Exactly a year ago today, we met with Mr John Sunter at our Ladybridge Hall Base, to receive a substantial donation made in the memory of his son, Tom Sunter, who was tragically killed in a kayaking accident.
In discussion with Mr Sunter it was agreed that we would utilise this donation, plus others made to Tom’s memory, in the purchase of a shelter tent for use within the team. (As a briefing facility, bad weather shelter at remote control locations and dining shelter, amongst many other envisaged uses.)
In May last year we received a further donation to aid the purchase of such a shelter tent from the Provincial Insurance Company Trust for Bolton.
Since this time we have been investigating what is available to suit our purposes, and to match the funding available.
This evening, following discussions between our Team Leader and Kevin Bradley of the Aire Group Limited, Kevin journeyed to our Ladybridge Hall Base to demonstrate his company’s “AireShelta” product.
This is an air inflated tent in common usage with Emergency Services and the British Armed Forces, and is manufactured in the UK by the Aire Group Limited of Huddersfield.
At the demonstration our Team Council agreed that this type of shelter would fulfill our long standing requirement, Kevin offered the unit being demonstrated to us at a very competitive discount, given that it was a demo model, which we accepted on the evening with the full agreement to this of the Team Council. (Our Support Group holding a meeting in parallel to the demonstration also supported the purchase)
The following day the order was confirmed by our Team Leader with the Aire Group.
The expected delivery date of this ” AireShelta ” is Wednesday 31st January, next week, when we will run another article with pictures, on its formal delivery to the team, we also hope that Mr John Sunter and his family will accept our invitation to a formal dedication of this shelter tent to his son’s Tom memory, at a date yet to be arranged.
For details on the donations made to Tom Sunter’s memory, please see our website entries for 20th and 27th December 2005 and 25th January 2006.
For details on the Provincial Insurance Company Trust for Bolton donation, please see our website entry for 31st May 2006.
