The Ghar Parau Foundation is on the lookout for a new secretary to take over from Phil Rowsell.

Nick Williams, the interim acting secretary, said: “After many years of excellent and dedicated service, Phil Rowsell has decided to stop down.

“As most cavers know, the foundation has been responsible for sponsoring many international expeditions over the last 40+ years and is one of the many reasons why Britain is at the forefront of international cave exploration.”

The post requires attendance at two meetings per year – one in March/April, usually held in Derbyshire, and the second at Hidden Earth. The secretary is also responsible for liaising with other bodies such as the Mount Everest Foundation.

Nick says that the time commitment, in addition to the two meetings, is likely to be about four to six hours per month, plus the same amount again for the months with meetings.

The Ghar Parau Foundation is an independent charity that provides grants to assist British caving expeditions to all parts of the world. The fund focuses on expeditions that include an element of innovative exploration or scientific study, and is keen to encourage young cavers into expedition caving. The foundation is also supported by grants from the BCA and Hidden Earth.

Anyone who is interested in being involved should email Nick at [email protected].

Information about the foundation may be found here: http://www.gharparau.org.uk/about/