Maria Coffey
Chair

Maria Coffey’s career as a writer began in 1989 with the publication of Fragile Edge, a memoir of her relationship with Joe Tasker and her journey to Everest with Hilary Boardman after Joe and Pete disappeared. Since then she has written twelve other books, including Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow and Explorers of the Infinite. Her most recent book, Instead: Navigating the Adventures of a Childfree Life, won the 2023 Adventure Travel Prize at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival. Maria is co-founder, with her husband Dag Goering, of the adventure travel company Hidden Places and its conservation branch Elephant Earth.  

Maria and Dag are based in British Columbia and in Catalonia.  

Chris Harle
Treasurer & Trustee

After university Chris escaped London, football and the threat of a teaching career to become an outdoor instructor in South Wales. He now lives in Matlock with his wife Jane and works in Hathersage buying and selling books.

He is an active climber, sea kayaker, caver and walker who is always looking for the next adventure. Chris has co-authored two books with BT shortlisted author Graham Wilson and was Chair of Judges of the BT Prize in 2013 before recently becoming a Trustee.

Steve Dean
Secretary & Trustee

Born in London 1950 and started climbing at Harrison’s Rocks in 1967. Spent five years at University in Cardiff (1969-74) and climbed a lot in the Avon Gorge. In 1974 moved to Derby and has remained there. Retired from Derby City Council as a Senior Planning Officer.  Has climbed extensively in Britain, Spain and the Alps for over forty years. Is still active predominantly in the Peak and in North Wales.

A member of the Wayfarers Club and the Climbers Club, Steve has written extensively for Climber, High, On The Edge and the CC Journal. He is a Trustee and The Secretary of the Boardman Tasker Charitable Trust. 

Steve lives in Derby with his wife Janet, (BT Administrator).

Steve is the author of Hands of a Climber, a biography of Colin Kirkus.

Martin Wragg
Trustee

Brought up in Sheffield, Martin read law at Nottingham University, subsequently qualified as a solicitor and became a partner in a law firm practicing in Buxton and Sheffield, specialising in commercial work.

He met Peter Boardman at university and they climbed together in Britain and the Alps. They met Joe Tasker and Dick Renshaw on the north face of Les Droites in 1971 and the following year Martin and Peter, with others, travelled overland to Afghanistan and made some notable ascents in the Hindu Kush. Peter’s account was published in Mountain magazine under the title Long Necks in the Hindu Kush.

After the tragic loss of Peter and Joe, Martin was one of the group that came together and set up the trust. Martin was a founding Trustee and is currently Chair. He has been an honorary legal adviser and solicitor to the BMC since being introduced by Peter when Peter was employed by the BMC. He is also a member and former vice-president of the Alpine Club. He continues to climb, although not as well as he would like.

Kelvyn James
Trustee

Kelvyn began rock climbing in the quarries around Manchester in his teens as a way to escape an unhappy homelife.

However whilst it always retained that sense of escapism climbing soon became a passion that would take him all over the UK, Europe and then further afield to the Himalayas and the US.

After a few years lost in the wilderness of the business world he sold his manufacturing business to return to that passion and become a full time outdoor instructor. A decade later he's been President of the British Association of International Mountain Leaders, Development Officer for the Association of British Climbing Walls and can be found out in the hills of the Lake District most days. He now specialises in taking people out into nature for the benefit of their mental and physical health with his not-for-profit Wellness Walks.

Kelvyn is a big fan of the power of words to inspire and connect people- & is very honoured to be asked to be a Trustee of the Boardman Tasker Charitable Trust.

Paul Tasker
Trustee

Paul is one of Joe Tasker’s younger brothers. Before he retired he had a career in social services working as a centre manager and social worker. Using his interests during that time he was able to introduce people with disabilities to a range of outdoor adventurous activities. He was involved with the sport of paragliding through venture scouts, becoming one of the first instructors.

When Joe was home from Ushaw College he would take him to the local Cleveland Hills and North York Moors to go climbing, walking, and youth hosteling. Paul still goes walking out on the moors with two local walking groups. He is also a member of the Friends of Durham Tees Valley Airport were he lives. This provided an opportunity to have a flight in the Canadian Lancaster Bomber during its visit to fly alongside the Battle of Britain memorial flight Lancaster. Paul is a Trustee and was the previous Chairman.

Matt Fry
Trustee

Charlie Clarke
Trustee

Matthew has worked in non-fiction publishing for over 20 years and is currently Director of International Sales at Quarto Books.

As part of Joe Tasker’s extended family, he grew up with a somewhat inevitable passion for mountaineering literature and has fond memories of attending previous Boardman Tasker award ceremonies as a child.

He has spent much time exploring the Bernese Oberland in particular since childhood. More recently, he has been keeping it closer to home and trekking the Welsh mountains with his own family.

He has been fortunate enough to travel to many crags and mountains in the UK, Europe and beyond as part of his work and is delighted to be able to participate in the judging of this prestigious prize.

Charlie is a retired NHS neurologist, an active Greenpeace supporter/meeting organiser and a patron/supporter of the Centre for Health & Public Interest - that tries to rescue the NHS.

Charlie met Peter Boardman in 1975 when they were on Everest SW Face, and Joe Tasker when they went to Kongur in 1981. Ruth & Charlie, and Pete & Joe, Hilary & Maria all became close friends.

In 1982, Everest NE Ridge was Charlie's 9th trip to the Great Ranges - he was among the last to see Pete & Joe alive. He wrote Everest the Unclimbed Ridge, with Chris Bonington - the book that tells the story of 1982, and helped set up the BT.