The society is actively involved in conservation work. A few years ago the Society 'adopted' Rifle Butts Quarry, a local Geological SSSI, and regularly visits the site to keep it tidy. At the site there is an exposure of an unconformity, with mid-Cretaceous Red Chalk overlying Lower Jurassic Sediments. The site provides evidence of the existence of the Market Weighton High, one of the Mesozoic structural masses, which influenced sedimentation. Members became worried about the rate of weathering and have raised 6000 pounds to erect a roof to protect the exposure from the elements. Access to the site by geological parties is encouraged. The Society has a small conservation fund and will consider applications for grants for geological conservation in eastern Yorkshire.

The Society is an active member of the East Yorkshire RIGS Group.

The Hull Geological Society now has a conservation fund, the rules of which are:

1. The Fund shall be called the Hull Geological Society Conservation Fund.
2. The Fund shall be administered by the Officers and Committee of the Hull Geological Society.
Withdrawals from the fund will require two signatures.
3. The Fund shall only be used for conservation work or projects in Eastern Yorkshire (including the upkeep of the Rifle Butts Quarry Shelter). Such conservation should have educational benefits in terms of extending knowledge and promoting research into Geology and allied science, in line with the educational aims of the Hull Geological Society's Rules and charitable status.
4. The accounts shall be shown as a separate fund in the Society's Treasurer's report annually and be audited in the same way as the Society's general funds.
5. The Committee shall invest the Fund as they consider appropriate and consider applications for conservation grants.

The Fund has been an unexpected result of our work at Rifle Butts SSSI. In 1993 we received a Grant from the Curry Fund of the geologists' Association, as half of the cost of erecting a shelter to protect the exposure at Rifle Butts SSSI near Market Weighton. The Society invested the money until the work had been complete and received some interest on the account. We offered to donate that back to the Curry Fund but were told that we could keep it and use it for the upkeep of the shelter (to pay for some paint for example). In 1997 the Alliance and Leicester Building Society converted into a bank. The conversion meant that the account-holder was entitled to free shares. We offered these to the Curry Fund, who eventually replied that they were happy for the Society to keep them for conservation work only. But the problem was that the shares are the Secretary's name because they cannot be in the name of the Society. Following the advice of the Society's Auditor, the 1998 AGM agreed that the shares should be sold and the money re-invested by a group of trustees. Following that the Charity Commission pointed out that the Fund should not have separate 'Trustees', which effectively created a separate organisation and would have to apply for separate charitable status. This was corrected at the 1999 AGM when the above constitution was adopted. We would like to thank Michael McKillop of the Charity Commission for his help in the wording of the Fund rules.

Membership is open to anyone with an interest in rocks, minerals and fossils; no qualifications are required. Though some previous experience does help with some of the lecture meetings and we occasionally cannot allow children on quarry visits for safety reasons.

The current annual subscriptions from September 2007 are 7 pounds, 8 pounds for families and institutions, 5 pounds for retired people, and 3 pounds for students/unwaged (or 7-50 for three years in advance). Donations are always welcome. Cheques should be made payable to "Hull Geological Society". Click on these links for a membership form and gift aid declaration which you can print out..

For further information please contact: the Secretary: Mike Horne, c/o 28 Salisbury Street, Hull, HU5 3HA, telephone (01482) 346784 (after 7-30 p.m.) or e-mail Mike Horne

The Society donated its library to the Brynmor Jones Library at the University of Hull. Members of the Society may register with the BJL for a free Reader's Ticket, entitling them to use the Library but not borrow books.

In 2002 the BJL donated unwanted geology books and journals to the Society. These are now stored in the home of our Librarian and members of the Society may borrow up to six books or journals for one month. Non-members may also borrow but a refundable deposit is required. Any costs involved in the loans (such as post and packing) must be paid by the borrower. The Society plans to produce a catalogue of the new library.

We have also been given some geological maps and other books, and these too are available for loan. Other donations will be gratefully accepted!

'The history of the coastal strip of Holderness is beset with its instability under pressure from the sea and the difficulties of its protection. An excellent database on the mechanism and nature of this erosion has been researched by the ERYC and reported on its website .....' Click Here

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