The BMC Equity Symposium aims to celebrate and support ethnic minority adventure in the great outdoors. Book your place now to take part in this important event based in Keighley, West Yorkshire, on the weekend of 28 to 30 March.

What is the BMC Equity Symposium?
The BMC Equity Symposium 2014: Breaking Down the Barriers is a whole weekend of practical sessions, outdoor instruction and inspiring speakers. The aim is to celebrate and support ethnic minority adventure in the great outdoors.

Who is this event for?
Our aim is to provide inspiration, ideas and skills to people from ethnic minority groups who want to get more active in the outdoors.  The event is also for those looking to help people from ethnic minorities get more active in the outdoors.

When is it?
The event takes place on the weekend of 28 to 30 March 2014. The symposium starts at 7pm on Friday 28 March and finishes at 4.30pm on Sunday 30 March.

Where is it?
The event takes place at YHA Haworth in the heart of Bronte country, near Keighley.

Food and accommodation
A buffet dinner will be provided on the Friday from 7pm until 11pm. On Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided. On Sunday breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Timetable & Activities: let's get outside!
Read the Symposium timetable. The event will consist of both indoor and outdoor workshops, discussions and evening lectures. There will be practical workshops on the surrounding moors and crags led by Mountain Training qualified instructors on navigation, group leading, first aid and rock climbing. Some of the sessions will also be women-only.

Workshops during the day are divided into indoor and outdoor sessions, with indoor sessions tackling a diverse range of subjects from funding and families to spirituality and heritage.

Cost
The cost is just £30 for BMC members and £40 for non-members – a huge discount (BMC membership costs £14.95 for the first year if you sign up by direct debit.). The price includes two nights accommodation, all meals, plus access to all the activities on the timetable.

The cost without accommodation is £20 for non-members and members. Don’t miss out!

How do I book?
BOOKING FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED.

Speakers

The varied list of speakers includes GB junior climbing team captain Molly Thompson-Smith and her father Tony Smith, coach of Queen’s Park Rangers FC women’s team, who will lead a workshop on taking part in adventurous activities as a family. Accomplished climber and ex-BMC Vice President Rehan Siddiqui will deliver a keynote speech.

Top UK volunteer Chamu Kuppuswamy will spearhead a discussion about Anglo-Indian perspectives on the countryside while veteran youth worker and Peak District volunteer Zahid Hamid will head up a workshop on the history of BME engagement with the outdoors. Representatives from the Yorkshire Dales national park authority and local outreach projects will hold a joint workshop to discuss efforts to engage with BME groups in Leeds and Bradford.

There will also be a keynote speech and plenary discussion on spirituality and the outdoors led by UK Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism (FAIR) founder Jeremy Henzell-Thomas.

For a full list people involved see the symposium timetable.

Further information
Research shows ethnic minorities in Britain participate less in the outdoors than the rest of the population.  The latest Natural England Survey found that visits to the countryside and natural environment among the BME (black and minority ethnic) population was just 27%, compared to 41% among those of white ethnicity.

The good news is there are signs this is changing – according to Sport England the numbers of people from ethnic minority participating in ‘mountaineering’ is increasing, while the profile of ethnic minority adventurers is growing. In 2010, for example, Hackney-born Dwayne Fields became the first Black Briton to reach the North Pole.

But there is still a long way to go before activities like hill walking, climbing and mountaineering are truly representative of the population at large. The BMC Equity Symposium hopes to change this.

This event is hosted by the BMC in conjunction with Mosaic National Network (.pdf) and Mountain Training, 

FOR ANY QUERIES
Please email Carey Davies at the BMC.

Edit: an earlier version of this story said seven-summit climber Sundeep Dhillon would be delivering an evening lecture. Unfortunately Sundeep is no longer able to make it. His replacement is TBC.

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