This evening members of Gregson Lane Dog Training Club visited our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, to find out about the work of the team and of mountain rescue search dogs. They were met appropriately by long serving Bolton MRT team call out list member and former SARDA Search Dog Handler Dave Marsh, and Bolton MRT team member and current SARDA Mountain Rescue Trailing Dog Handler Steve Nelson.

Gregson Lane Dog Training Club meets on a weekly basis at Gregson Lane Community Centre, Hoghton, Lancashire, and amongst other training, provides for the ‘Good Citizens Dog Training Test.’

The Club has supported the team very generously since 2008, and in previous conversations with the Club’s Treasurer, Mrs J.Williams, we have found out that the Club regularly donates any ’surplus’ funds within the Club to local charities, which have included the Bolton based charity ’Paws for Kids,’ which provides foster homes for family pets when family relationships break down.

All members of the Gregson Lane Dog Training Club are walkers, and the Club has previously explained to our Team Leader that their support of Mountain Rescue on a local basis was an easy one to make. The Club have also very kindly similarly supported our colleagues in Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team in the past.

In 2008, the Club kindly donated to the team £250.00, £200.00 in 2010 and yet another kind donation in 2011 of £100.00. (Please refer to website ‘News’ reports dated Thursday 3rd February 2011, Wednesday 7th July 2010 and Friday 5th September 2008)

There follows Dave’s account of tonight’s visit:

“Tonight saw the re-arranged visit of the members of Gregson Lane Dog
Training group, based in Hoghton, Lancashire.

Their previous planned visit was cancelled due to the Team being on an active
call out in Flixton over two weeks ago. (Incident 31- 2012)

Anyway, what should have been a smooth running operation had the
makings of a Carry On Film, as one of our genial hosts
[the key holder Dave Marsh], suddenly realised he had left his base
keys in Bolton Mobile Three vehicle, which just happened to be locked up in
the garage at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ. Following a general pager call for
assistance, team member Paul Copley rode up on a white charger, to
open the base for our visitors.

Dave having reclaimed his keys thanked Paul for his assistance and
carried on with making preparations prior to our visitors arriving.

Eleven members of Gregson Lane Dog Training Club attended and were ushered into the kitchen initially
for tea and custard creams prior to sitting in the comfy chairs for an
explanatory chat on what the team undertakes
and where it sits alongside the other emergency services.

Dave and Steve Nelson along with Mountain Rescue Trailing Search Dog Boris and Trainee Drowned
Victims Search Dog Sasha, (Dave’s latest dog) chatted at length on how the dogs are
trained and where they fit in both locally and nationally within mountain rescue operations.

Numerous previous operational searches were discussed and how and why the dogs were used to
great effect to enhance the Teams capabilities.

During the course of their two hours visit, various questions were posed with
resulting answers, all of which promoted great interest and showed a depth
of knowledge by the visiting guests.

A quick look around the teams vehicles and chat with team member Mike
Marsh,[who was collecting equipment for the week ends 11th Anniversary
Pike View Hike] brought the evening to a close.

A very surprised Dave Marsh opened an envelope which had been handed to
him prior to the guests departure, to find an astonishing and truely unexpected fantastic donation of £500-00.”

The Team is very grateful for this very generous donation from our very valued friends and supporters at Gregson Lane Dog Training Club, and the entire team membership extends its sincere thanks.

With this kind latest donation, Gregson Lane Dog Training Club have now raised a grand total of £1,050.00 for the Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.