While the majority of the work of the club is to do with managing and recording attempts on the Round an increasing amount of effort is being directed at dealing with the fallout from inappropriate behaviour both by contenders and their supporters. In most cases this is unintentional but the results as far as the Club and other contenders are the same.
The guidance notes available to contenders were traditionally aimed at the safety aspects of undertaking the round and were relatively short and concise but have increased in length over the years to deal with the problems that have arisen. Sadly adding to the notes has become almost an annual task. The notes may be summarised by the following points.
The first two points are effectively restating The Country Code and shouldn't need stating. The last is making the point that our actions or misdeeds have a lasting effect.
The third item may seem as if we are trying to keep attempts on the Round in the past but things (technology for example) move on and there is nothing to be gained by denying this. The point is that just because something can be done does not mean that it should be done. In large part, the Club has had to act on problems retrospectively which of course means that the damage has already been done, though local by-laws such as the ban on consumption of alcohol in the streets of Keswick aren't of our making we still should abide by them. Morgan has written the following document outlining the Club's reasonings for upholding the traditions of those who created the Club.
Whether a contender or helper/pacer please take time to read it and adhere to the principles such that everyone, present and future, may continue to aspire to the great day in the fells that is the Bob Graham Round.
Notes on the traditions and ethics of the Club (revised 05 2017)
