Joint with the Bolton MBC ‘Get Active’ event in Queens Park, Bolton, GMFRS Bolton Central Fire Station decided to have their ‘Open Day’ in nearby Queens Park rather than at the Fire Station, with ourselves invited to jointly attend.
Given that it is now high summer! inevitably heavy rain and very overcast skies greeted all this morning, but by mid day the weather started to improve as we arrived.
Co located with GMFRS, we both had the prime position by the fantastic new play area (A favourite of our Team Leaders grandchildren – or should that really be Grandad Garry’s favourite?) and the newly opened Park Cafe / Pavilion.
We attended with all four of our Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances and our Minibus, and besides our vehicles, we also had some of our search and rescue equipment on display.
Our Support Group brought along our popular second hand book stall (No fixed price / any donation considered) which thanks to the kindness of the Cafe / Pavilion staff (Bolton MBC) allowed us to set up inside as a precaution against the continuation of the wet weather at the event opening.
Also within the Cafe / Pavilion was the GMFRS CPR demonstrations and the Fire Service Charity stand.
Outside, alongside our vehicles from GMFRS were two Water / Ladder appliances, an hydraulic platform (Simon Snorkel) Handler Mick Dewar and his USAR Dog and Fire Investigation Dog, the GMFRS Kitchen Fire Demonstration unit (Very dramatic display of what not to do!) and a Turntable Ladder appliance from the Greater Manchester Fire Museum at Rochdale.
As a very special thank you to our Support Group members Laura Tunnicliffe and Sarah Hindle, who were part of the catering team for yesterdays GMFRS / Bolton MRT joint exercise, special permission was given for the two, with appropriate health and safety equipment, and accompanied by a Fire Fighter / Platform operative, to actually ‘go up’ in the cage of the hydraulic platform.
Laura and Sarah’s big smiles when their special ‘GMFRS Fixed it for Them’ trip was over said it all, what a special treat. (A Big Thanks to GMFRS for this from Sarah and Laura)
As the afternoon passed on the sun finally fully came out, with children and adults alike, as usual fussing over our Search Dog (Trailing Dog) Boris and Trainee Drowned Victim Search Dog Sasha. (Not as much fussing though over their respective handlers, Steve Nelson and Dave Marsh)
The joint GMFRS / Bolton MRT display finished at 16.00hrs, a great day, once again greeting the public and being able to explain to many what we do by way of providing a voluntary search and rescue service to our local community.
We raised £5.50p with our ‘Guess the name of the Meerkat’ competition (Due to be drawn at Darwen Gala next month) £6.00 from Bolton MRT wristband sales, £23.31p from second hand book sale donations, and £14.79p from general donations, all totalling a marvellous £49.60p in donations to support the Bolton MRT.
Ten of our Operational Call Out list members attended, plus Support Group members Iain Clarkson, Laura Tunnicliffe, Amanda Stickleton and Sarah Hindle.
