For the fifth year running, the team today accepted the invitation by City Airport & Heliport Manchester (Barton) to display at their ever increasingly popular Aviation and Family Fun Day Event.
Meeting at 09.00hrs team members assembled at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, to travel in all the teams four Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances, our Minibus, our Incident Control Vehicle and our SAR Boat, journeying to City Airport & Heliport Manchester (Barton) where the airport authorities gave us an excellent prime spot right to the forefront of the outdoor display area, within the ‘Emergency Vehicles’ display area.
Early morning rain soon passed to give ever clearing blue skies and warm temperatures which thankfully stayed with us all day.
The event as ever attracted large visitor numbers, all enjoying this excellently run family day, with many aircraft arriving having taken advantage of the ’no landing fees’ on offer throughout the day, and the invitation to visit this historic and interesting airport.
For the aviation buffs in the team, (Including our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Vice President Alan James and our Chairman Craig ‘All things Civil Aviation’ Lamb) there was much to see, from the based aircraft to visiting aircraft, from Executive Helicopters, to a huge variety of Microlights, light helicopters, light aircraft, Sports aircraft, biplanes,autogyros (Highlights being a scale replica of a Spitfire Mk 26)
This year marked the return of a Flying Display to this great Airport, and with many fondly remembering the good old days of the Manchester Air Show, the crowds (Our team members amongst them) were entertained by Rich Goodwin in his Pitts S2S, Steve Carver in his Extra 360, the Yak Team, Peter Troy – Davis in his Rotorsport Calidus Gyroplane, the Old Buckers – Bucker Jungman Formation Display Team, a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight C47 Dakota and the RV8tors – RV-8 Formation display Team.
Even the based North West Air Ambulance Helimed 72 got in on the act with a low level flypast whilst operational.
Not to be outdone by their Air Ambulance colleagues, the based National Police Air Service helicopter NPAS Barton also joined in with a low level flypast whilst operational.
A funfair, numerous aviation themed displays, a large display of Harley Davidson Motorbikes, the Airport Fire and Rescue Service, Classic cars, a veteran open top double decker bus, GMFRS Eccles Fire Appliance, GMP Traffic Cars and Motorbikes, refreshment stands, Birds of Prey, Snakes, Lizards and Spiders (the kids present loved this display) Royal Navy recruiting stand, Air Cadet display, ourselves and very close up opportunities to view all the based and visiting aircraft on display, made for a great day out for all the visitors present.
In total eighteen of our Call Out list members and one Probationary Team member were present, fielding a great many questions from a huge number of interested visitors to our display throughout the day.
Three members of our Support Group, Sarah Hindle, Laura Tunnicliffe and Iain Clarkson meanwhile encouraged visitors with their fundraising items.
Sadly Team member Martin Battersby’s ‘Aerial Section’ in the guise of his brother Roy’s Cameron Hot Air Balloon, which was present with the intention to offer tethered flights for a donation to Bolton MRT, was precluded from doing so due to the wind conditions present.
During the day we treated a young woman who had stood on a nail which penetrated her footwear and foot, and subsequently received the following kind ‘tweet’ from her mother Zoe Potts
“@BoltonMRT thank you for helping my daughter after she injured her foot today. She’s had it checked, a tetanus and is on antibiotics. Thanks !”
Lynn Platt, a team supporter, who visited us earlier in the day, tweeted ;
“@BoltonMRT nice to chat to you all today and hear what you do, and good luck to Sasha the dog.”
Spikey dapikey tweeted ;
“@BoltonMRT Was a pleasure to chat with you all today.”
With thanks to the Airport authorities who allow us to fundraise at this fantastic local event, we raised £122.71p in very kind public donations.
We would also like to express our thanks to Mark Knowles, Airfield Duty Manager, City Airport & Heliport Manchester, and the management of City Airport & Heliport Manchester, who so gladly invited us to this day.
