Subsidised Alpine mountaineering courses are on offer, thanks to a charitable trust.

The three-day courses will be run in Chamonix by professional guides and will give an introduction to Alpine mountaineering. They are aimed at those with no previous experience in Alpine skills but who want to move up from, say, British winter climbing.

The Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust has provided £13,000 to subsidise the training, which would normally cost £185 but which is on offer for £60. The courses run this summer and last three days, covering skills such as glacier travel, crevasse rescue and use of equipment.

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is contributing £1,500 and the Mountain Training Trust is also providing support. Successful applicants will have to finance their own transport to the training as well as accommodation, food and insurance.

Closing date for applications is Friday, 20 April and details are on the BMC website.

The memorial trust was set up by the family of Jonathan Conville, who died on the Matterhorn in the winter of 1979-80. The charity exists to increase the safety of mountaineers and subsidises courses both in this country and abroad.

Successful applicants will hear from the organisers by the end of May; courses start at the end of June and go through to the beginning of August.