Awards and Bursaries Administered by The Mountain training Trust

Gerald Harris was an enthusiastic and experienced mountaineer who as a teacher spent a great deal of his time sharing his love for, and knowledge of the mountains with young people. He was a well-loved, much respected member of the outdoor community as well as regular and welcome visitor to Plas y Brenin.
Following Gerald's death his family set up a trust fund in his memory. Today The Gerald Harris Memorial Trust aims to help other teachers gain the necessary qualifications to lead groups of young people in the mountains of the United Kingdom. As a result, each year a number of teachers and others will be able to take advantage of subsidised places on a Mountain Leader Training or Walking Group Leader Training course at Plas y Brenin. If you would like to be considered for one of these places, complete an application form and a booking form and send both to the Gerald Harris Memorial Trust at Plas y Brenin.

Godfrey Jackson Memorial Award

Godfrey Jackson was a very keen mountaineer who had a particular love for snow, ice and winter climbing. He derived a great deal of pleasure from the climbing he did throughout the world and always had a keen interest in helping young people to climb. Godfrey was also a good friend and supporter of Plas y Brenin. Following his death, Godfrey’s family established a trust fund which helps young people between the ages of 18 and 23 gain experience of snow and ice climbing so that they can further their mountaineering. The training is provided through Plas y Brenin.
Each year 8 places will be available in Scotland on our Scottish Winter Mountaineering course . If you would like to be considered for one of these places complete the booking form at the back of the brochure and send it, together with a brief letter outling your mountaineering experience and why you would benefit from this opportunity, to the Godfrey Jackson Award at Plas y Brenin by the 30th November 2008 .

Jonathan Conville Trust

The Trust was set up by the family of Jonathan Conville following his death on the North Face of the Matterhorn at the age of 27. The Trust has provided several thousand subsidised training places on introductory courses in the Alps and in Scotland in winter since 1979. This valuable support to safer mountaineering is now administered and co-ordinated by the Mountain Training trust and Plas y Brenin. The BMC and MCofS also support these places. Details of the application process for the 100 places on the 3 day courses based in Argentiere in July and the 80 places based in the Cairngorms in January are available.

For more details click here

Kathmandu Memorial Bursary

The Kathmandu Memorial Bursary was set up by the families of Mick and Sue Hardwick, Dave Harries and Ali Cope (all of whom worked at Plas y Brenin) following a tragic air crash in 1992. The bursaries are awarded each year by the Trustees and part funds the applicants on National Governing Body Award courses at Plas y Brenin. Applications are invited from volunteer leaders and students. If you would like to be considered for one of these places complete a booking form and an application form and send both to the Kathmandu Memorial Fund at Plas y Brenin.

Click here to download more information

Click here to download an application form

Benjamin Brabner Award

Ben lived in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales with his family. He enjoyed all sorts of sports but especially alpine Sports. He skied, mountain biked and climbed in the USA, Canada and Europe. Even though Ben was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight, he never let this interfere with his sport. He loved the mountains and was an able off-piste skier. Ben tragically died at the age of 34. His friendliness and sense of humour will never be forgotten. The Benjamin Brabner bursary is awarded each year by the Trustees to successful applicants who must be under 23 years of age to provide part funding for 8 places on the Alpine Apprenticeship course(fee to pay £200) closing date 31st May 2009, and part funds 8 places on the Scottish Winter Mountaineering course (fee to pay £200) closing date 30th November 2008. If you would like to be considered for one of these places complete a booking form and an application form and send both to the Benjamin Brabner Fund at Plas y Brenin.

The Mark Clifford Mountaineering Grant

Born 27th February 1972 mark Clifford died in 2006 of Lung Cancer, aged only 34. A climber, a mountaineer, a skier, a runner, an orienteer a pilot and a top level rugby player. Mark was a gifted sportsman and outdoor enthusiast who worked in the Outdoor Trade for Rohan, then Field & Trek and finally Mountain Equip-ment as Marketing Manager. He spent 10 very happy years with Zoe - now the production manager at Mountain Equipment - They were married in September 2004.
Why Mark Clifford Mountaineering Grant? ‘To Encourage & Support Young Mountaineers go to exciting new places!’ As Marketing Manager of Mountain Equipment Mark was in charge of giving out sponsorship - many times he was approached by young teams with bold plans, yet he was out of commercial budget. Now we can change this, with the help of the board of trustees Mark Clifford’s help to mountaineers, lives on.
Preference will be given to young mountaineers in new climbing areas that take the pressure off ‘Honey-pot’ regions, ambitious first ascents, educational or scientific new projects or wild remote explorations - especially in the interna-tional ranges. Every year Mark’s friends and family will contribute to the charitable Trust fund, every year Mountain Equipment - Marks employer - will underwrite and donate to ensure the continuity of the grant. The grant is up to £2,000 in any one application, and intended to assist small teams - two people teams preferred - with high ambitions in the mountains but small pockets!
For full details visit www.markclifford.co.uk.

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