The Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) is a Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 which looks after almost one hundred shelters in some of the remoter parts of the UK.

Most of the MBA bothies

Bothy

A bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge. It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are to be found in remote, mountainous areas of Scotland, northern England, Ireland, and Wales....

 are in Scotland, with others in the north of England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

. They belong to the landowners who allow MBA to maintain them for use by those people who love to roam, and respect the great outdoors.

History

The MBA was founded as an organisation in 1965 following the restoration of the ruined farmhouse at Tunskeen to a basic bothy. The volunteers who took part formed the Association to enable them to undertake subsequent similar projects.

In 1975 the MBA became a registered charity. In 1998, the Association was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee

Company limited by guarantee

In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...

, still remaining a registered charity.

As of 31 March 2009, the MBA was made up of over 4,000 members. Members receive a quarterly newsletter and annual report, but do not have any privileged rights (i.e. the bothies themselves are equally open to all).

Maintenance Organisers

Each bothy has a Maintenance Organiser (or, in some cases, a small team of 2 or 3 MOs), who monitor the bothy and arrange routine maintenance.

Area Organisers

The UK is divided into eight areas, namely

• Northern Highlands
• North West Highlands and Islands
• Western Highlands
• Central Highlands
• Southwest Highlands and Islands
• Southern Scotland
• Northern England and Borders
• Wales

The Maintenance Organisers of the bothies in each area form the respective Area Committees. Each committee elects an Area Organiser to chair their meetings and to represent the area to the Management Committee.

Project Organisers

Project Organisers run a particular renovation or major maintenance project. This is a short-term responsibility, unlike that of a Maintenance Organiser.

Management Committee

The Management Committee is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Association. It has an overview of maintenance matters and advises the Board of Trustees on policy. It also appoints a Director of Projects, who supports and oversees the work of the Area Organisers and advises the Association on building practice and on health and safety.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is directly elected by the members. It has control over the finances and is responsible for managing the company.