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NEWS ARCHIVE
This page contains the current news in full as it appears on the scrolling news. The second part of this page covers older news which goes back over 19 years to 2001. Beware that some links in the news items may no longer work after changes to the website over time.
Current newsreel2020 BCA advice on Covid19 and caving The BCA has issued an updated statement on caving and Covid. It is well worth reading and can be downloaded at this link. Active caving and mining members are strongly advised to read it. Andy Farrow
Annual Dinner 2020
Caving during the crisis - update
DCC Diamond anniversary celebration postponed For obvious reasons, the celebration due to take place near Buxton at the start of July has been postponed for a year. Although we may all hope to be clear of the crisis by then, the uncertainty means that the risk is too great. The event is being re-planned for 10th and 11th July 2021 - if things are back to normal by then. We can still hope that the Annual Dinner in November will go ahead and should be quite a special "do" as a result. Keep well and keep fit - there'll be a lot of caving to catch up in the future! Coronavirus fatality among former DCC members Sadly, we have heard that Geoff Blair, a member in the early 1980s, has died as a result of the virus. Geoff was on the SIMA GESM expedition in 1982 as can be read in the newsletter of that time. Our thoughts must go to all who knew Geoff - and all those others suffering from this disease. Matienzo is cancelled! Due to the virus and uncertainty about access in Spain as a result, this year's expeditions at Easter and in the Summer have been cancelled. This means that the 60th year celebrations for the expedition have also been cancelled and like the DCC 60th celebrations, will take place in 2021 - all being well. Coronavirus and trips to the mines In view of the outbreak of Coronavirus, we have now cancelled all future mine trips and the Open Weekend in September. The next Open Weekend should be in April 2021 when we can only hope that the crisis has past its peak. 2019 DCC Shop now open
Meets List Although the events on this website have details of trips during the year, members will find more details on the Club Facebook page. Use the link at the bottom of the home page and members' pages to go to the Club Facebook page. 2016 More about the Alderley Mines The new edition of Chris Carlon's Alderley Edge Mines book is for sale from the publisher and from Amazon. Copies are also available at the Club's Open Weekends and from the Club shop. The book has been heavily revised and describes all the main mines in detail. It remains a useful companion to the Alderley Edge Story published in 2016. Contact Nigel for further details. The cost is £12 POST FREE from Nigel. 2013 Caving and mining log The most recent items on the caving and mining log can now be viewed in brief in this panel. Click on the section below that says: news | events | log. Remember to add a record of your own trips. 2020 Caving during the crisis
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Newsreel archiveSubscriptions 2020
Gerry Souter 80! I'm told that Jerry Souter, one-time member of the Club and long-term friend of Dale Street, is having a celebration of his birthday on 11th January. The celebration takes place in Cheadle, Stockport. Contact Nigel or John New for details of venue and time. Chris Smith Sadly, we have heard that Chris Smith, a DCC member in the 1960s, died on New Year's Eve. Details of funeral arrangements are not yet available but anyone who knew Chris and wants to pay their respects should contact John New. 2019 Annual Dinner 2019
Working Weekend at Wood Mine A working weekend is planned for 12th and 13th October. The plan is to repair some rotten woodwork inside Wood Mine and start on work to prevent flooding at the entrance. Historic England have been informed that work will start and we hope by the end of the day to have an entrance that will not flood. Members and non-members welcome to come along and help. Contact Nigel or Anton for more details. Alderley Mines Open Weekend
Alderley Mines Open Weekend
John and Lou married Congratulations to John and Lou New who got married in late May after just 26 years of living together in Woodbine Crescent. To mark the occasion, John and Lou invited a number of past and present members to join them for an evening of reminiscences on 1st June. There were at least 30 present at the celebration. Just to prove that we had not all gone senile, a chorus of Jerusalem was sung before the end of the evening. Best wishes for the future to John and Lou. Bill Hester - RIP
Rob McNeil - RIP
Annual Dinner 2019
Bill Hosier
2018 New arrangements for Alderley Mine trips
Accommodating touch screens I have made some changes to the main menus on the DCC site to allow touch screen users to access pages. On a touch screen device, tap the menu heading and the drop-down menu will appear for a short while to allow you to select a page. If there are any problems, please let me know. Nigel - Webmaster Annual Dinner 2018 - booking open You can now book on-line for the Annual Dinner on 10th November 2018. Bookings have to be in by 27th October. Members can follow this link. Non-members should contact a member or email the Club. Members without email will receive a printed booking form. Vera Glenn
MEETS LIST
Alderley Mines Open Weekend
New Meets Secretary Rob has now taken over from Anton to look after planning meets. He can be contacted via meets-sec@derbyscc.org.uk. He doesn't plan to lead the trips but will help to organise a meets calendar. General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) With GDPR in operation now, members will find that I have removed all personal details from the membership list. If you are happy for your address, telephone numbers, email and joining date to appear on the list for the benefit of other members, please go to "Edit my own details" and untick the relevant boxes. Following further research into GDPR, I have decided not to send round a questionnaire to everyone asking them to confirm their details and what they are prepared to be seen on the website as you can do this yourself on-line. The DCC data protection policy is also available now online as is an updated web page about data protection. Nigel (Webmaster) Alderley Mines Open Weekend We have now passed the April 2018 Open Weekend which was a great success despite an annoying shower of rain just as we were clearing up. Disappointingly, a number of people who had reserved trips did not turn up, preventing