Well I can't let this thread go without saying something since NAMHO was
originally the idea of myself and a few others. I realise I am going to
upset some people but hey - what the hell!
When NAMHO was set up many years ago now, it had a few particular aims.
a) To bring mining groups together and in this it has been successful.
It no longer needs to act as a co-ordinator as groups are aware of each
other and get in touch direct. The mining conference no longer needs
NAMHO (and has not needed for a long while) since it is the societies
that do the organising.
b) To act as a lobby over access problems which were particularly
prevalent at that time. Again, this has been more or less done with the
BCRA Insurance Scheme (note the name BCRA since without their scheme we
would have lost most of the underground access in the UK and left
ourselves open to being asset stripped by greedy lawyers!!!).
c) To disseminate information on safety and preservation issues since
there was concern at groups who were exploring mines then. We started
off well with a number of codes of practice which were issued FREE to
encourage reaching everyone. This has not been carried on and I don't
know what stocks are left. The only one recently was the Health &
Safety one which to be honest is useless for anyone except professional
mining concerns. For the average person (especially novices) exploring
mines it is incomprehensible. I do training for the LCMLA Mine Leader
award and the NAMHO codes of practice are essential reading. No way
would I recommend the latest thing to them and especially when NAMHO has
the cheek to charge for it! There are thousands of pounds in the NAMHO
accounts and I would much prefer to see this spent on distributing free
codes of practice or organising workshops/seminars to people interested
in mines rather than paid to bribe representatives to attend meetings.
I never got paid to attend meetings and neither should they. If they
are truly interested in NAMHO then it should be a voluntary thing - if
people aren't going then there is something seriously wrong.
I stopped going to meetings long ago since basically NAMHO had succeeded
in what it had set out to do and became moribund. It needs a complete
re-vamp and I actually agree with Mike that it should merge with BCRA.
There is an unfortunate element in mining history who regard "cavers"
with something like horror and forward a snobbish academic view that
they are mere "rope-swingers". Without them, however, we would know a
fraction of what we do about mines since underground exploration is how
we gain most of our info. The mining "academics" once tried to form
their own organisation but it foundered. The moral is - academics and
cavers need each other.
Someone rightly pointed out that an idea once for a national mining
publication came to nothing - I will not dwell on why. BCRA
successfully produces 2 national publications and would be an ideal
vehicle for hosting a mining one.
The world moves on. Communication has been revolutionised by the
internet. Peter's mining history list has actually stimulated more
interest and discussion in the subject than all of NAMHO's council
meetings. I think the whole principle of national organisations and
committees is already outdated. If people don't attend NAMHO meetings
there is no point berating or bribing them to attend. If they don't go
then there is a good reason - they are boring and people have far better
things to do. Instead NAMHO should look at how it must re-structure to
serve us in the 21st century.
Why not sponsor a workshop or is that too revolutionary an idea! Sorry
I forgot - that would cost money and our poor reps need as much as they
can get in mileage! Sorry my cynicism is showing.
Well if that doesn't get the fingers typing then everyone is dead!
Adrian
--
Visit the following sites for references to all kinds of mining subjects
British Mining Database
http://www.ap.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bmd.htm
Shropshire Mines Trust
http://www.ap.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/smt.htm
Snailbeach Mine
http://www.ap.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sbeach.htm
Tankerville Mine
http://www.ap.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tanker.htm
Bersham Colliery Trust
http://www.ap.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bct.htm
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