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Big fundraising mountain to climb

20/12/2006

SANTA'S sleigh ride through Glossop not only brings a smile to the faces of young and old alike.

It also serves a serious purpose. The event, organised by Glossop Mountain Rescue Team, also helps save lives.

"It's our biggest fundraiser of the year," said chairman Adie Hopkinson.

"We have to pay for our own kit and equipment ourselves, including our former RAF Land Rover ambulance.

"Our new centre in Glossop is costing £70,000, which we've had to pay for by holding street collections and by donations from local businesses. We tried the Lottery but they could not help us as our centre is not a community hall."

The team's 40 member are all volunteers who commit to around four hours each month and six winter exercises, which simulate rescue operations.

Glossop Mountain Rescue is on call every day, via the 999 police emergency service. It rescues anyone in distress in all weathers on the Peak District's mountains and moorlands. Not just mountaineers but walkers, horse riders, cyclists, farmers - anyone the ambulance service cannot reach.Work is underway on the team's new centre in the yard of the police station on Ellison Street and should be completed by mid-March. It will replaces a prefabricated building on the same site - home for 30 years - but which had to be demolished when the police station underwent refurbishment. The team's temporary base is at Whitfield Park fire station.

Adie, 43, added: "We are always looking for new members aged 18 or over, who are reasonably fit and have a good knowledge of the local hills. We cover the area of the Peak towards Ladybower, the north side of Kinder, Bleaklow, all the Longdendale Valley and Black Hill.

"If a call comes in from another area - we are one of seven teams in the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation - which needs extra resources, we go and work there. On average we have about 10-15 call outs a year and have had 10 up to now this year."

Completion of the new base should also coincide with publication of a 120-page book marking GMRT's 50th anniversary.

Anyone wanting to join Glossop Mountain Rescue Team can email: info@gmrt.org.uk or log onto to www.gmrt.org.uk for more details.