The team received two sets of special guests at our Ladybridge base, both having travelled a tremendous distance to see us, and both with a purpose in mind.
From our colleagues in ALSAR (the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue) came Fred and Margaret Moore, both associate members of Hampshire Search and Rescue, who were collected by team member Ken Oakes from Bolton Railway Station.
From even further away came Jim Gallienne and Andy Brelsford, respectively Team Leader and Team Chairman of the newly formed Cornwall Rescue Group, the very latest team to form within the Mountain Rescue Council of England and Wales.
The reason for their visit was to collect in one case a rather big item from us, and in the other case a lot of rather smaller items from us.

The last time Old Mobile 4 & the New Mobile 4, were together.

For Hampshire Search and Rescue it was to collect from us, as a free donation to their relatively new team, our now retired from (our) service, Renault Master T35 Ambulance, which has served our team well from initial purchase back in November 1998 (for £500.00, from Staffordshire Ambulance Service) up to its retirement late last year, after being replaced by our brand new purchased Landrover, BM4.
Hampshire Search and Rescue, with this their first vehicle, now intend to convert it into a Control and Command vehicle to assist in their operations.

Garry Rhodes& Tony Mc Nally hand over the keys to our minibus to HantSAR & Margaret & Fred Moore.

With regards to Cornwall Rescue Group, it was to collect from us, again as a free donation, our entire stock (just retired from our teams use), of Buffalo Pile/Pertex Jackets (of which we donated 48 garments) and Sprayway Classic Torridon Goretex Jackets. (44 garments donated). Thus our latest colleagues within the Mountain rescue community can go out “uniformed” with protective clothing right from the off.

Tony McNally & Garry Rhodes hand over the Blue BMRT kit to Andy Brelsford and Jim Gallienne. With QuarterMaster Alan Livesey watching on.

Tony McNally & Jon Holt show Fred where the various cutoffs are under the bonnet, before the long drive home..

With a tear in his eye Garry Rhodes watches as Alan Livesey waves the Renault Minibus off to its new home.

All of us in the Bolton Team are happy that items retired from our use are still going to continue serving a useful life within the Search and Rescue community, and we wish our friends in Hampshire Search and Rescue and Cornwall Rescue Group all the very best in establishing their respective teams. (See the direct links available from our website to the websites of both these teams for more information)