About Clean Ascent
Clean Ascent is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) set up to help people out of addiction, by providing them with confidence inspiring, life affirming rock climbing, hill walking & mountaineering experiences and tuition.
Charity Number: 1183266
Charitable Statement
Clean Ascent provides rock climbing, hill walking and mountaineering experiences and tuition in the interests of social welfare for people living in the Devon, who have need by reason of their infirmity or disability, poverty or social and economic circumstances, with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.
Objectives
- Promote participation and enjoyment of rock climbing, hill walking and mountaineering
- Promote and facilitate responsible enjoyment of the natural environment
- Increase confidence of participants
- Improve mood of participants
- Increase capabilities of participants
- Improve group cohesion of participants
- Provide respite from symptoms of addiction recovery
- Reduce relapse rates for participants recovering from alcohol and substance misuse
- Promote and facilitate responsible enjoyment of the natural environment
- Increase confidence of participants
- Improve mood of participants
- Increase capabilities of participants
- Improve group cohesion of participants
- Provide respite from symptoms of addiction recovery
- Reduce relapse rates for participants recovering from alcohol and substance misuse
Supporting Articles
NHS - Health benefits of rock climbing
BMC Psychiatry - Indoor climbing as a new treatment for depression
UKC - Climbing Therapy in Europe - A Modern Medicine
UKC - Mental Health & Climbing
Trustees
Phillip Skinner
Phil has always loved spending time in the outdoors, exploring the hills and mountains of the UK and abroad. From coastal and moorland walking in England and Wales to winter walking in Scotland and trekking in Europe he finds great stimulation and benefit from being in these environments. Later in life he discovered the pleasure and challenge of climbing, and is working towards his Rock Climbing Instructor qualification. Phil is a retired doctor and worked as a GP for 30 years. For a decade he was involved in a major programme of quality assurance for general practice. During his career he had a particular interest in improving health through lifestyle change and he carried out research into making behavioural changes by short interventions in practice. Since retirement he has worked as a voluntary walking leader for a holiday company, a role which allows him to introduce others to the benefits of walking and share his passion for the natural environment. He is a Mountain Leader and full member of the Mountain Training Association. His experience as a GP, managing many people with addiction, mental health problems, and social disadvantages, combined with his passion for the outdoors, has led him to understand the limitations of a purely medical approach and the holistic benefits of activities like climbing and walking. His combination of medical and outdoor experience will help further the aims of Clean Ascent. |
David Irons
David is a keen climber, walker and off-road runner, and has had a lifelong interest in the outdoors and adventure. His climbing experience, up until recently, only involved sport climbing in sunny places but this year he has taken the plunge into trad climbing, and is working towards the Rock Climbing Instructor qualification. He is a recently retired GP and Emergency Medicine doctor and has lived and worked in many challenging areas of the world over his career. David also has many years of experience teaching medical skills to non medics for improved safety in remote sites both on land and sea and in the past he has acted as an advisor to a UK government branch regarding medical training and safety equipment required for UK registered shipping. As part of becoming a GP, David trained in Psychiatry and over years of work as a GP, with a particular interest in mental health and addiction, he has witnessed the profound effect of exercise and outdoor activities on improved mental health and anxiety reduction. David has worked extensively as a volunteer with a number of charities in the past and was formerly a trustee and Chairman of the board of trustees of a UK based charity. |
John Sheehan
"Getting outside is so important for our health and wellbeing. It is essential. This has always been my instinctive thought and feeling. Nowadays, this is backed up by research" John has not stopped enjoying the adventure. He has shared hiking, camping, backpacking, kayaking, scrambling and climbing with family and friends, and his children’s friends and parents. John spent fifteen years working in different government welfare and benefits departments. Then, eighteen years as a Primary school teacher. These days John works as a supply teacher. John is a qualified Climbing Wall Instructor. |
Staff
Robin Jacob - Lead Instructor A Climbing Instructor, Coach and Mountain Leader, Robin founded Clean Ascent after witnessing the therapeutic affect of rock climbing on a friend in early recovery from opiate addiction. Robin splits his time between Snowdonia and the South West, climbing cliffs and mountains for pleasure and work. Robin is a full member of the Mountain Training Association. |
Lee Chivers - Instructor Lee has been instrumental in the formation of Clean Ascent, having involvement from it's early days. He helped to organise and arrange funding for the pilot, which he participated in. He holds the Rock Climbing Instructor qualification, and is a member of the Mountain Training association. Lee also works for The Quay Climbing Centre and plays an active role in the Exeter recovery community. |
Vincent Forder - Instructor A Climbing Wall Instructor who came through the Clean Ascent pilot, Vincent has dedicated himself to climbing since he was introduced to it, and now also works for the Quay Climbing Centre. Vincent plays an active part in the Exeter recovery community and talks about his experiences of addiction to young people through Five Lives. He is a full member of the Mountain Training Association. |
Our Sponsors
Clean Ascent is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, Festival Medical Services, Devon Community Foundation, Ripple Effect and Taunton Leisure Exeter Store, and was an Unltd award winner
What is a Clean Ascent?
"In the early '70's during the rapid transition away from the use of pitons, a clean ascent was simply one in which only removable, nondestructive protection was used. Today a clean ascent retains the older meaning on traditionally protected climbs, but since so few climbers use pitons now, it is assumed that trad climbers use clean methods - with the exception of big wall aid climbing where pitons are still sometimes employed. In general, clean has come to mean relying only on your own power, climbing without physical aid of any kind, including pulling on a quickdraw or using rope tension to help support body weight."
"I had only been rock climbing a couple of times a few years ago, so wasn’t confident in my ability to begin with. I came along as I’m early in my recovery and it’s vital that I fill my time constructively. In just one day I feel so energised and proud of myself. I’ll be doing a lot more climbing from now and I’m happy to have found a great hobby!" - Alex Myhill