The British Caving Association (BCA) is the sports governing body for

caving in the United Kingdom Recreational caving in the United Kingdom dates back to the mid-19th century. The four major caving areas of the United Kingdom are North Yorkshire, South Wales, Derbyshire, and the Mendips. Minor areas include Devon, North Wales, and the Scottish ...

. It is recognised by

UK Sport UK Sport is the government agency responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sport in the United Kingdom. It is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. It was created ...

Sport England Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to build the foundations of a community sport system by working with national governing bodies of sport, and other funded par ...

and

SportScotland Sportscotland (officially styled sport), formerly the Scottish Sports Council, is the national agency for sport in Scotland. The Scottish Sports Council was established in 1972 by royal charter. The body works in partnership with public, pri ...

History

The

British Speleological Association British Speleological Association (BSA) was founded by Eli Simpson and others in 1935. It was instrumental in the discovery of Lancaster Hole and other caves. In 1973, it merged with the Cave Research Group of Great Britain to form the British C ...

(BSA) was founded in 1935, but this was not a national governing body. The National Caving Association (NCA) was established in 1968 as the first governing body, recognised by the

Sports Council Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to build the foundations of a community sport system by working with national governing bodies of sport, and other funded par ...

. However, the

British Cave Research Association The British Cave Research Association (BCRA) is a speleological organisation in the United Kingdom. Its object is to promote the study of caves and associated phenomena, and it attains this by supporting cave and karst research, encouraging orig ...

, the successor to the BSA, continued perform some 'national body' functions after its formation in 1973. The NCA existed until 2005 when it passed its responsibilities to the British Caving Association, which had been established the prior year. At the same time, the BCA also took over 'national body' functions from the British Cave Research Association.

Structure

The membership of the BCA is composed of Constituent Bodies, Regional Councils, clubs and individuals. The Constituent Bodies are: * Association of Caving Instructors (ACI) * Association of Scout Caving Teams (ASCT) *

(BCRA) *

British Cave Rescue Council Recreational caving in the United Kingdom dates back to the mid-19th century. The four major caving areas of the United Kingdom are North Yorkshire, South Wales, Derbyshire, and the Mendips. Minor areas include Devon, North Wales, and the Scottish ...

(BCRC) *

Cave Diving Group The Cave Diving Group (CDG) is a United Kingdom-based diver training organisation specialising in cave diving. The CDG was founded in 1946 by Graham Balcombe, making it the world's oldest continuing diving club. Graham Balcombe and Jack Shepp ...

(CDG) * Council of Higher Education Caving Clubs (CHECC) * National Association of Mining History Organisations (NAMHO) * William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust (WPCST) The Regional Councils are: *

Cambrian Caving Council The Cambrian Caving Council (CCC) (formed 1969) is the national governing body of caving in Wales. It is the national association for caving, representing the interests of caving clubs in Wales, Forest of Dean and the Marches. CCC is a member of, ...

- responsible for Wales, The Marches and The Royal Forest of Dean. *Council of Northern Caving Clubs - responsible for the north of Britain. *Council of Southern Caving Clubs - responsible for the Mendip Hills, West Wiltshire and The Isle of Portland. *Derbyshire Caving Association - responsible for the Peak District, South Yorkshire, North Notts and Cheshire. *Devon & Cornwall Underground Council - responsible for Devon & Cornwall.

References

Caving Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology i ...

Sport in Derbyshire

History

Structure

See also

References

External links