Regular donor stories: Ascent Marketing via 1% for the Planet
Meet Clive Allen, a long-time BMC member who since 2005 has been donating to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust through his 1% for the Planet commitment.
Since he started his company, Ascent Marketing Communications in 2005, BMC member Clive Allen has chosen to support for the BMC Access & Conservation Trust via 1% for the Planet, donating over £10,000 over the last two decades. Thank you Clive!
We caught up with Clive to ask what inspired him to join 1% right from day one, and why he has remained dedicated our charity for so long. We hope other businesses will follow in his footsteps - read on to find out how easy it is.
Fundraise for us anytime!
We welcome fundraising from anyone, anytime! If you're keen to help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust repair paths, conserve upland landscapes and habitats and restore the moorlands in our Mend Our Mountains and The Climate Project campaigns, here's everything you need to get started.
What is your day job?
Since 2005 I've been the Director of Ascent Marketing Comms, my own PR company specialising with working with outdoor brands, and co-director of Kendal Mountain Festival (KMF).
Where are you based?
Kendal, just outside the Lake District.
How did you get into the outdoors?
I'm from Birmingham originally and I joined the Venture Scout group in Sutton Coldfield. Scouting absolutely changed my life. The closest climbing was in the Peak District so my first time was at Stanage and I remember vividly wearing gloves as I didn't know you weren't supposed to! I got into everything - climbing, caving, canoeing. I've climbed ever since. It's purely coincidental that I got into the outdoor business. I worked for Lloyds bank in Kent where I met my wife, Suzanne. We looked for a move north and there was a position advertised in High magazine for a marketing manager at Lowe Alpine - the icing on cake!
What are your current favourite outdoor hobbies?
Climbing and fell running. Ticking Wainwrights with Suzanne.
And why are you a member of the BMC?
I first joined back in the early 1980s because BMC insurance has always been the best choice for climbing abroad. And I believe we need an umbrella group that represents climbers and outdoor people across the UK and is able to lobby for that interest group.
When did you sign Ascent Marketing up for 1% for the Planet?
As soon as I set up my business in 2005. Yvonne Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, had recently co-founded 1% for the Planet [in 2002] to set up a global network of companies to give back to the environment in a meaningful way. There are now thousands of companies involved.
How easy it it to set up your company on 1% for the Planet?
It is so easy, you can do it online and I would say it takes 20-30 mins. You have to send your company accounts, signed off by your accountant.
What does 1% actually mean financially for your company?
It means 1% of your turnover, and there is a membership fee as well. I do have to put money away on one side during the year so I can pay it. I’ve stuck with it ever since because I felt it was good to be seen as a company that visibly is doing good things for the planet, and at the same time it forced me to prioritise my own commitment to the environment.
Can you only give to one charity or choose several?
You get to decide where your money goes, choosing from thousands of NGOs worldwide. Not all of my money has gone to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust, but the majority has. Consistency is a good thing - if you put money here, there and everywhere different each year, I feel there is less of an impact. I wanted to support a charity that was meaningful to me, and as a climber and outdoor person in the UK, the BMC is doing exactly what I want it to do. Access is hugely important and conservation as well. It's a no-brainer to channel my funds that way.
Do you think more businesses should sign up to 1% for the Planet?
I personally do because its a movement that is making an impact worldwide. If you don’t want to do 1% you can sign up to regularly support this or that, but what 1% does is force you to be honest - you can’t think, "I’ve had a bad year I’m not going to do it". You won’t be paying as much obviously, but you still have to make that payment. You’ve done the right thing. Anybody who admires Yvon Chouinard and what he means to the climbing and outdoor world will find 1% inspirational, and that’s why it has the status it has. He always wanted to use business as a force for good and it's easy once you get into business to forget about that - 1% for the Planet is less of a choice and more of a commitment.
Are you keen to get more involved in BMC Access & Conservation Trust campaigns or is 1% for the Planet enough?
I’d love to see what the BMC Access & Conservation Trust are doing on the ground a bit more - being part of what they’re doing would be great. I’d like to do a BMC Get Stuck In event with the Fix the Fells rangers, getting on the hills more and volunteering. Leaving a legacy to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust also sounds like a great idea.
What’s next for you personally in the outdoor world?
Less work, more climbing! I’m 63 in May 2026. Working in the outdoor industry is great because it doesn’t feel like a chore, so it's not like I’m going to retire and head to the golf course. I want a transition where I get more time to climb while also retaining some clients and working for KMF; it's all about getting the balance right.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I have also personally donated to Cumbria Bolt Fund. This is entirely funded by donations and climbers tend not to think about clipping into a bolt and doing the route - who’s actually paid for all that to be in place and maintained? I’ve done quite a few new routes in the Lake District so I’ve got quite a lot of the kit and I know it’s not cheap. It’s a big thing to drill a route with 12 bolts on it and glue them all in properly. People are giving their time up to make sure existing routes are safe and re-bolt them. Each area will have an equivalent fund, so if you're an active climber, consider making a donation to that because it's important to all of us.
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Meet Clive Allen, a long-time BMC member who since 2005 has been donating to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust through his 1% for the Planet commitment.
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Wildfire Walk
Sign up for our 25km sponsored Wildfire Walk from Hathersage, Sat 30 May, to help protect the Sheffield Moors from wildfire. This is part of the BMC Big Walking Weekend and supports our Wildfire Appeal which aims to raise £50,000 to safeguard Stanage, Burbage, Froggatt Edges and Curbar, areas deeply affected by recent fires.
BMC Big Hill Walking Weekend
Throughout the weekend we're running walks, talks, workshops and a chance to meet like-minded hikers, based in Edale, with additional satellite events like the Wildfire Walk from nearby Hathersage.
Protect the Sheffield Moors
We have already raised £50,000 to fund a dedicated Wildfire Ranger to protect the Sheffield Moors area from wildfire this season. Please now help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust raise a further £50,000 to support the team with equipment and restore the moorland for future generations.
£10 funds a roll of 20 sphagnum moss plugs
£25 fully restores 1m2 of moorland
£50 stabilises bare peat with cut heather
£100 funds ten educational social media posts
£200 builds a 2m dam to rewet an eroded gully
£2,000 hires one wildfire-prevention road sign
£10,000 buys a wildfire-detection drone
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