First who I am
My name is Dave Palmer, I've been married for 28 years and have 2 Adult Children. I am not only my Spouses Full Time Carer, but also my 2 Childrens Carer as well.
My Geocaching History.
I started Geocaching in 2002, after reading a Article in Computer Active Magaine in the August. I got a GPS in the September and my Spouse imediatly wrapped it up for Christmas. So the fist day I went out Geocaching was St Stephens Day 2002 [Boxing Day], I had the grand choice of just 3 caches within 30 miles. I found 2 and DNF'd one, and was hooked, despite getting Soaked to the skin
In 2004 I placed the very first Geocache in the UK, with Landower Permission in a SSSI. That involved working with the Land Manager a Contractor, BHPBilliton the Land Owner, and the SSSI Stearing Group, comprising of BHPBiliton, Flintshire and Denbighshire County Councils, Haven Holidays, Point of Atr Holidays, The Enviroment Agency, RSPB, CCW [now Natural Resources Wales] to obtain permission.
Also in 2004 I organised the very first and only CITO that year, in the UK. That involved obtaining Permission of CADW, as the Event took place at Flint Castle, a Scheduled Monument, and also Flitshire CC, who provided Gloves, Pick Up Sticks, Black Bags, a Sharps Container and arranged a special pick up of all the Rubbish collected.
This was just the start of a patern of working with Landowners.
In 2006 I was asked to become a Volunteer Reviewer for the UK. A role I fulfilled for eight years. In that time I worked with numerous Geocachers to resolve all sorts of issues and proved support. I worked with Numerous Landowners over issues created by Geocaches, placed without permission. In some cases by working directly with the Landowner, I managed to about turn a request for the removal of Geocaches, into Permission for them, even if it involved relocating the containers.
I also worked to help resolve a situation where a Muggle had relocated a container, discovered by accident, over 70 mile. By identifying the actual location the container had been relocated to, where it had been moved from, which cache it was and who owned it. The Cache Owner made a 140 mile round trip to recover the container.
As the above shows, I have the ability to work with people to reach a resolution, resolutions at times some have not agreed with, but the aim has always been to have the minimum impact on the hobby and UK Geocaching Community, and sustain the long term future for the hobby in the UK. Something I'm passionate about.
I am not one of the early Geocachers in the UK, still active, who has Rose Coloured Glasses about the past history of the Hobby. In fact there were extremely poor caches, and abusive Geocachers way back in 2002. The only differance is that a tiny percentage of a tiny number, is easy to ignore, where as today there are around 109,198 been active in 2014, in 2002 there was 100/200 active geocachers in the UK. With 179,054 currently active cache in the UK, there was just a few hundred back in 2002.
What I promise to bring to the GAGB Committee if elected, is a passion for the sustainable future of the Hobby in the UK. Support for UK Geocachers, in regards to issues. If I upset some to achive a sustanable future, that is a risk I am prepared to accept, because I want to see the Hobby in the UK and also the GAB, thriving in 20/30/40 years time. Not a hobby which peaks, goes into decline as the majority do, and fizle away into nothing, to achive that, involves major compramises, as the Hobby is no longer a Uderground, below the Radar Hobby. And every action has a potential negative reaction off Lanowners, without whose support, we have no Hobby