This evening team member Steve O’Hara attended the seventh meeting of the Greater Manchester 3rd Sector (Voluntary Agencies) Group, representing the interests of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.

As previously, the meeting was kindly hosted by the British Red Cross at its Cornbrook Estate, Manchester, offices.
The aims of the Greater Manchester 3rd Sector (Voluntary Agencies) Group are to provide a forum to maximise the contribution of the Voluntary Agencies and Faith Communities to resilience planning and response in the Greater Manchester conurbation, including Manchester Airport.

The meeting was Chaired by Niall Pemberton, Emergency Response Service Manager, Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, from the British Red Cross.

Usually in attendance at these meetings are representatives from Bolton MRT, Greater Manchester RAYNET, Rotary, Manchester Airport Chaplaincy, British Red Cross, Civil Contingencies Officers from AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities), St John Ambulance, and the Jewish Emergency Team.

This meeting is the latest in a series of predecessor meetings over a great many years, previously attended by Peter Hyde of Oldham MRT, and occasionally by our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE which has seen the various voluntary agencies working in Greater Manchester come together to discuss items of mutual interest in cases of emergency eg flooding; gas explosions; major fires and severe weather.

Tonight’s meeting commenced at 19:00hrs and as before, Steve O’Hara’s attendance at this meeting was to represent the interests and involvement of Bolton MRT in the Group, and also to disseminate items of mutual interest to those colleague Mountain Rescue Teams operating within Greater Manchester.