This evening, the team held a social evening at the indoor snow slope of the Chill Factore near to the Trafford Centre, Manchester.

Nine team Call Out list members from the absolute beginner (Alistair Greenough) to the expert (Martin Battersby BASI) were out on skis, with Chris Weatherhead being the solo boarder from the team present.

Accompanying her mother, team member Gillian Leigh, was her teenage daughter Megan, whilst Alistair’s teenage daughter Hannah joined him on the beginners slope in preparation for her school ski trip soon.

All had booked for the late evening 20.00hrs until 22.00hrs time slot, and soon all were on the slope, except for our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE who fell victim to someone walking off with his hire skis whilst he was getting his ski poles (Not that he needed the poles according to Martin Battersby)

A great time was had by all, particularly Chris Weatherhead constantly teasing Garry that he was behind him in the skier versus boarder ‘events.’

Our Life Vice President Alan James showed Chris Greenhalgh just how close you could get without colliding, much to the amusement of those who witnessed it.

It then all started to get like a ‘Busmans Holiday’ when Megan and her mother Gill Leigh had a minor bump, resulting in Gill falling on the slope.

With Gill now lay on the slope a kindly Boarder first came to Gills aid, then Martin Battersby, our Team Leader and then other team colleagues.

A painful twisted knee was the result, and Centre staff soon arrived, finding out we were all from Mountain Rescue, with the decision being taken to sledge Gill off down the snow slope to the First Aid Room.

The rest of us carried on ski-ing and boarding, with arrangements made to get Gills car home, and Gill home from where her husband took her to A&E at Royal Bolton Hospital.

The following team members took part in tonight’s social, Garry Rhodes MBE, Martin Battersby, Paul Copley, David Crawford, Chris Greenhalgh, Alistair Greenough and his daughter Hannah, Alan James, Gill Leigh and her daughter Megan, Michael Wakerley and Chris Weatherhead.

For most the evening was rounded off with Martin Battersby sharing a birthday drink with those present in the pub next door.

Gill Leigh meanwhile spent her late evening in A&E, diagnosed with ligament damage and a further return to Hospital for a check up at the fracture clinic.
Our next once a month social is likely to be a curry night in March, which should be safe enough?

We all wish Gill a speedy recovery.