Patrick Relay
Winter 2017
News from the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team
A busy and a tough Bank Holiday weekend
As it turned out, the next day, Paul Robinson (known as Robbo) also fell from Striding Edge, sustaining very serious injuries. His evacuation was again complicated by the poor weather and the Team worked quickly to evacuate him as his condition
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deteriorated. A doctor and paramedic from the Great North Air Ambulance met the team at Red Tarn and at this point Robbo received further advanced care. With his condition now very serious, the Coastguard helicopter was requested to leave Base and fly under the cloud to a suitable landing site by Red Tarn. He was in the Newcastle major trauma centre within the next 30 minutes . At the time of writing this, a month after the event, Robbo remains in hospital. However, this week he was reunited with his dog, Rossi, which also fell from the ridge. Rossi spent the last month with Helen at Oakhill Vets in Windermere who was also the first team member on scene and initially provided advanced first aid to Robbo before taking over the care of Rossi. Robbo should be coming back to the area soon as he’s a retired
Captain Craig Sweeney, Chief Pilot, HMCG Prestwick sent the Team this message following the rescue:
I have been conducting SAR operations for many years now but this last weekend will stay with me for a long time. It made me exceptionally proud to be part of the rescue effort. I feel very proud to live in a United Kingdom that allows any individual at any time of the day or night to dial 999 and ask for help.Then, irrespective of why they need it, help is provided.The fact that mountain rescue teams do this voluntarily demonstrates the very best human traits possible.
firefighter and he will be coming to the fire service rehabilitation service in Eamont Bridge. We’re sure we’ll see him then! Robbo’s friends have been amazing since the incident. Not only have they set about supporting Robbo’s family but they are raising funds for the Team and have already organised a charity car wash, curry night and have a major sponsored bike ride and walk very soon (21st October). We’re hoping to use these funds to buy new Smart screens for our new control room, training room, major incident room and kitchen (see page 2).
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August Bank Holiday weekend was a busy and a tough one for the Team. Sadly, while walking with his young family on the Saturday, a man fell from Striding Edge and sustained fatal injuries. This was a very tragic and sad rescue for all concerned and our thoughts are with his family and friends. It’s always difficult in these circumstances but, as a Team, we have to keep an eye on each other and how we’re coping while also being ready for the next rescue.
Andy Jackson was involved on the day and is now fundraising:
Robbo, his wife Alex and Tracy and I who were with him on the mountain cannot thank you enough.The mountain rescue volunteers, coastguard pilots and air ambulance medics showed tremendous professionalism in saving Robbo’s life. There is no doubt in our minds that the outcome would have been very different had they not reached us.We will always be grateful and Robbo is desperate to visit in person and thank you himself. Raising funds which will help you help others is the least we can do.
Visit the Patterdale Mountain Rescue web site at www.mountainrescue.org.uk for latest call outs
This has all been done by extending the upper floor to make better use of the high roof space and it means that there’s now more storage and a changing area downstairs too.
Extending for the future We reported on the flood resilience work at Base in the summer issue and, since then, phase 2 of our developments has been taking shape. This phase will provide us with a super new enlarged kitchen and a bigger control room as well as a flood-proof patch box for all the telecomms switching and data equipment and a new major incident/training room.
The final touch should be large touch screen computers/screens (known as Smart boards) in the four new or extended rooms upstairs. These will allow real-time access to mapping and the SARCALL system and allow us to connect our computers for training too.
The physics of rescue
Building photo
It’s really coming together and a big thank you goes to the team from Cubby Construction for all their work and to everyone who has contributed to this fundraising.
The Team has lots of connections with local outdoor centre, Patterdale Hall, where Deputy Team Leader, Sean Duffy, is Centre Manager. Earlier this year, various Team members worked with staff at Patterdale Hall, the Ogden Trust (an educational charity that funds events and activities to do with physics) and nearly 40 young people from schools in and around Bolton on an evening of “Physics in rescue” activities.
“We’d run something like this once before and it had proved really popular,” says Sean. “It’s a good opportunity for members of the Team to understand a bit more about the work of Patterdale Hall and to spend time with some of our younger supporters.” The emphasis was on practical physics and rescue-related activities included measuring friction through a device on to a loaded stretcher, how to place and use ground anchors and lots of ways of using pulleys and ropes for hoisting weights out on the fells.
New card is a reminder of winter safety
Generator generosity
.There are two new cards being added to our collection in time for this Christmas and thanks go to Mark Littlejohn of Ullswater Steamers for his image, Pale Shelter, and to former Chairman, Trustee and Team member, John Williams for High Spying How, Striding Edge
As many of you will know, we had our mobile generator stolen from an event earlier in the year. We put out a message on social media and were amazed at the generous response. In the end, the Team had two new generators, both donated to us so we now have even more flexibility when we’re out and about with the trailer and plenty of back up for major incidents.
