EVOLUTION CONSTITUTION

Evolution Indoor Climbing is a not for profit organisation, initially funded by grants from Sport England and Foundation for Sport and the Arts.

Formally known as Rock-In, a company limited by guarantee, the not for profit making organisation represents the interests of  the indoor climbing centre and all who rock climb here.

Evolution Climbers Group (E.C.G) exists to represent the views and opinions of Evolution climbing wall customers and those who have become 'members' have constitutional voting rights on what goes on.

Rock-In invited tenders to manage Evolution Indoor Climbing and C.W.M Ltd were the successful bidders to run the climbing centre on their behalf.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU

Evolution is your rock climbing center and you have an absolute say on what is going on, especially if you are a member. There are three options available via which you can express your views or suggest ideas:-

Talk to Chris and/or a member of staff.

Talk to ECG or, better still, become an active member.

Talk to one of the rock in directors.

Chris and the team constantly seek ways to improve Evolution rock climbing and welcome all ideas and offers of help to make it a better place for all of us to enjoy.

And how we started out

For many years the Southern Sandstone area has cried out for an indoor climbing wall but no one had the determination to take the idea beyond pub talk until, that is, one evening in the autumn of 1994. A group of local climbers were discussing this age-old issue in the High Rocks pub and two of them, Mr Simon (Sam) Iskander with the help of Dr David Roche, decided to carry out a feasibility study. Sam soon discovered that there was a massive need for a project of this type, not just from a climber’s point of view but also from an environmental viewpoint. This would help to relieve some of the pressures on the local sandstone outcrops. He set to work.

Enthused by the idea, Sam (and wife Stella) started looking for a suitable venue. The local towns were quickly dismissed as not having the right ‘feel’ for the type of project he felt was necessary, and it was Stella who eventually found an ideal location just outside Eridge. After numerous discussions with the landlord (a major local landowner) planning permission was sought for a new building in which to site the wall. Unfortunately the planners were not too impressed because of the Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (A.O.N.B) status the area enjoys and the application failed - a fall at the first crux. However, the landlord then came up with a disused agricultural barn that could be converted and once again planning was sought. After numerous false starts, not to mention the intervening three and a half years (!), full planning consent was secured on the 24^th February 1998 and the project was finally off the ground.

Meanwhile, whilst Sam had some rock climbing experience and all the business experience and drive to take the project forward, he recognised the need to introduce much greater rock climbing credibility to the project if it was to ultimately succeed. In early 1996 Sam spent an evening with Chris and Terry Tullis explaining his ideas and plans, resulting in the ‘dynamic duo’ partnership of Sam and Chris taking the project forward to where it is today (editor’s note – supported by an even more ‘dynamic duo’ - their wives!!!).  

Chris Tullis was the natural choice to bring his vast climbing expertise to the project and, combined with his stewardship as Warden of Harrison’s Rocks and ownership of Soft Rock Climbing, he had his fingers on the right holds. The project was now past the first crux and some runners were nicely placed. All that was needed now was some funding, Sport England (the National Lottery) and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts being obvious choices; a detailed application was put together and submitted to both bodies along with applications to local councils. The applications met with great enthusiasm from all parties with cash eventually being offered by both Sport England and the Foundation; unfortunately no cash support came from the local councils. Local climbers also helped during this time by pledging funds and forming the Founder Members Club. The project was well on the way now, having been off route a couple of times and just about to reach the first stance, when it suffered a major whipper; the landlord decided to withdraw the agricultural barn and pulled out.

Despite this major blow, luckily most of the runners held and Sport England and the Foundation waited patiently (two years!) while another suitable building was located. Not easy in a rural area where barns are the tallest buildings and planning controls are so strict. Eventually another landlord was approached and another agricultural barn very kindly offered for the purpose. Planning permission was once again applied for and finally granted, three and a half years after the previous one, on 17^th August 2001. The Foundation voted to continue their support and Sport England converted their ‘in principle’ offer to a full one on 28^th November 2001.The stance had been reached and the final pitch started. After a long process of consideration, Bendcrete Climbing Walls were appointed as the climbing surface supplier. Building work finally started in August 2002.

 

OUR THANKS GO OUT TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN Samantha Webb Simon Auger Tammy Brown Stephen Taylor Helen Taylor Mark Taylor Robin Love Jake Hard Rob Furguson Glenn Morris Alison Tod Chris Otton Steve Durkin Sarah Cullen Adrian Rose Dave Hodgson Aly Hodgson William Clive Jeremy Wisdom Gareth Penn Sylvia Sutton Roger C Harvey Robert Naylor Dick Boetious Beacon Community College Barney Lewis Stephen Wass Maggie Speirs Julia Akhurst David Jones Oliver Hill Andrew Brown Mark Talbot Sarah Talbot Paul Talbot Frank Talbot Richard Hart Hans Rausing Marit Rausing Paul Norris Rob Foster Chris Boylan Nick Alcock Katheryn Blackie Steve Mayes Tim Randall Neil Randall Dave Randall John Bee Lord Abergavenny Benjamin Mapp Helen Hunt Darren Hunt Frank Harvey Chris Morgan John Galloway Junction Inn Paramo Clothing D.M.M. Nic Cosmos Tonbridge School Gary Coyle Sarah Coyle Simon Lotter Peri Cheal Paul Highams Andy Mepham Martin Brice Pru Winter Julie Wilson Louise McMenamin Hugo Peyre Jerry Burchett Jonathan James Daniel Marsh Charlie Pickin Rankin Goalen Iain Andrews Bob Moulton Brian Kavanagh Sam Gibbs Susan Wagstaff Chris Eades Mike Vetterlein Martin Randall Amelia Randall Jack Randall Steven Mccahill Philip Beresford Webb Hugh Beresford Webb Robin Weaser Tom Speirs Paul Widdowson Theseus Gerard Shyama Ruffell Mark Lawrence Justin Nichol George Martinez Sue Hubble     Many thanks to you all.