, Saturday, 25 February 2006

DCA HONORARY MEMBER

Welcome to Roy Paulson, who has been awarded Honorary Membership of DCA in recognition and appreciation of all his work for us over many years in the production of our publications and paperwork: The Derbyshire Caver, the DCA Handbook, the new Manifold & Hamps Valleys Cave Conservation Audit, the other DCA Conservation publications and all our essential paperwork.

CONSERVATION & ACCESS NOTES

Don't forget that all three members of the DCA Conservation & Access Team can be contacted together on one email address at access @ theDCA.org.uk. Otherwise you can contact them individually at:

DCA Project Co-ordination Officer
Thanks to Wayne Sheldon who has volunteered and been co-opted as Project Co-ordination Officer to assist in the work on SSSIs currently being carried out for English Nature. To date Dave Webb has done this job as well as his other work as Conservation Officer but has found doing the two major and time-consuming jobs together increasingly hard going. Wayne and Dave will work together on future SSSI projects so that Dave has more time to spend on his main work as DCA Conservation Officer.

Darfar Ridge Cave Access Arrangements
Darfar Ridge Cave is owned by the National Trust. To get the key, please contact the South Peak Estate Office on 01335 350503 during office hours, or email ilampark @ nationaltrust.org.uk. No more than four people in the cave at any one time due to conservation reasons. Much conservation work has been carried out within the cave, so please respect the taping and avoid spreading mud on recently cleaned formations. Many thanks.

Giants Money box
Len Kirkham of Crewe has installed a new "thief resistant" money box at Giants. Ralph has spoken to Steve Baldacci but up to the time of writing the old one is still in use. No doubt a notice will appear when the change-over happens.

Neptune Mine
Ralph Johnson reports that Crewe have been busy on the adit entrance to Neptune Mine in Cressbrook Dale which is now "open to all comers" (especially if they want to tackle the dig in the natural rift at the far end). The restoration is substantial and the original gate has been re-fixed which can be opened with a "Derbyshire Spanner". Care will still be needed when crossing the flooded open shafts located in the floor a short distance into the adit, as the original bridges of timber and old rails are still in place, and a traverse line should be rigged for protection

CHILD PROTECTION

NCA/BCA have developed and promote an Equality Policy, Child Protection Policy and Disrepute Policy. The need for individual Caving Clubs to develop Child Protection Policies will be limited to those which admit members below the age of 18. Any such who may be in contact with employees or other formal appointees may lead to a need for Criminal Records Bureau disclosure. The CCPR has just published a summary explanatory booklet which is freely available to any CCPR member; so if you know of a BCA member club with possible problems, they are eligible to consult it. If your club admits members under the age of 18 and you require further details, for a copy of this booklet and for further information on this service to CCPR members please contact: Eliot Caton at CCPR on 020 7854 8526 or ecaton @ ccpr.org.uk.

NEWS FROM OTHER AREAS

CAVE ACCESS AGREEMENT - Little Neath River Cave, Bridge Cave & Upper Nedd Valley
An access agreement has been reached between the Cambrian Caving Council and the Landowners of the above caves, on behalf of all cavers both recreational and professional. Parking for these sites will be at the Bridge Cave car park only. As before, cavers will be expected to pay the agreed parking fee to the landowners, the Lewis family of Blaen Nedd Isaf. There will probably be some form of secure collecting box at the car park in the future but for now, a quick trip to the farm by one member of the group to ensure continuing good relationships would be in order. Sporting cavers are asked to have suitable 3rd party liability insurance. Further pre-requisites of access are; that each member of the group is entering the cave of their own free will; that each knows the nature of the difficulties they will encounter and that each caver accepts that they are entering a potentially dangerous environment at their own risk. Should anyone wish to dig or conduct a scientific project within LNRC, please contact the CCC beforehand. The cave and the land above and around the area are a designated SSSI which carries special protection at law. No dig or project will be refused if they are carried out in an acceptable manner. Access for professional groups will depend on their demonstrating to the CCC that they have appropriate insurance cover, have carried out the necessary risk assessments and have paid their appropriate fee to the landowners.

High CO2 Levels in Mendip Caves - warning from CSCC
For information: Some CO2 monitoring was conducted in GB and Swildons on 14 July by Tony Boycott (UBSS) and Chris Binding (ChCC). The results are below. The numbers indicate that whilst there is a moderate problem at the present time, it is nothing Mendip hasn't experienced in recent Summers. But please be aware that at 2% CO2 the likely physiological effects are: "Lung ventilation increases by 50 percent, headache after several hours exposure. Accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body after prolonged breathing of air containing around 2% or greater will disturb body function by causing the tissue fluids to become too acidic. This will result in loss of energy and feeling run-down even after leaving the cave. It may take the person up to several days in a good environment for the body metabolism to return to normal." Monitoring will be ongoing. Please see that guest cavers are made aware.

FOR YOUR NEWSLETTER / NOTICEBOARD

www.theDCA.org.uk - dca @ theDCA.org.uk

17th July 2005