Mark says. “Having spent 30 years with Cumbria Police based in North Cumbria I have always been well aware of the work the MRT do and I was always keen to help out if I could. Since retiring I have split my time between working with the Steamers and teaching landscape photography. This has helped create a strong affinity with the Ullswater area and after raising £20,000 for the flood appeal last year I was keen to support another local charity this year.”
“We’d like to formally thank Nick Bentley, Craig Layfield and the members of the Trail Riders Fellowship who donated enough for us to be able to buy a new generator. They even sent us an extra donation for fuel,” says Mike Blakey. “And thanks also go to Stephen Caldwell of Generator Power Limited as the company then donated the second generator.” As well as being used to run promotional displays and at events, the generators are used to power laptops and communication systems in a major incident so they are crucial to the Team’s day-to-day running and we’ve very grateful for such generosity from supporters.
Thank yous
“The mechanical stuff was exactly what they expected and enjoyed,” says Sean, “but we were able to include a few things that they didn’t associate with mountain rescue too, like measuring and preventing heat loss in cases of possible hypothermia. All in all, it was good fun and we’ve had great feedback from the teachers and the young people too.”
“I took it on a very snowy day in March and I have always liked this wee tree set against steep hillside at Matterdale and thought it would be great in a blizzard. Catching the lone Swaledale underneath was the icing on the cake so to speak. It would have been better to be a Herdwick but that’s life.”
Two new generators and a lot of generosity have given the Team plenty of flexibility when out and about
John captured Striding Edge in frost and ice at around 12 noon one day just after Christmas and he’s aware that it’s a good opportunity to remind everyone of the care needed if you’re planning to see the route in these sorts of conditions for yourself this coming winter:
Park Foot photo “The path at the start leads to trickier sections where some scrambling is required,” says John. “You can judge the scale of the ascent by the small figures further along the ridge in the picture. The conditions are exhilarating although the route demands respect as, once committed, there are no alternative escape routes. Winter equipment, including crampons and an ice axe, must be carried and it is certainly not the place to attempt your first winter outing! Better to gain experience on more forgiving hills and then come to Helvellyn when you are ready to enjoy this spectacular setting.”
Thank yous also go to lots of other organisations and people who have been fundraising for the Team over the summer, especially two Great North Run runners, Mark Foudy of Park Foot and Brian Atkinson. And thank you to YOU if you’ve helped out or made a donation at the Patterdale Dog Day or Lowther Country Show or any of the other local events where the Team trailer has been out and in use.
Mark and the Parkfoot team donated £1800 from their summer fundraising and run Visit the Patterdale Mountain Rescue web site at www. mountainrescue.org.uk for latest call out information and Team news
PATRICK RELAY l Winter 2017
A familiar face as new national President
From BST to GMT
Ray Griffiths, the longest serving member of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team, was elected President of Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW), the voluntary service’s national umbrella body, back in June.
As you’re receiving this issue of Patrick Relay, we’re approaching the time when UK clocks go back an hour to GMT Greenwich Mean Time. This officially happens at 2am on Sunday 29 October and, from then on, we should expect it to get dark in the evenings much earlier. This always catches some autumn walkers by surprise so please remind your friends and family that they should carry a torch (and a spare torch) when out in the mountains and plan their routes for the shorter days of the late autumn and winter too. Thank you.
Climbing for the Team Ray joined the Team in January 1976 when he moved to the area to teach at Ullswater Community College. He has served in a number of roles with the Team, including deputy leader for many years, as well as doing work for the region and for MREW. “Ray is a fount of knowledge on mountain clothing and kit,” says friend and Patterdale President, Dave Freeborn. “His rucksack show was a legend at Team winter training sessions and he shared all that experience and expertise as the Lake District’s delegate on the national equipment subcommittee for almost twenty years.” “I hope to visit as many teams and regions as I can in the coming months,” says Ray, “to talk to people at all levels of our rescue community. And, by community, I mean far beyond those wearing the red jackets — the partners and families behind us all, our fundraisers and supporters and even work colleagues who tolerate us vanishing at a moment’s notice.” While Ray no longer relishes the idea of flogging up to Striding Edge or the Helvellyn headwall in foul weather and at night (or both) with a heavy load, he has recently retaken and passed his Casualty Care qualification and is even considering taking up jogging to keep up with the younger members of our Team!
We have some amazing younger supporters and we always appreciate their ideas and their fundraising. You may have seen on our Facebook Page that Matthew from Penrith, just seven years of age, is currently climbing Helvellyn in two different ways to raise money for us. He recently climbed the actual mountain with his family and, in recent weeks, he’s been climbing the equivalent height on the climbing wall at Kendal. Thanks to Matthew for a huge effort on our behalf and you can support him online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/walkclimb
Articles for Relay We are always looking for interesting articles or letters from supporters. Please write c/o Patrick Relay Editor, Ogilvie House, Patterdale, Cumbria CA11 0PJ The Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association Ltd. is a registered charity No1063329 and is affiliated to the Mountain Rescue Council of England and Wales.