others from booking in advance. We may have to introduce a non-refundable deposit to counter this. Nevertheless, several hundred visitors did arrive and enjoy a trip and no one was turned away. We also welcomed members from a number of other caving clubs for the weekend. Planning will now start for the September 2018 Open Weekend (1st and 2nd September) and bookings can now be made. There are some reactions from visitors on the feedback page and Facebook. Alderley Mines Open Weekend The Open Weekend is this weekend. If you have a reservation, please make sure you check in AT LEAST 15 minutes before the time of your trip. If you do not have a reservation, come to the reception anyway as space is usually available throughout the weekend. Trips start at 10 am and the last is at 4 pm. Remember to bring some money! Website changes Given that most people have access now to wider screens on their laptops, tablets and PCs, I felt it was time to bring the website a little bit more up to date. The screen width is now 1200 pixels which makes for shorter pages and more space for photos. I have also added a new feature to the home page; this is still subject to some more development. There are a lot of pages on the site and quite a number will need tweaking as pictures need to be moved (and often pages need updating as well). Therefore it may be a while before everything is back to normal. Any serious issues, PLEASE let the webmaster know as soon as possible so that they can be quickly fixed. Happy New Year and where are your subs? A happy new year to all our members and website visitors. We hope it goes well for you. Members, please remember that subs are due from January 1st and should be paid by 31st March. The first batch of insurance cards has now been issued. Please check on-line if you want to see if you have paid or to pay your subs. Open Weekend
2017 General Meetings
Annual General Meeting The AGM this year is on 11th December and will be held at the Wizard, Alderley Edge. The formal meeting starts at 8 pm but members usually gather earlier to chat. New members are especially welcome. Annual Dinner 2017
Party at Nigel and LIz's If you want to come to a party at ours on 11th November, get in touch. There's a bit more info on Facebook om the Club pages. If you plan to come, please let us know so we can arrange for food for everyone. Dodgers Dispatch A new edition of the newsletter has been produced by Lauren in a new clean format with trip reports, news, invitations and calendar. All (decent) contributions are always welcome for future issues. If you have a trip report, send it along and it will be copied on to the permanent log on the website (this link is to the log on the public site; these items and many more are also available in the members' pages). Remember that one day in the future you may think "what did I do during 2017?" and you will be sorry if you didn't put something on the log or in the Dodgers Dispatch! Contributions for the newsletter can be sent to Lauren@derbyscc.org.uk. Annual Dinner 2017
Open Weekend - Wood Mine
Open Weekend
Open Weekend
Change to secure website I am pleased to say that the change of the website to a secure site has gone through smoothly. The site address has changed from http://www.derbyscc.org.uk to https://www.derbyscc.org.uk. The change will make the site more up-to-date and secure. If you log onto the site using the old address, a warning will appear on the home page with a link to the new address. Please update your bookmarks accordingly. Nigel (Webmaster) ROGUES GALLERY I have updated the Rogues Gallery and there are now over 100 pictures. I am sure someone will spot some omissions so if you do, let me know and send me a decent picture to add to it. I have included a number of ex-members including some who have sadly passed on to the great white cave in the sky. The gallery can be seen on the open club pages at this link. CAVE CONSERVATION CODE The British Caving Association has published a cave conservation code in conjuction with Natural England and the British Cave Research Association. This can be dowloaded from our site where it will be found on the cave conservation page. All members are encouraged to read it. DCC General Meeting The next meeting is Monday 13th February at 8pm at the Wizard, Alderley Edge. All welcome, especially new and prospective members. Another weekend - another party
James Johnson's 21st birthday bash
Happy New Year A happy new year to all our members and website visitors. We hope it goes well for you. Members, please remember that subs are due for January 1st and should be paid by 31st March. 2016 DCC AGM held The Club AGM was held on Monday, 5th December. The officers and committee was unchanged except for Anton and Allan joining with Anton as Meets Secretary, and Kieran and Simon leaving. Four full and one associate member were welcomed into the Club and one person joined as a probationer. Meeting dates for 2017 were agreed and are now on the events list. If you need any further information, contact the Secretary or Treasurer. NAMHO Conference 2017
DCRO rescue practice There is a practice rescue at Alderley Edge on Sunday 20th November. This will include a range of exercises and could be very interesting for recent joiners. All members are encouraged to attend as this is good experience and also shows the DCRO our commitment to cave rescue. For further details, please contact Nigel. Annual Dinner 2016
Talk on Matienzo 2016
September 2016 Newsletter Paid-up members will get a copy of the newsletter by post in the next couple of days. This includes a copy of the information about safety at Alderley so that everyone has a chance to read it before the next General Meeting on 10th October. If you don't get a copy (or a letter reminding you to pay your subs), then the Club might not have your current address. Please let Nigel and Ed know so that we can update the records. Open Weekend
Change of Bank Account The DCC now has a new bank account. Anyone planning to send a payment electronically to the Club should contact the Treasurer for the new details. DCRO Open Day Members present at the last meeting will remember mention being made of the DCRO Open Day in Buxton. Joining instructions are HERE. It is important to let Mick Earle know if you are attending. His details are on the instructions. West Mine Trip
Open Weekend
Open Weekend
OPEN DAY BOOKING fixed! It turns out that M****soft Edge internet browser works to different rules than Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc. As a result, the booking form would not work as designed on Edge. This has now been fixed (I hope - until M****soft make the next unnecessary change). My apologies to anyone who has tried and failed to make a booking but the system should now be working OK. Nigel (Webmaster) The Story of Alderley
