Author: magbrin

Donations

Many thanks those of you who have made the first donations to the Challenge. We have already received £375 (updated 14.3.17) and we hope to raise a minimum of £5,000 before the end of the year – we are optimistic as there will be a lot going on!

It is important to us that we make the most of your donation, giving the smallest possible amount to the money grabbing banks and organisations that get involved!

Unfortunately, unless we collected all donations personally and kept them under the bed until we give out our grants, however hard we have tried, a small percentage of your donation, may go in bank charges – although the bank says that it does not make charges on the particular account that we hold. Confused? so are we!

We are still learning about Charity Choice, the website where you can donate to the Trust to take part in the Challenge. It is cheap and cheerful, beside its better known rival site, JustGiving, but as a result more of the money donated goes to our charity. It also seems to be a little less user friendly, and so far less appears on the “barometer” than has actually been raised. I think we have now cracked this, and hope that all donations made through the link above (and other links we have created) should appear in the Appeals barometer.

Please note – in order for The Neil Mackenzie Trust to benefit fully from your donation:

Donate through Charity Choice, not CAF Donate (unless you are a CAF Donate account holder) or donate directly into our bank account or send us a cheque (ask for details)
Donate using a debit card, and opt to pay the 25p charge, yourself. (Personal credit cards cost 10p + 1.4% either to you or to the Trust).
If appropriate, UK tax payers should tick the Gift Aid box. (If this is not yet available you will be contacted in due course by either us or the charity to sign up for GiftAid)

2017 Bell’s Bothy Challenge is a worldwide event. It is a “positive challenge” for anyone who wants to challenge themselves, improve the environment, meet and make friends, raise money for the Trust, and help to publicise the Trust by encouraging donations and posting on the blog.

It works on a donate to participate or sponsorship basis. If your challenge involves sponsorship, why not become a fundraiser – it should make it easy for your sponsors to donate? To do this, visit our Charity Choice page, scroll down on the right hand side and click “fundraise for us”.

We really appreciate your help, and hope that the Challenge will be fun and rewarding for you. Our strapline is “fun to donate, fun to participate, fun to benefit”. Neil was full of fun, and we want donors, participants and beneficiaries to continue to have fun in his memory!

Safety and a Plan B

We have all been touched and saddened by the tragic death of kayaker Dominic Jackson earlier this month, in the north of Scotland. How well we remember the pain of such a loss. Our thoughts are with Dominic’s family at this difficult time.

dom

The Neil Mackenzie Trust encourages adventure through expedition and adventure grants and through this year’s fundraising event – 2017 Bell’s Bothy Challenge. Dom’s story is a timely reminder for anyone setting out on a challenge to be prepared for the unexpected. Ellie, Dom’s sister, has put in a great deal of time and effort since the tragedy, to promote PLBs (personal locator beacons) and other safety measures in case things go wrong. Please check out the PLanB website, make a donation if you can, and make sure that you are as well prepared as you can be for whatever challenge awaits you. We know that adrenaline, excitement and risk play a part in every challenge but please, please stay safe. Keep your own safety in mind, as well as the safety of others you are with, your families and those who may have to rescue you if things go wrong.

Having the skills to participate in a particular adventure is one of the keys to safety. The Neil Mackenzie Trust gives small grants for skills training for residents in Scotland of all ages (from 14 years). If you are interested let us know about the training you would like to undertake, and if appropriate we will send you an application form.

Now back to the Bothy Challenge! We will be going back to Skye for the first weekend of March – weather permitting. The plan – a big bonfire on the beach! That said, the reason for there being no stove/fire in the bothy is the lack of readily available wood. The bonfire will be to burn any burnable rubbish in the bay, assuming there is some, so we will be looking for help to collect driftwood, pick up paper rubbish, etc. Can you help? I will post, nearer the time, which day we will be there, as we will be walking in for the day and not staying in the bothy.

January kick-off

There’s little daylight in January on Skye. Dawn and dusk are the best times to spot otter – so chances are much higher in winter than in summer (perhaps)! On the morning of our first 2017 walk in to Bell’s Bothy we were lucky enough to spot these, on the shore just below our parked campervan. In his childhood Neil was an otter fanatic – I remember times on Mull and Skye trying to keep him still in the hopes of seeing one (and we never did!), whilst being eaten alive by midges. It seemed right that these two should come to see us as we kicked off the 2017 Bell’s Bothy Challenge.

We walked in to Camasunary, twice, and are pleased to report that the bothy itself is in good order. There has been some mould – it is so well sealed and insulated that with wet people, clothes, boots, dogs, etc. and no air passing through mould growth, I fear is inevitable. However the bay is a different story.

We are planning events throughout the year to clean up. Challenge yourself to get there (preferably the first weekend of a month) and come to help. The main event will be 28th April – 7th May, come for a day or come for ten. We are working on a way to get it all out – have you any ideas, a boat, a quad bike and trailer or a sturdy 4×4 (eg. Landrover) you are prepared to use? More details about this event will follow soon, but please put it in your diary, and come to help.

