The Trust was established to promote literature by providing an annual award to authors of literary works, the central theme of which is concerned with the mountain environment. The prize of £3,000 commemorates the lives of Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker and is given to the author or co-authors of an original work, which has made an outstanding contribution to mountain literature.

On 17 May 1982 Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker were last seen on Mount Everest attempting to traverse The Pinnacles on the unclimbed North East Ridge at around 8250 metres. Their deaths marked the end of their contribution to a remarkable era in British mountaineering.

Pete and Joe left a record of mountaineering achievements that was outstanding for its time. Their climbs were technically demanding and committing and at the forefront of the application of alpine climbing techniques to Himalayan peaks. The most brilliant example was their ascent of the West Wall of Changabang in 1976. As well as their climbing achievements they also left us their books, recognised as classics of the genre and still selling steadily in various formats after almost forty years. They also left memories in the minds of all who knew them, climbed with them, were taught by them or simply met them as they went about their day-to-day lives.

In different ways, the climbs, the books, the personal interactions triggered responses that challenged, inspired and indeed changed some people’s lives and their view of the world. Those people then went on to pass on the challenge and the inspiration to others.

The Boardman Tasker Award highlights afresh the memory of Pete and Joe, but it also seeks to do more than just that. The Award recognises and rewards outstanding literature concerned with the mountain environment: books which will in turn challenge and inspire their readers, perhaps to climb or explore the world of mountains, perhaps to write or perhaps to look at the world in a different way. Perpetuating and refreshing the challenge and inspiration of mountains through literature is one way in which we seek to remember them.

The winner of the Boardman Tasker Award is a book that Pete and Joe would be proud of being associated with.

The original trustees were family members and friends of Peter and Joe. Although some original trustees remain, there have been changes over the years. Incoming trustees have tended to be family members or persons who hold dear the purpose of the Trust. They are not remunerated.

The trustees are responsible for managing the Trust and its assets, for appointing judges, for staging the annual BT Award Event and presenting the prize.

The judges are appointed by the trustees. They are independent and to ensure that independence no judge serves more than two years in succession. There is a panel of three judges, one of whom will be appointed as chair of judges by the trustees. The chair will normally have been a judge the previous year. Since 2017 the judges receive an honorarium, upon receipt of the shortlist.

The role of the judges is to read the submissions and select a shortlist from which they will eventually determine the winner. The judges are requested to attend the Award event and the chair is expected to make a speech about the submissions and the short listed books and to announce the winner.