Website changes I have made a few more changes to the open day booking page following difficulties experienced by some users. The changes have been subject to testing but if you hit any problems, please email the webmaster so that I can fix them promptly. Thanks. 2015 Happy Christmas and New Year
Subscriptions due! Members of the DCC need to be aware that the Club subscriptions and BCA insurance fees are due from January 1st. The subscription rate will be going up from the end of March so get your subs in sooner rather than later. The insurance rate is the same as last year. Details are on the members' pages. Annual Dinner awards
New pictures on the home page There are some new pictures on the home page of our site. If you don't see any new ones, try refreshing your screen (F5 in most browsers). Glitch in Open Day booking system A small glitch in the system stopped people from confirming Alderley Open Day bookings. This has now been fixed and the booking system is up and running. Hidden Earth successes
Club Dinner
Open Weekend The next Open Weekend is at Wood Mine this coming weekend, 5th and 6th September 2015. Space is always left available for people turning up on the day. There are places to book on both days but booking closes at mid-day on Friday. For more information including a map of how to get there, you can click here . Bookable trips down the Alderley Mines Small groups an individuals can now book direct onto a DCC mine trip using www.eventbrite.co.uk website. The first planned visit can be viewed HERE. Other ways of visiting the mines can be found HERE. Trips down the Alderley Mines Do you want a trip down the mine but don't want to wait until the Open Weekend? Do you have a group who want to visit the mines? Do you have some form of special needs? Then you should contact Paul Stubbs who organises trips on behalf of the Club. Most trips are on Tuesday evenings but it is possible to vary this. Paul can be contacted on 0161 493 3132. There is more about visiting the mines on this website, just go to www.derbyscc.org.uk/visiting to find out about trips. Surgery clean-up The Surgery, the Club's meeting place at Alderley Edge, has been the target for a painting and cleaning weekend. It now shines out like a beacon. The inside has been thoroughly cleaned and painted. Let's hope it stays like that! The weekend also provided a good social opportunity. Open Weekend
Open Weekend The Open Weekend at Engine Vein is now upon us. The Open Days are 25th and 26th April 2015 and space is always left available for people turning up on the day. There are still places to book on both days. For more information including a map of how to get ther, you can click here . Exhibition of Alderley photos A set of Ed's photos blown up to great size is now set up in the room that used to be the general information room at the Edge, next to the Museum. The pictures are excellent. This is a permanent exhibition to show people what is under their feet at Alderley. There may be an official opening date later but the gallery has been open to visitors since Easter. DCRO Intro Session
Loss of past members
New facility for members to put up NEWS items A new feature on the members' pages allows members to put up a news item. This is coupled with a scrolling news section on the members' home page. This news shows all the public items and also items private to the club members. To set up a news item, go to the news creation page. Members will need to log in to use these links. 2014 Club Dinner The Club Dinner for 2014 has been booked for 29th November in Stockport. Details are available for non-members and members who can book and pay on-line. It's a great social occasion - try to be there! DCC Calendars
Open Weekend
Loss of another member
Matienzo 2014 and 2015
Supper at Alderley Edge A grand time was had by all at the Wizard Tea Rooms on Saturday night. During the Saturday and Sunday, various sessions were spent underground and on the surface looking at sites and practising digging techniques. Supper at Alderley Edge Members are reminded that there will be a social at Alderley Edge on Saturday 23rd August when a supper will be served for about 35 people at about 7 pm. If you have not contacted Bill or Nigel yet, then you had better do so as the allocation will be on a first come first served basis once we have served the people who definitely say they are coming. Bring your own drink. Cost £10 each including Hot Pot main and Apple Crumble desert. If you want to join in a trip, meet at the Surgery at noon before the social. Nuisance user! Someone has been illegally using our address: opendays [at] derbyscc.org.uk to send spam emails. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but sadly there is no way we can prevent this as the emails are NOT being sent through our server. Hopefully, this timewaster will realise that the exercise is quite pointless and desist soon. Nuisance user! Will the Polish person at IP address 151.237.186.93 please stop trying to break into our bulletin board. Any further abuse will be reported to the authorities who may take severe action against hackers. Open Weekend
Open Weekend The next Open Weekend is this weekend. There are still spaces available for people arriving on the day. Trips will go ahead, despite the weather. Website changes I have made a number of changes to the web pages behind the scenes such as checking that what people enter on an Open Day booking form is correct. If anyone spots any errors, can they please let me know as soon as possible? I will keep on checking in the meantime. If things don't look quite right, please try refreshing your screen first (usually, press F5). Nigel (Webmaster) Loss of another past member Sadly, we have to report the loss of David New, John's son, from natural causes. He will be sadly missed by John, Lou, Josh, his mother Joy and sister Lisa. David's funeral will be held in Stockport on 4th April. If anyone wishes to have more information about David or the funeral, please contact John or Nigel. Open Weekend
