Nobody knows better than the residents of Whaley Bridge how important it is to have expert emergency teams on standby when a crisis strikes and now, thanks to them, Kinder Mountain Rescue team (www.kmrt.org.uk) will be able to respond more effectively to water-related

incidents across the area. As a result of an appeal through the Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ scheme (www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp) the Team is buying a trailer which will be packed and ready to go with all the equipment necessary to respond to incidents in, on or around water.

Shoppers at Tesco in Whaley Bridge chose Kinder Mountain Rescue Team as their favourite out of three local good causes during a 2-month appeal in May and June and, as a result, Tesco has given £4,000 to the Team.

The Team doesn’t only respond to incidents on the hill – they have trained experts who can search rivers and reservoirs, and provide assistance to people caught up in floods.

The Team comprises around 50 unpaid volunteers who give their time and skills, for free, not only to turn-out  for emergency call-outs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, but also for training. Currently, when the Water Team is called out they have to spend a significant amount of time packing vehicles with a considerable quantity of specialist water-rescue equipment. The grant from Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ means that a dedicated trailer can be pre-loaded and ready to hook up and go, saving valuable time which could be crucial when it comes to helping those in need.

Neil Woodhead, Deputy Team leader said ‘When we were called to help the residents of Whaley Bridge at the Whaley Bridge Toddbrook dam incident our unpaid volunteers spent in excess of 500 hours on scene. The generosity of Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ means that our response to these types of incidents will be quicker and more effective. We’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to shoppers in Whaley Bridge and the Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ scheme for choosing Kinder Mountain Rescue Team for this grant”.

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Kinder Mountain Rescue Team are a self-funding registered charity (Charity number 1115933) based in Hayfield on the western side of the Peak District.  Comprising fifty unpaid volunteers they provide an emergency response 24/7, 365 days a year.  Responding to an average of 50 emergency callouts every year, they cover an area including the mountain Kinder Scout and west to Stockport and the edge of Manchester.  Their emergency callouts include lost and injured walkers, mountain bikers, runners, missing vulnerable people and flood rescue.  As part of the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation they are also called upon to assist with incidents further afield.

Contact: Mike Potts

Tel.: 07913 392792

Email: press@kmrt.org.uk

Website: www.kmrt.org.uk