Whos who on the Committee
Daniel Secretary - Celine Gagnon Treasurer - Ed Bramley Membership Secretary - Julie Freemantle Acting Meet Sec. - Andy Burton
Editor - Mike Goodyer Judy Chair Hut Management Committee - Heather Eddowes Hut Warden - Marian Parsons


President - Daniel Albert

Daniel

Daniel began his interest with the outdoors with a school camping trip to Scotland. He was a member of the Hull University Mountaineering Club and later Leeds Outdoor Pursuits Club. He has achieved very low levels of success in a number of outdoor activities and loves to travel in Switzerland. Recently, he has found walking with Nordic poles and riding a bike to be kinder on his knees and ankles than running.

By trade, Daniel is a retired GP and somehow he was given the role of ABMSAC Covid-19 Officer. At the AGM in 2023 Daniel was elected Vice President and took on the role of President at the 2024 AGM. In addition, he was appointed a Director of George Starkey Hut Limited on 4 March 2024.



Secretary - Celine Gagnon

Secretary - Celine Gagnon

I joined ABMSAC in 2016, after attending the new members meet in April that year. Hill walking was at first imposed on me as a child on camping trips in Eastern Canada, where I would follow in a foul mood and at a distance from the family.
I have since enjoyed many long days on the hills in England, Wales and Scotland, and making my way through the Canadian section of the Appalachian Trail a few days at a time.
In between meets, I earn a living as a freelance fundraiser and charity advisor in the cultural sector.

Celine was elected Secretary at the AGM in 2023. In addition, she took on the role of Director of the George Starkey Hut Limited from Dick Murton in 2023.



Treasurer - Ed Bramley

Treasurer - Ed Bramley

Ed began his climbing and walking career in the Peak District in the early 1970’s as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award, whether it was navigating over the peat bogs of Kinder, or climbing on the Derbyshire edges with the Meadows’ Boys Climbing Club.

In his University years, he specialised in glaciology, and was involved for two summers in studying the Gorner glacier above Zermatt, as part of the Gorner Glacier Project, which is now the longest running alpine glacier project in the world. The occasional ‘rest’ day allowed for ascent of a number of peaks in the area.

Ed has been a key participant of the club trekking meets for over 10 years, and has organised several treks. As part of the centenary celebrations of the club, Ed and a number of other club members trekked an extended Haute Route, from Chamonix to the Britannia Hut. More recently, his trekking exploits have included three visits to Morocco with ABMSAC, most recently in 2019 to the M’goun area.

Nearer to home, in Yorkshire, he can still be found climbing, walking and cycling on a regular basis.

Ed was president of the club from 2012-15 and was also membership secretary from 2015-2021, when the membership database was launched.



Acting Meet Secretary - Andy Burton

Meet Sec. - Andy Burton

Andy has been a member of Sektion Monte Rosa of the SAC since 1975.

His interest in walking and all things outdoor was kindled at an early age by his parents, and friendships with like-minded school friends in their teens led to a trek along the Bernese Oberland chain after ‘A’ Levels with one of them (the Editor!), and a love of Switzerland and the mountains grew out of this.

A year at Kingston Polytechnic where as Treasurer of the Mountaineering Club Andy was introduced to rock climbing by another lifelong walking friend, saw lots of climbing and very little study with the inevitable exam results. Disappointment was assuaged by another trip to Switzerland to explore the Zermatt valley as well as some time spent in the Engadine learning some new skills on snow and ice.

This then formed the pattern of holidays both winter and summer with partner, friends and later family invariably focused on visiting some hilly or mountainous areas in either the UK or Europe.

As a regular user of the George Starkey Hut for over 45 years he has organised several family meets at the Hut over October half-term, encouraging all who attended to join the Club, as well as camping meets in Derbyshire in May. Since 2000 he has attended the trekking meets, originally instigated by Alasdair Andrews, then through supporting the next trekking Meet organiser, Ed Bramley, he organised a trek in the Mattertal in 2015.

From 2013 until 2019 he was the Meet Secretary.

At the AGM in 2019 Andy took on the role of Treasurer, and in February 2021 became Club President. After his three years as President Andy has assumed the role of Acting Meet Secretary in 2024.



Membership Secretary - Julie Freemantle

Membership Secretary - Julie Freemantle

I've been a member of ABMSAC for 3 years being introduced to the club by Jeff Harris and Julie Jones. I have had the pleasure of organising the Annual Dinner for the last three years

I own a training company which provides courses to housing associations and local authorities and I currently live near Salisbury Wiltshire. I lived in Perthshire, Scotland for 6 years where I was able to indulge in my love of mountain walking.

I’ve been walking in the outdoors for over 30 years mostly in Scotland and am slowly working my way through the Munro’s - 11 more to go! I also enjoy long distance trails and and am walking the South West Coast Path as well as many other trails in the south.



