Hello everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
I am trying plan a fundraising event at out local church. I want to get our cadets to sign up to abseil down the church tower and get sponsorship for doing so.
I think this has the potential to be a great PR exercise and will get our Squadron, the Corps and the local church in the press.
The Revd. Is happy for this to go ahead as long as we can gain access to the roof!
However, where do we stand with rigging the ropes to the church? Are there any staff that can rig to a man made object?
I’m trying to overcome some hurdles before they become an unsolvable issue. Wing are happy for this to go ahead providing it is an AT activity of SMS.
Thanks
Keiron
Not sure of the regs but unless other ATC sqns have done it, why not Google other organisations who have done so (http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/event/bournemouth-hero-abseil-2016 for example) and ask them how they did it? I’m sure they’d help. Perhaps your vicar could ring their vicar…
you need to speak to a SPA - Single Pitch Award climber.
they should be familiar with preparing an anchor and will be best placed to advise the system for the church tower.
of course you’ll need an SPA anyway (ACO or otherwise) to get it passed the SMS WATTO approval…
As Steve has said you will need someone with an SPA qualification, they will need recce the site and risk assess it. If all is well you then just put in an AT application to Wing and crack on.
(Climbing people, would a CWA with the added abseil module cover this? I assume not as I think that only covers proper abseil towers?)
as i understand it CWO is valid for fixed permanent/dedicated pieces of kit, ie climbing towers or centres with obvious clear, inspected and maintained anchors.
i could be wrong though…
(given the CWA is intended for climbing walls/centres/towers they don’t need to make thier own anchors so logically can’t see it being valid in this case but await to be corrected)