Join the blog – send me your email theneilmackenzietrust @dr.com and we will invite you.

First Challenges

478 News is filtering through of some of the first challenges that will be taking place in the New Year. As I have already said, we hope to do a winter walk in to the new Camasunary Bothy (Bell’s Bothy) sometime towards the end of the first week of January, weather permitting, and we hope that we will have company. There are also a couple of Antipodean Challenges happening soon, canoeing in Australia and cycling in NZ, and another in Canada, skating on the canal in Ottawa. Thanks Lewis, Pablo and Stephane and Good Luck! I hope you’ll have fun, get lots of support, and meet some friends along the way! Please post your plans and photos to let us know how you are getting on.

For everyone taking part in Bell’s Bothy Challenge please note:

It can take place anytime in 2017, anywhere in the world.

It should be a personal challenge but can take place individually or in a group.

Support for The Neil Mackenzie Trust can be made by donation to https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/4725#/DonationDetails
or, if you are being sponsored for your challenge, you can set up your own online sponsorship at www.charitychoice.co.uk/theneilmackenzietrust. The money raised will be awarded in grants for outdoor skills training in Scotland and expedition and adventure grants anywhere in the world. There is no minimum donation.

In order to encourage others we would like you to add your plans and your adventure – with lots of photos – to this blog and don’t forget to read what others have done and are planning.

We would also like you to take time, at some stage during your challenge, to collect some rubbish on your route, and dispose of it responsibly, leaving anywhere you visit cleaner than you found it.

And finally we hope that you will meet old friends, and forge new friendships along the way – in the spirit of Bell.

Wishing you all the best for Christmas and a Challenging 2017! Good Luck!

Thoughts and guidelines…..

We hope to see the first Bell’s Bothy Challenges being done in the first week of January, and look forward to hearing about them. We will be there at some stage in early January but will not be staying in the bothy, but in our campervan on the shores of Loch Slapin. We are still getting things sorted on the website for you to post on the blog, and if you are unable to, please send your stories and pictures to theneilmackenzietrust@dr.com and we will post them.

Our aims for the Challenge are that you:

Challenge yourself

Meet others

Help to keep the area around Camasunary Bothy rubbish free (or an area of your choice)

Raise money for and help to promote The Neil Mackenzie Trust, by reporting back on your challenge.

Please be aware of the Mountain Bothies Association Guidelines: http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothy-code.asp

and the Outdoor Access Code

Principles – the Code is based on three key principles:

• Respect the interests of other people.

Acting with courtesy, consideration and awareness is very important. If you are exercising access rights, make sure that you respect the privacy, safety and livelihoods of those living or working in the outdoors, and the needs of other people enjoying the outdoors. If you are a land manager, respect people’s use of the outdoors and their need for a safe and enjoyable visit.

• Care for the environment.

If you are exercising access rights, look after the places you visit and enjoy, and leave the land as you find it. If you are a land manager, help maintain the natural and cultural features which make the outdoors attractive to visit and enjoy.

• Take responsibility for your own actions.

If you are exercising access rights, remember that the outdoors cannot be made risk-free and act with care at all times for your own safety and that of others. If you are a land manager, act with care at all times for people’s safety.

For more information visit: http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/ and of course if you are carrying out your Challege outside Scotland respect all access codes/laws relating to the country you are in.

Group Challenges

The plans for the 2017 Worldwide Bothy Challenge are well under way. It is a personal challenge, in aid of The Neil Mackenzie Trust, but could also be a group challenge, anywhere in the world, sharing the proceeds between the Trust and any other charity.

The Neil Mackenzie Trust

To encourage participation, we hope that individuals will organise groups or teams to carry out challenges in their own areas. The group challenge should be fun, and help introduce people to one another, create a personal challenge to individuals within the group, help the environment, and of course, raise money and publicise the trust. For more information contact: theneilmackenietrust@dr.com

Working on a “pay to participate” basis we would encourage a donation for each participant, alternatively they could get sponsorship for their challenges. Donations can be made through CAF bank, and sponsorship via Charity Choice – see bottom right of page “Fundraise for us” button.

Bothy Challenge

Camasunary Finished (2) The 2017 Bell’s Bothy Challenge is a “positive challenge” for anyone who wants to challenge themselves, improve the environment, meet and make friends, raise money for the Trust, and help to publicise the Trust by encouraging donations and posting on our blog.

First and foremost, our thoughts relate to Bell’s Bothy, but of course the principles can apply anywhere in the world. Our hope is that as many people as possible will set themselves a challenge (individually or as part of a team) preferably, but not exclusively, to get to the new Camasunary Bothy on Skye (Bell’s bothy). We hope to see people coming from as far away as possible and by as many different routes and means, meeting other people there and helping to clean up the Camasunary area, or a bothy, hut or any other place in your region, and raise money for NMT. If you cannot get to the bothy next year, can you help to set up a focal point for a challenge in your area/country to promote the Trust.