Slideshows We all enjoyed a fascinating talk from Alley on Underground Stockport on 10th March. The Cocked Hat in Stockport (formerly the Pack Horse) made a very good venue. Next slideshow has not yet been arranged. Any suggestions? The date will be 12th May. Alderley Edge May Fair The Club will have a presence at the May Fair on 17th May this year. We are also planning to take part in the parade. It should be entertaining as much for us as for the Alderley Edge residents. For details, speak to Ed or Nigel. DCRO rescue practice There is a practice rescue at Stoney Middleton on 9th March. This will include a range of exercises and could be very interesting for recent joiners. For further details, please contact Nigel. Meets list - 2014 Tom and Olly have been busy setting up a meets list for this year. Members should look at the events calendar for more detail. A summary can be read by clicking the link below. General meeting
2013 AGM Don't forget the AGM on 2nd December, at the Wizard pub at Alderley Edge. All those who have recently joined should make an effort to get there so that their membership can be confirmed. Parys Mountain There's a spare place on the Parys Mountain trip in November. If anyone member is interested, please contact Ed as soon as possible. Slideshow Next slideshow has not yet been arranged. Any suggestions? Slideshow Next slideshow at the Wizard is planned for 4th November. I think Tom will be giving a talk on Matienzo. All welcome. Booking trips A new facility has been created to allow public booking of Sunday trips outside the Open Weekends. Follow this link. Open Weekend
Joining the DCC New members always welcome. Go to our Club joining page. This page has been updated to tell prospective and new members more about the Club. General meeting Please note the date of the next General Meeting (14 October). Open Weekend
DCC Forum New {forum for members and guests}. There is a link at the bottom of every page. Club Dinner The Club Dinner for 2013 has been booked for 15th June 2013 in Stockport. Details are available for non-members and members who can book and pay on-line. It's a great social occasion - try to be there! Newsletter New {DCC newsletter} available (link for members only). Members (who have paid subs) will get a copy by email or post. West Mine Anyone who had planned to come on the West Mine trip on 26th May, please contact the Club to confirm you are coming and get details of where and when to meet. Please email to alderleymines [at] Derbyscc.org.uk (replacing [at] with @). BBQ BBQ planned for May has been cancelled because the Dinner is just a month away. Sorry about any inconvenience caused. Mapping A map feature has been added to the caving log showing where trips have been. The map page can also be used to zoom in on a grid reference - useful when arranging trips. Try this link to the{Surgery at Alderley Edge}. Open Weekend April{Open Weekend} is 27th and 28th. All members are encouraged to come along and help. It's a great opportunity to show off the Club's activities - caving and mining as well as Alderley Edge. Manchester Museum
Where am I? Members can now see who lives nearest to them. The{membership list} on the Club pages has the mileage from your own home address. Open Weekend The decision has been made that the next April Open Weekend will be 27th-28th April 2013 at Engine Vein. Bookings can now be taken. To make a booking, go to the page on {Open Days}. 2012 Meets List 2012 meets list with mine and cave trips can be read on the{Club calendar}. Remember, it's your calendar: members can add their own trips. Practice Rescue
Trip choices
Derek Kenyon
AGM Club AGM at the{Wizard} on 3rd December. Mining Photos
Website changes
Ian Higgins
Matienzo
4 weddings The Club held a social event down West Mine in mid-October to celebrate Four Weddings and a Funeral. The weddings all involved members: Tony and Sue, Ed and Bev, John and Heather and Gaz and Katie. The funeral was the loss of Lennie but we celebrated the memory of his life in good style. We're sure he would have approved. Money collected on the night has been donated to {DCRO}. Arthur Ball
Email problems
Logging-in Members' log-in has been upgraded and you can now get your password if you forget it and change it yourself. Len Gee
Open Weekend The September Open Weekend has passed but you can start to plan now for the spring one in 2013. Details have not been finalised but it is likely to be at the end of April in Engine Vein. Watch this space or go to the page on {Open Days}. Malcolm Bailey
Scouts New page added about arrangements for {visits by Scouts}. Newsletter The latest newsletter has been sent to members and is also on-line{HERE}. NAMHO conference The NAMHO conference at Quarry Bank Mill passed off very smoothly thanks to the hard work by the Club members. Trips were run to various locations around the area including Winsford, Poynton, Apedale, Pott Shrigley, Stoney Middleton and of course Alderley Edge. A {report} has been prepared on the conference. Open Weekend On-line {booking} is open now for the September Open Weekend. Booking closes at mid-day the Friday before the weekend. Book on-line to make sure you have a trip at the time of your choice. There are a few places available for short West Mine trips too. Open Weekend The April Open Weekend has passed but you can start to plan now for the autumn one at Wood Mine on 1st and 2nd September. On-line {booking} is open now. Open Weekend Despite the bad weather, the spring Open Weekend had a very good turnout. If you came and have any comments - good or bad! - please feel free to {email the Club} to let us know. Reports and albums
Recent trips
Granville Shillito
NAMHO Conference NAMHO Conference booking is now live and on-line [closed now]. Don't miss out on this year's conference being hosted by the DCC. Special terms apply to DCC members. NAMHO Conference The Club is hosting the 2012 NAMHO Conference. NAMHO is the National Association of Mining History Organisations. [Details removed but members can read the {proceedings}] Open Weekend The April Open Weekend is now upon us. If you haven't booked, just turn up on Saturday 28th or Sunday 29th April and take your chance. There are still nearly 180 spaces available for people who turn up on the day. Good luck! Open Weekend Booking can now be made on-line for the 2012 Open Weekend at Alderley Edge by following{THIS LINK}. 2011 Meets list 2011 meets list with mine and cave trips can be read on the{Club calendar}. 