The Penrith Mountain Rescue Team

A mountain rescue team is on the lookout for new recruits.

Penrith Mountain Rescue Team said it is seeking new members from its area, which covers the Lake District around Penrith and Carlisle, the Eden Valley and the North Pennines.

Anyone with the skills and commitment who is interested in becoming a team member is asked to get in touch.

Mike Hill, team leader and one of those involved in the recruitment process said: “Potential volunteers need to be experienced hillwalkers and mountaineers – but not necessarily climbers – who are willing to give up their time to help others in distress, not just on our local hills, but also in the wider rural areas.

“As a team we have specialist knowledge and equipment which is called upon to assist other emergency services in locating and transporting casualties, searching for missing persons and working during flooding incidents, so we’re looking for a range of skills but also a lot of commitment.”

The Penrith team said candidates should be fit and be able to operate on the hills in all weather conditions including snow and ice, and they must be able to navigate in the dark.

Being a team member involves a significant time commitment as members are expected to attend regular training and fundraising events, as well as callouts.

Mr Hill said: “The team gets approximately 40 callouts each year, and there are two training sessions a month: one on a Wednesday evening, the other on a Sunday, as well as a team meeting.”

After an initial induction programme, new members serve a one-year probationary period, during which they receive extensive training and are mentored by a more experienced team member.

An application form can be downloaded from the team website.

Closing date for this year’s intake is 1 October.