Editor - Mike Goodyer

Editor - Mike Goodyer I've been a member of the ABM and SAC since 1975 and served on the committee previously as Meets Secretary and President.

I was introduced to the outdoor life and camping through Scouts and family sailing holidays in my youth. I discovered mountains during a winter Outward Bound Course at Brathay Hall in Ambleside in my teens.
Since then I have walked extensively in the UK and Europe, rock climbed in the UK, Europe and the USA, spent several winters in cold gullies and faces in Scotland and France, visited the Alps many times and raced across the fells.

I set up and maintain the web site and currently edit the Newsletter and Journal, bringing all communications under one roof. In addition, in late 2014, along with Mary Eddowes, we launched our Facebook page.



Co-opted member - Judy Renshaw

Judy

Judy first learned to love the mountains on family holidays in the Lake District. After a lapse of a few years, she re-discovered the hills with friends and also got into rock climbing. She belonged to various climbing clubs at times, but stayed with the Tuesday Climbing Club until it merged with ABMSAC.

Often with her husband, Don, she has climbed in the UK and several European countries. In more recent years she has particularly enjoyed trekking in many different countries of the world.

She currently does the bookkeeping for the George Starkey Hut and coordinates some meets for ABMSAC.



Co-opted Committee Members: Andy Hayes (2019) and Roger James (2020).



Chair Hut Management Committee - Mrs Heather Eddowes

Chair GSH Committee - Heather Eddowes Introduced to the hills and mountains through an Outward Bound course in 1968 Heather developed her interest in hill walking and climbing through the OUMC and Oxfordshire CC Outdoor Education. Two years in Lausanne and a member of SAC Diablerets Section meant ski touring and climbing in the high Alps could be a weekend activities. They were - nearly every weekend!

Back in Britain in 1983 and which club to join? The ABMSAC of course! Once the new, young family were established in Uxbridge the Eddowes became regular members of the meets programme. Now based in Knutsford the Peaks, Snowdonia and even the Lakes are much more accessible.

Heather has served on the committee, on and off, since the late '80's as member, Membership Secretary, President, Vice President and now chairing the Hut Management Committee.



Hut Warden - Marian Parsons

Hut Warden - Marian Parsons

Marian is the Warden of the George Starkey Hut.
She was Hut Booking Secretary from April 2014 until February 2018.

George Starkey Hut Limited Directors:
ABMSAC - Daniel Albert (appointed 4 March 2024), Andy Burton (Hand over period), Celine Gagnon, Ed Bramley
AC - Simon Richardson, Trevor Campbell Davis, Sherry Macliver

Hut Management Committee:
ABMSAC - Heather Eddowes (Chair), Derek Buckley, Don Hodge, Ian Mateer and Marian Parsons (Hut Warden)
AC - John Evans, Tom Curtiss and Paul Hudson



Paul Stock

Paul Stock - retired at the 2024 AGM

Paul was elected at the 2019 AGM and retired at the 2024 AGM. Many thanks to Paul for introducing the 'Day Walks' during Covid lockdowns and organising Meets to many interesting venues.

Paul was introduced to rock climbing at the age of 12 by his Birmingham based youth club. They mostly climbed in Derbyshire or North Wales. Since then Paul has always been interested in the mountains.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1973 and spent 23 years in the Submarine Service. Being based in Scotland, Barrow and Plymouth he managed to keep a healthy involvement in mountain activities. Early in his naval career he belonged to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Mountaineering Club but as his family got older he spent most of his time with them in the Uk or the Alps.

After retirement from the Royal Navy Paul continued his working career with the Defence Science and Technology Laboatory and retired in 2016. Paul has been fortunate in recent times to become a member of ABMSAC and this has allowed him to continue his love of the mountains.



Dick Murton

Dick Murton - retired at the 2023 AGM

Dick was elected as Secretary in 2010 and after 12 years in the post retired at the 2023 AGM. Many thanks to Dick for his valuable contribution to the running of the club.

Dick was first introduced to the mountains on a ski trip to Switzerland, in the days when ski length was determined by holding your arm above your head, and the standard issue was wooden skis and soft boots. Family walking and ski holidays followed by an introduction to rock and ice climbing whilst in the Scouts established mountaineering as his main hobby.

He joined the SAC in 1976, prior to his first proper climbing trip to Tasch, in the Zermatt valley, with Jeff Harris, eventually the pair decided to try an ABMSAC alpine meet and went on to become regulars. Having got involved in mountain rescue, fell running, cross country ski touring, rock climbing and sailing Dick found his time in the alps restricted and stopped attending meets for a few years. Later having acquired a bad back and dodgy knees requiring him to cut down his activities he joined one of Alasdair Andrew’s trekking meets and began to visit the Alps regularly again.

Dick moved to Chesterfield in autumn 2014 so regular walking is now mainly in the Peak District, also a good area for a little gentle mountain biking.

Updated 2 April 2024