2012 trips to be added soon. Annual Dinner A very successful annual dinner was held in Stockport and was attended by over 80 members, partners and friends. Annual Dinner The {Annual Dinner arrangements} are now on-line for members. Newsletter There will be a newsletter soon. Members are invited to send in articles. The newsletter will include a report on DCC activity in Matienzo. Newsletter {Latest newsletter} now on-line and in post to non-Internet members. Club members will get a slightly fuller edition than the public issue. Trip Reports Any more trip reports? Members are free to{put their reports on-line}. Photo album now has a {slideshow} facility too. {Trip report} and album set up for the visits to South Wales and Cambrian mine. Open Weekend The next Open Weekend is at Wood Mine in early September. {Bookings} are now being taken. We would very much like to receive{comments} from anyone who came on the Engine Vein Open Weekend 16/17 April. A special one-day Open Day may be arranged at West Mine at some other time. SRT practice An SRT practice session in West Mine is planned this Spring. We hope to follow this with a session at Cheedale in the summer. Engine Vein The problems we thought we had with the drainage above Engine Vein have turned out not to be so and the next Open Day will still be at Engine Vein. Reservations can still be made on our {bookings page} until the Friday before. Open Weekends The planned dates for the next Alderley Edge{Open Weekends} have been fixed as 16th/17th April 2011 and 3rd/4th September. It is hoped that the first will be at Engine Vein and the second at Wood Mine. 2010 Newsletter {December 2010 Newsletter} on-line now. Albums There's a new {photo album feature} on the DCC info (public) pages. Take a look and let the Webmaster know what you think. Ex-members area Following the dinner and meeting so many past members, we have set up an area on the web for ex-members where they can {record anecdotes and share photos}. Access to the full library of newsletters is also possible. Club Dinner A very successful Club Dinner was held on Saturday, 20th. Well over 100 people turned out and many ex-members came as well as representatives and guests from other clubs. Special thanks must go to Sue and Tony who did all the planning and put so much thought into making it a very special night. Meets List Allan has added more {meets} for this autumn. Members are strongly encouraged to support Allan's efforts. Open Weekend The {September 2010 Open Weekend} has passed. Some photos are available at{this link} (no, Ed, not those ones!). Website New page for members only on {Alderley rescue arrangements}. Mining pages for Cheshire, Isle of Man, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire and Durham have been revised. Annual Dinner Annual Dinner menu now available. {Bookings} can be made on-line (Club members only) or via Sue. Countryfile Alderley Edge mines featured on Countryfile on BBC in September. Panorama views A new page has been set up to show{panoramas} of chambers in the mines. Rough pictures of Sand Cavern and the main chamber in Engine Vein have been set up so far. Have a look and give me your comments. Descent The latest Descent has pictures of Nigel and Liz (in separate shots). There's also a good article about the Fiesta in Matienzo with pictures of the whole group and the Fluffies - with Liz's knees. Recent meets A meet report on the {NAMHO conference} is now on-line. There is also a report on the {Matienzo bash at Dalesbridge}. {The rocket} also made a return after being dormant for 17 years Website A number of pages have been slightly changed. If a link you have bookmarked stops working, please use the menus or search facilities to find the new name. Copper processing There is a new page on{how to extract copper} from the Alderley ore using vinegar. Open Weekend The next{Open Weekend} will be in September but if you want a trip before then, look at the web pages about visits as special trips can be arranged for groups. Golden Anniversary A new page has been set up to summarise plans for the {Club's Golden Anniversary}. This is available to the general public. Open Weekend The April Open Weekend has now passed and many people enjoyed a guided visit to Wood Mine. Caving log The caving log has been enhanced with captions. Details of the recent trips to Layby Pot and West Mine are on-line with a selection of photos. Website changes Do you like the changes to the front page? Whether or not, the {Webmaster} would like to know. Handbook, records and library Club members can now read the {Club Handbook} on-line and print selected pages. Club {records} and library are also fully listed on-line for members only. Current Archaeology Alderley Edge and its mines feature on the front page and a major article in {Current Archaeology}, January edition. Open Weekend Keep the weekend of 17th-18th April 2010 free for the April {Open Weekend}. Details will be confirmed later. Club log There is a new page where members can {read about recent trips} and view photographs. Members can also {add their own accounts} and pictures. It is quite basic but should be adequate. Guests can post items but they are not displayed until checked by the Webmaster. 2009 Golden Anniversary 2010 is the DCC's 50th anniversary. Anyone got ideas how to celebrate? AGM AGM soon. Members should look at the members' pages for details. The Chairman is resigning so there is a vacancy to be filled. Alderley past New photos from the 1940s and 1950s on the {Alderley Gallery}. Annual Dinner {DCC annual dinner} in less than two weeks at the Coach and Four, Wilmslow on the 28th of November 2009. DON'T MISS IT: Simon sings Karaoke! If you cannot make the dinner, what about coming along afterwards. Open Weekend The September Open Days are now history and we look forward to the next Open Days in April. Keep the weekend of 17th-18th April 2010 free. Details will be confirmed later. Annual Dinner {Annual Dinner booking screens} now on-line (members only). Non-members should e-mail the treasurer at derbyscc.org.uk. Colin Darroch and Jim Lovelock Ceremonies to scatter the ashes of past members Colin Darroch and Jim Lovelock take place in September on separate dates. Anyone remembering them and wanting to take part should contact the Club. Email to the Secretary or Webmaster. Open Weekend Change of Open Day Plans: the {Open Days} on September 5th and 6th will now be held at Wood Mine. Please note new venue. Mine break-ins Recent break-ins at Wood Mine and West Mine have cost the Club money and time and have been reported to the Police and Natural England as the vandalism in the mines is a criminal offence. The Police will be making enquiries to try to find the perpetrators. Access is readily available by following {this link}. Searching the site Have you tried our {search facility}? Nent Head Members will find details of a recent trip to {Nent Head } (no password required). NAMHO Conference NAMHO Conference coming up soon. DCC members have been asked to arrange trips to the Alderley mines. Malcolm Bailey Malcolm's Bike Ride: in support of DCRO and Christie's - details of his plans and, during the ride, his progress, will be available on this site by following {this link}. Malcolm starts on 5th June. Open Weekend Money was pledged to Malcolm for his bike ride based on the number of visitors we welcomed at the Open Weekend and his charity choices have received some significant contributions as a result. Peak District trip Trip to the Peak District over the weekend, 15-17 May. Contact Bill B. for details. Trip reports Members will find details of recent work in {Braille Cave} in the log. There are also details of a visit to slate mines in {North Wales}. Radio broadcast The Webmaster recently appeared on {Canalside Community Radio} in Bollington to publicise the Club's activities and the Open Weekend. Open Weekend A successful {Open Weekend} was held at Wood Mine, Alderley Edge on 25th and 26th April 2009. 