BAS Club Information

Membership of the BAS Club is open to past employees of Operation Tabarin, the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS, hence "Fids" personnel), past and present members of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), and individuals who have been closely associated with these organisations. Membership currently stands at around 1050.

The constitutional objectives of the Club, and its activities are as follows:

1. To ensure that the Membership of the BAS Club is kept in touch with Antarctic activities by circulating newsletters, arranging functions, meetings, lectures, film shows and any other functions that may be necessary to achieve these objectives.
2. To promote the interest of outside organisations, e.g. schools, social clubs, etc. in Antarctic activities.
3. Where possible to assist any Member or any dependants of such Members of the BAS Club who are in difficulties.
4. To support projects that document the Antarctic life and work of members.

Within this framework the Club issues one or two Newsletters per year containing a Committee Report, news of Reunions, Penguin News (about Fids and Ex-Fids etc.), information about books, stamps, etc. and Antarctic-orientated articles of general and historic interest. These have been bound in volumes of ten issues (five-year periods) in the BAS Club and deposited in archives (BAS Archives, BAS Library and the Scott Polar Research Institute). The emphasis for articles is on first-hand accounts of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic expeditions. These are frequently anecdotal rather than the more formal approach of an expedition report or a book. They therefore capture the spirit of adventure. Other types of article include encounters with Antarctic veterans, and accounts of discoveries of historic interest in the field and in the library.

Non-members are invited to contribute articles, and they are presented with a complimentary copy of the issue containing their contribution.

The Club periodically issues an address list of members which is computerised for efficient alteration. The Club also sells to members blazer badges and ties.

As well as organising an Annual Reunion and AGM, the Club coordinates Regional Reunions and advertises them through the Newsletter.

The Club Committee holds about five meetings each year at BAS HQ to discuss Club affairs which are then reported in the Newsletter and at the AGM.

The Club encourages recently returned Fids to become members, as well as members of expeditions which laid the foundations of BAS as it is today. This encourages the exchange of reminiscences, adventures and ideas across the generations.

The BAS Club undertakes the administration of the Laws Prize fund and the Fuchs Medal fund and the processing of nominations.

Finally, the Club administers a Benevolent Fund which provides immediate assistance to members or their dependants in time of emergency. It is the speed of the help that the Committee feels is important (i.e. within a day or two of the disaster) when emotional problems are bad enough without the addition of financial worries.

The Club Membership annual subscription, payable preferably by a bank Standing Order to minimise the administrative cost, is £10.

For further details contact, Dr Julian Paren, BAS Club Secretary, c/o British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET. E-mail jgpa@bas.ac.uk.

The Club Secretary's telephone number is 01223 221257. There is an Answerphone.

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