When – all year, but we are specifically thinking of the first weekend of every month (often a holiday weekend, in Scotland).
Where – Bell’s bothy, Camasunary, Isle of Skye – or anywhere in the world!
What is your personal challenge? Our thoughts relate particularly to the route and means of getting to the bothy, preferably powered only by yourself, from anywhere – from walking from the Elgol Road (as long as it is a personal challenge!) to cycling from Istambul! (More suggestions below – please add your own.)
Improve the environment – we really want to make sure that the surroundings at the Bothy are kept free of rubbish for the year and to promote “Pack it in, pack it out”. We would also like to clear the shore of rubbish – a challenge in itself.
Raise money – we will ensure donations can be made direct to the bank account, through the website or facebook page or through a charity fundraising page, but we hope that individuals will also seek sponsorship for their personal challenges.
Publicise – create a platform to promote your challenges, and report back, enthusiastically, on the Bell’s Bothy Challenge blog with pictures, text & videos, encouraging more people to join in the challenge and donate to the Trust.

Challenge Suggestions: Please let us add your ideas!

Sponsored cycling/mountain biking, hiking, riding, running in, or other land or water based sport to get you there (or a combination) – from as far away as possible in a weekend.

Team challenge: arriving at the bothy having completed the Cuillin Ridge.

Long distance walk, cycle or horse ride

Skydive

Individual or team challenge to arrive by water from as far away as possible.

Hitch hiking to the bothy – money saved, donated to the Trust.

Sponsored children’s relay from Edinburgh, Glasgow or any other point in Scotland/UK.

Help required:

Spreading the word – getting as many people involved as possible. Are you a member of a (physical) organisation, club or group where it would be possible to promote the challenge, or are you on a forum, fb group or other internet organisation which could be used to promote what we are doing?
Do you have any links with useful organisations (who may help, or provide members to help or participate) such as D of E, John Muir Trust.
Contributing to the diary, map and blog, to keep it “alive”.
Organising activities/challenges for babies and children.
Organising team challenges, maybe even competitions.
Promote “Pack it in, Pack it out” anywhere and everywhere!

Please let us know if you have the skills required to help us:

Set up an interactive diary for the website
Create an interactive map for the website – for completed challenges and relay routes
Set up a “mini” challenges where you live (for example, in your village in UK or in Canada or USA!).

To help the environment …………..

We hope that everyone who goes will help to clean up the bothy, the bay, and the surrounding area and take in an extra bag to collect rubbish and carry it out and dispose of it responsibly.
Do you have a boat that can be used – once or several times to remove rubbish from the bay (and/or a vehicle to transfer it to, to take it to Broadford)?

Further information:

Please keep watching The Neil Mackenzie Trust website www.theneilmackenzietrust.wordpress.com the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/theneilmackenzietrust/ and Bell’s bothy facebook group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/414516018713413/ for more information

Background:

2017 will be the first full year of the new bothy at Camasunary on Skye, being open. Generous donations in memory of Neil Mackenzie (Bell) were made and donated to MBA (Mountain Bothies Association) to cover the budgeted cost of fitting out the new bothy at Camasunary, known to his friends as Bell’s Bothy. The work was completed in March 2016 and the bothy has been very well used since then. Unfortunately, not all visitors have respected the bothy and its environs.

The Neil Mackenzie Trust was set up in 2015 to raise money to help people of all ages to learn new outdoor skills and to encourage them to challenge themselves by outdoor activity, adventure or expedition. In conjunction with VOC (Varsity Outdoor Club at University of British Columbia, Vancouver) we have already helped VOC members’ carry out activities through the Neil Mackenzie Adventure Grant. We are also in the process of awarding our first skills training grants.

Bothy Challenge

2017 Bell’s Bothy Challenge is a fun, fundraising, year long, worldwide challenge in aid of the The Neil Mackenzie Trust (Charity No. SC046080)

Bell’s Bothy (Camasunary new bothy) is maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association. The family and friends of Neil (Bell) Mackenzie donated £3,000 to MBA to fit out the new bothy at Camasunary, on Skye, in his memory. [Camasunary Bay can be seen about half way up the photo above, taken by Neil in 2011, and about a quarter of the way from the right.]

The Bothy Challenge is a “positive challenge” for anyone who wants to challenge themselves, improve the environment, meet and make friends, raise money for the Trust, and help to publicise the Trust by encouraging donations and posting on a website or blog.

First and foremost our thoughts relate to Bell’s Bothy, but of course the principles can apply anywhere in the world. Our hope is that as many people as possible will take part, throughout the year and help us clean up the Camasunary area, and others over the 6 continents, and raise money for NMT. A challenge indeed!