2008 Plenty going on this year; we had a meet in Derbyshire in May, there is another trip to Derbyshire in August, Tony B is going to Matienzo this summer and Simon, Neil, Pete and Allan continue to cave regularly in the Dales. 2007 Alderley mines To bring things up to date: (a) West Mine now has a couple of interesting traverses to test people's caving skills; (b) the Flight Deck rope has been replaced with a rope ladder; (c) the entrance passage to Engine Vein has been dried out a bit by putting in a membrane and drain pipes. 2005 West Mine photos Pictures added of the work at Plank Shaft - check the new {West Mine Photogallery} Plank Shaft Some investigation has been begun at the bottom of Plank Shaft by Malcolm and others. Wood Mine bridge New bridge (the "Bailey" Bridge) now installed in Wood Mine at the end of the adit. Along with the ladders at Junction Shaft and Sand Cavern, the work has been done by Malcolm and his loyal team to a very high standard. Timber Shaft Timber Shaft dig still going. 2004 Alderley Edge Dumper up and running! 2004 April and September Open Days were quieter than usual but just as enjoyable for club members and visitors alike. Digging underway in West Mine at the end of the Main Chamber. Open Weekend The Open Day got a number of the cavers out to help the miners at Alderley Edge. The caving side of the club is building up again with regular trips being organised. Contact the{ Secretary} for more information. 2003 Matienzo Members joined the Matienzo expedition and a cave was extended after a concerted dig at the end. Alderley Edge A brief round-up:1 The dumper has been refurbished and is nearly ready for use again. It should not jump out of gear now. Before it goes back into service, it will have an anti-roll bar fitted. 2 The September 2002 Open Weekend was very popular but huge queues developed on the Sunday. As a result, timed tickets were issued on the April 2003 Open Weekend at Church Quarry. 3 The Church Quarry weekend involved demonstrations of a working forge making tools, casting copper, smelting with a bole furnace, cave radio and cave rescue. 4 The dig at Engine Vein has been completed and is currently being recorded. 2002 Alderley Edge Consent has been gained for limited excavation to be resumed on the scheduled sites. The dig at Engine Vein has resumed subject to records being kept and furnished to the Cheshire archivist at the end of the dig. Emergency work has been carried out on a shaft at Engine Vein which subsided slightly in February and which has now been sealed and topped back up to surface level with {DCMS} consent. 2001 Alderley Edge The sites around the 1860s treatment works and Engine Vein have been scheduled. See the new page concerning {legal constraints}. Alderley Edge The water and mud above Engine Vein has been removed by the National Trust with help from the DCC. The mud has built up over twenty years and reached 8 feet deep at the lowest point. In future, it will be cleared at regular intervals now that access has been improved and a workable digging technique has been developed. White Scar Cave Page added on dig in {White Scar Cave, Yorkshire}. Carlswark Cavern Digging is proceeding in Carlswark Cavern. See project news under "club - digging" or click {HERE}. Alderley Edge Scheduling remains imminent. This will make digging of certain mines very difficult although the terms of agreement with English Heritage have yet to be agreed. The Open Day on 1/2 September was deemed a success. Open Weekend It has been decided that the Open Days will go ahead on 1 and 2 September 2001 with a demonstration of Club activities in Wood Mine. For more details, go to the webpage on {Open Days}. Alderley Edge Scheduling of parts of the Edge as ancient monuments is now imminent. Watch this space as we will insert a new page when this is complete to explain the implications to members and visitors alike. Engine Vein Clearing of the "pond" above Engine Vein has been started by the National Trust as part of a volunteer programme. The water disappeared mysteriously before the work started. Was this work of the wizard??? Foot and mouth Some of the restrictions on access imposed because of the foot and mouth epidemic have been lifted. For further information, please contact the Club by e-mailing the Club. Open Weekend The next Open Weekend is scheduled for 1 and 2 September 2001. This is likely to be in Wood Mine. For further details, look at the page on Open Days. Engine Vein Extension at Engine Vein towards Beacon Lodge. This was found by a combined effort pushing a crawl at the western end of Engine Vein. Evidence suggests that it may have been 18th century work following the lead vein at Engine Vein but could also have been re-entered in the early 19th century. |
We've heard from caving contacts that Andy Farrow has sadly died from a heart attack while being treated for Covid19. Please contact the Club for more details. This is a stark and sad reminder of how important it is not to become complacent about Covid19 at this time.
All being well, the 
The Committee feels that the time has come when we can relax our policy a little on caving during the crisis. Our advice is that small groups (3 or 4 members) could go caving under these conditions: (a) that you do not go if you have any suspicion of being infected, (b) that you maintain a safe distance so far as is possible (i.e. 2 metres), (c) that you avoid difficult or dangerous trips that make rescue more likely and (d) that you take more care than usual to maintain good hygiene. Face masks obviously make a difference but we appreicate that they are not always practicable. Allan is hoping to restart some SRT practice for small groups and there will undoubtedly be some jobs at Alderley where help is required.
