ACCRINGTON DISTRICT PROBUS CLUB

JENNY Handley presented the work of the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team.

But, apart from the fact that they are based in Burnley rather than on Tracy Island, we might have been listening to a Thunderbirds script.

She emphasised that volunteers, and they are all volunteers, are formally trained in many specialities from abseiling and police ‘blue light’ driving, to communications, first aid and fund raising.

Teams are formally structured, even though they can be different every time they go out, to ensure that each rescue is managed from the initial tackling of an incident through to recording and review.

Co-ordination with any or all of the other emergency services is a big part of their activities.

We don’t have many real mountains in Lancashire but we do have many opportunities for people to get into trouble in some of our wonderful landscapes, especially when the weather is less than wonderful.

The team is also kept busy covering the many fell running, mountain biking, orienteering and similar, increasing popular ‘adventure’ events in the area.

As well as the lost-inthe-fog and the fell-andbroke-something on a wild walk incidents, this team has rescued people from their own homes.

For those approaching the age when we might anticipate an increasing tendency to wander off, this inspiring talk gave us the warm feeling that someone was there to come and look for us.

We actually did quite well in the participation exercise but failed the age limit requirements for volunteering, miserably.