This evening, we commenced the first of our two part 2009 membership recruitment sessions.

In total we had 14 expressions of interest in this intake, with 12x persons confirming attendance at our opening session. As it was the 12x actually became 8x, three women and five men, as they arrived at our Ladybridge Hall base / HQ to be greeted by ten of our Call Out list members, three of our Support Group members, and a buffet to start the evenings proceedings !

Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE welcomed all followed by introductions and a presentation by Team Training Officer Andy Ryding. This was followed by an excellent short DVD on Mountain Rescue, and then written ’tests’ on local hill knowledge, hill walking background and navigation, no Tom Toms or GPSs allowed.

The evening progressed witha powerpoint presentation on the team by our Team Leader, which had been put together by team member Steve Fletcher.

Team member Elaine Gilliland went through all the team kit that is issued to team members once they are accepted in to the team, plus the costs involved in joining. Team subs £35.00 per annum, a pager donation of £49.00 per annum and the purchase of a team sweatshirt and summer shirt, we then loan out free of charge some £1,500.00 of team personal issue kit.

Team members Fred Taylor and Chris Tennant amongst others, then demonstrated just how much search and rescue equipment fits into one of our Landrover Mountain Rescue Ambualnce vehicles !

The evening finished with a briefing on what to expect on Sunday April 26th, when the concluding part of this membership intake takes place throughout the day with a series of practical exercises on the local moorlands.

A further report will appear on Sunday April 26th detailing the days events and whether the eight interested persons who arrived on Thursday night will still be with us by Sunday tea time !