The pages on the website where T-shirts, hoodies, badges, etc can be bought have been revamped. The stock of each size is shown. Members can use 
This is a reminder to all members that 
Thanks to everyone in the Club who helped with the Open Weekend. Special thanks to Anton, Gina and Charlotte who managed the reception in Nigel's absence. Because of the extra advertising we got on 
It is sad to be the bearer of bad news yet again but Bill Hester died suddenly in the early hours of 2nd May. I am sure most members will know Bill and have been down the mines with him some time. His photo is on the Open Weekend poster for the autumn which is probably a small but fitting way to remember him. His funeral has been arranged for 10 am on Saturday 18th May at the Rowan Chapel, Stockport Crematorium. All are welcome but please let me know if you are planning to go as Dot, Bill's widow, wants an idea of numbers.
I am not sure how many of the Club knew Rob McNeil as he hasn't been around much in recent years but he sometimes turned up at General Meetings. I am sorry to say that he died at home in April. Rob lived in Stockport and has been a member of the DCC since 2006. He dug in Brynlow with Steve and I am sure he dug elsewhere at Alderley. He has two brothers, Richard and Dale and I understand that Richard has caved with him occasionally. Rob's funeral took place on 15th May with family and friends present.
Those of you who know Bill and Ollie from Wales, past members of the Club, will be sad to hear that Bill died on 29th January. He has been undergoing treatment for cancer for some time and the treatment appeared to be quite successful but sadly he suffered from another problem in his last few days and he died quite suddenly. If anyone wants to know more about Bill and Ollie or wants to send their respects to Ollie, just let me (Nigel) know. A commemomoration of Bill's life was held on 16th February near his home and was attended by his family and friends from the locality and also from his past in Stockport. Another piece of DCC history passes.
Following the retirement of the trip organiser who has managed public trips on behalf of the Club for many years, we have adopted an on-line booking system for future trips. In addition to the trips run through the Cheshire East Ranger Service, we have allocated ten Tuesdays in the year (there is one Tuesday each month) for a public trip which is bookable in advance. Whether you are an individual or represent a family or group, you can book up to 28 places on each trip (subject to availability). To book a trip, please go to the 
Sadly, we have lost another elderley member of the Club with Vera Glenn passing away in early September. Her funeral was held on 12th September and attended by a number of DCC members. Vera had been involved in the Club since the 70s and went on a number of Club events including trips to Mallorca, visits to the Forest of Dean and one-offs such as Todge's 60th birthday party in West Mine where she performed a (partial) striptease in his honour! Vera lost her sight over the years but still managed to walk and dance her way around the world until dementia overtook her in her last few years. She will be missed by the Club, the Morris Dancers and of course her family.
Rob Stevenson has been busy and set up dates for a load of meets, at least one a month. Have a look at the list here or on Facebook (click the link below the news).
The September 2018 Open Weekend is now history. Most people who had reserved trips did turn up, unlike in the Spring, but with numbers down a bit, there was plenty of space anyway. Nevertheless, a few hundred visitors enjoyed a trip and no one was turned away. We also welcomed members from a number of other caving clubs for the weekend. Planning will now start for the Spring 2019 Open Weekend (6th and 7th April 2019) and bookings can now be made. This is earlier than usual to avoid Easter and the Bank Holiday at the end of the month. There is reaction from visitors on the 
The 2017 Open Weekend at Wood Mine is now history. A couple of hundred visitors went round the mine and many of them had an adventurous time in the Wiggly Worm crawl. Many thanks to all the DCC members and friends who turned out to make the event such a success; the weather was kind to us with sun on the Saturday and only a very little drizzle on Sunday. Preparations will now be started for the next Open Weekend which is April 21st-2nd at Engine Vein Mine. For more information including the booking form (which is now available), you can click here. For trips down the mines at other times of the year, you can 
At the AGM in December 2017, Tom stepped down from Chairman and was replaced by Anton who keeps the Meets Secretary job as well. Allan, who was on the committee before the AGM, remains on the committee but now takes the new role of Training Officer. Members can see the full make-up of the Committee on the Club pages of this site. The first General Meeting of 2018 is on 12th February and will be held at the Wizard, Alderley Edge. The formal meeting starts at 8 pm but members usually gather earlier to chat. New members are especially welcome.
The Dinner and Dance to be held on 25th November at Stockport County football ground is now fixed and we have menus for us to choose from. There are four choices for each course. Booking can be done on-line (for members) but non-members are asked to 
We are now looking forward to the next Open Weekend which is September 2nd-3rd at Wood Mine. Two types of trips are usually available, one involving a bit of crawling for the adventurous visitors and one which is mainly walking with a bit of stooping for others. The type of trip will depend on the group and leader. For more information including the booking form, you can 
The next Open Weekend is at Engine Vein mine THIS WEEKEND. Although nearly all the spaces alocated before the weekend have been reserved, there are still 125 spaces free over the weekend. First come, first served. For more information including the booking form and a map of how to get there, you can 
This time it was Charlotte's turn. Happy Birthday, Charlotte. We all enjoyed ourselves at Bull Pot Farm. And the caving was good too. There are some pictures on the club website at 
A great day was had by all at James' do at Alderley. There are some pictures on the club website at 
The NAMHO Conference in 2017 is being held in Surrey and Kent under the leadership of the Wealden Cave and Mine Society. The venue will be Godstone and camping will be available. The dates are Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th June 2017. The booking form and other details are available via the conference website (
Big Steve is giving a talk about Matienzo at the Wizard on 24th October (8pm onwards). All are welcome, especially if you have not been there and are thinking of going in 2017. The talk will be partly based on Juan's talk at Eurospeleo.
