Mountain rescuers at work
One lucky mountain rescue team could be £2,000 better off – with your help.
Nine teams are in the running to pick up the Team of the Year Award from Goodyear the tyre people, which is supporting mountain rescue in England and Wales.
The company is funding GPS navigation equipment for rescuers, and the prize money for the chosen team will be given to them to spend on further safety equipment.
Voting is via the Goodyear website, which means registering. You can then cast your vote for the team you want to get the cash.
Andy Simpson, spokesperson for Mountain Rescue said: “Mountain rescue teams are run by volunteers and funded entirely by donations.
“The additional money that Goodyear is offering could buy a team a stretcher, 12 sets of waterproofs, or around 40 helmets. It will certainly make a difference to this year’s fundraising.
“This is a great opportunity for people to learn about the incredible work that their local mountain rescue teams do and show their support by making their vote count.”
Mountain rescue teams up for the vote are: Swaledale, Oldham, Ogwen Valley, Penrith, Rossendale and Pendle, Central Beacons, Cockermouth, Edale and Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team.
Mac Bryant
13 December 2008I stood down this year after 10 years as the Honorary Secretary of Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team (SMRT). I had no experience of Mountain Rescue before I started and dealt with the administration for the Team but was not an active Team member and not involved in callouts.
The work done by SMRT never ceases to amaze me. Although staffed entirely by volunteers they certainly live up to their idea of being 'Volunteers with a Professional Approach'. They give up a great deal of time to very demanding training to prepare themselves to face any situation effectively.
I remember many occasions when they have intervened to save lives that would certainly have been lost. Incidents included one occasion when they were called out in a blizzard on a Christmas night and responded without complaint.
Everyone in SMRT is so committed that I hope you will be able to recognise the amazing contribution that these unsung heroes make to their local communities.
With all good wishes and thanks for your efforts to promote Mountain Rescue.
Paul Denning
14 December 2008Fundraising for all MRTs is a continual battle, most folks will appreciate that teams get no money from the government and therefore have to raise all there own costs - which take as much if not more than organising the teams for rescues.
Swaledale MRT is a great time full of charactures of varied experiences, but this gives the team a great depth of experience from Cavers who have explored caves in China and some of the darker and muddy caves of Yorkshire to climber and hill walkers to explore closer to home. However there all are prepared to help anyone in need above and below the hill of North Yorkshire. Indeed there experience has been used to assist on a range of incidents away for the hills - including missing children and floods that now seem to be becoming a part of a "normal" winter.
Can I ask everyone to help and vote for Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team.
Paul Denning
The Piglit
17 December 2008So the truth is out at last - Mountain Rescue is a competitive sport!
Iain Cairns
19 December 2008What a pity Llanberis are not up for this, one of the busiest teams and so under funded. Compare their HQ to say that of Swaledale, makes you think if The Piglet is correct