This evening at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, team members welcomed husband and wife SARDA handlers Alison and Iain Nicholson, both of Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team, SARDA handlers registered respectively with SARDA England and SARDA Wales.

They gave a very interesting powerpoint presentation on the selection, training, organisation and use of mountain rescue air scenting dogs and trail dogs. (and their handlers of course!) (All under the scrutiny of Bolton MRTs former Search Dog handler Dave Marsh).

Iain has one of only two mountain rescue trail dogs in the UK, and Trail Dog Mij has worked on a number of recent search operations that we in Bolton MRT have co-ordinated. (With a very quick and successful casualty find on one of our operations, all credit to Mij and Iain).

Alison who recently qualified, brought along her mountain rescue air scenting Dog Floss, who worked on our search operation of Saturday 6th June 2009. (see news report dated the same).

Alison and Iains excellent presentation was followed by a question and answer session, with many points raised by our newer members who had little previous operational knowledge of SARDA.

Also in the audience were Yvonne Charnock and Julie Porter, special guests of the team vsiting tonight. (See previous article).

The team thanks Alison and Iain of Bowland Pennine MRT and SARDA for visiting us tonight (with Search Dog Floss of course) and presenting such an interesting talk on their work. (as for Trail Dog Mij, well a recent leg injury is still on the mend, so we all wish Mij a speedy recovery back to operational standby and availability soon).