A trip has been set up for 22nd May for people wanting to try some caving with a view to joining the DCC. The trip is to West Mine at Alderley Edge so is not particularly strenuous or demanding on kit and equipment. It is essential to book on the trip as we need to supply sufficient leaders so please go to the 
The next 
This 1000-page book covering all the work done during the 
Best wishes to all DCC members, friends and cavers. Looking forward to another active year underground. Click 
Congratulations to Dave D and Anton P for winning the awards for Caver of the Year and Mighty Miner. All other awards can be read (by members) on the 
Congratulations to Tom and Lauren for winning a distinction and several merit awards in the Photo Salon at Hidden Earth. This is fitting recognition for the superb pictures both of them (and others in the Club) are achieving. The picture of Bill in Lenny's Cave gained the distinction.
The Club Dinner for 2015 has been booked for 28th November at Cheadle Royal. Details are available for non-members and members who can 
The Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation (DCRO) is holding an introductory session for anyone interested in joining the DCRO or even just finding out what it does. There are chances to try stretcher carrying, first aid, hauling, comms, etc and it is also a good opportunity to meet other team members. For further details, have a word with Nigel, Allan, Kieran or Steve. The session is on Saturday 9th May at Buxton Fire Station, the DCRO base, and I hope the Club will be represented.
Sadly, we have to report the loss of two past members in recent days. On 16th March, Pete Borthwick who caved and dug in the Peak District with Colin Darroch, died at the age of 82. Pete had been a policeman rising to the rank of Police Inspector. He was active in the 1950s, 60s and 70s digging at, amongst other places, Car Pot and Gautries Hole at Perryfoot. 
Yes - we are on the ball this year! An excellent 2015 calendar has been produced by Purdie and Lauren and is available for sale to the public and to members. The price to the public is £8 and proceeds go towards the expedition fund. Anyone wanting a copy should contact Purdie. (Email to the Secretary if you do not have Purdie's email address.)
Sadly, we have to report the loss of another member, Paul Deakin, who died recently after surviving many years of illness. Paul is well-known in Derbyshire and the UK as a whole as a brilliant photographer and mine surveyor. Apart from being an Honorary Member of the DCC, he was also official mine surveyor for the Alderley Edge Mines. He will be sadly missed and our condolences go to his family and many friends. His funeral will be held on Wednesday, 17th September. If anyone wishes to have more information about David or the funeral, please contact John or Nigel.
A 
We hope all those who made it to Engine Vein on 26th or 27th April had a great weekend whether as a visitor or a member. The weather was kind to us! 
Please note the date of the next General Meeting (10 February). All 2014 meetings are now on the club events list.
There are still bookable places available at the September {Open Weekend} at Wood Mine. The dates are 7th and 8th September. Even if you cannot reserve the place you want, come along as space is always kept for people who turn up on the day. All members are encouraged to come along and help. It's a great opportunity to show off the Club's activities - caving and mining as well as Alderley Edge.
The Manchester Museum has re-opened the {Ancient Worlds gallery}. The Roman coins and the Bronze Age shovel are both on display. The DCC gets credit in the new museum guidebook.
A very successful practice rescue was held at Alderley Edge in November. Over 60 people attended including at least 20 from the DCC.
New feature on Club events list (members only) to allow people to say whether they will or will not attend club meets. [Feature was dropped through lack of use]
Sadly, we have lost another member, Derek Kenyon. Derek was a keen digger in the 1980s and worked on Bear Pit, Ring Shaft and elsewhere. There is a short note and more photos on the log (click {HERE}).
More mining photos on the {mining gallery}.
The website has a new appearance with drop down menus common to all pages. If you cannot see a line of black buttons under the heading, please refresh the page (usually pressing F5 will do this).
It is sad to have to report that Iggy (Ian Higgins) died recently. Anyone wanting to know more details should contact the Club. The picture is of Iggy at an early Wood Mine Open Day.
Matienzo yielded another cave with over 300m of decent passage and as this was entered on the day of Lennie's funeral, it has become known as Lennie's Cave - a fitting tribute.
Following too soon after the sad loss of Todge (Alan Burgess) in July 2011, we have now lost the last founder member still in the Club, Arthur Ball. Arthur died at home at the end of September in his mid-80s. Both Arthur and Todge were in the Orpheus Caving Club before the separation out of the Northern Group as the DCC. Both will be sadly missed as they have been members of the DCC for more than 50 years. (Arthur is second from left in the picture above in the grey jerkin - September 2009 at Wood Mine with Dale Street, David Ball and Jock. Below shows Todge at the 50th Anniversary Dinner in 2010 talking to Dale Street.)
There have been some intermittent problems with acknowledging emails through the website. If you need to check yours has got through, email the webmaster through the {Contacts} page.
The{Fluffies page} has been updated with photos. The video will follow when it has been cleared by the lawyers.
Sadly, we lost Len Gee this summer. Many Club members paid their respects at his funeral on 1st August but he will be missed by all his friends in the DCC and elsewhere in the caving world.
Malcolm arrived at John O'Groats at 1720 on 14th June after 942 miles cycling from Land's End. More {here}.
New layout for {reports} which I hope will be clearer. These links go to the public areas but members can add new albums, and photos and add comments and titles.
CRTT, Giants, Moel Fferna and other {trip reports} and album pictures now available.
Sadly, we have heard that Granville Shillito, orator, caver, collector, fluffy, has died. Club members will be kept informed. There are a couple of pictures on the {log page}.
