Patterdale Mountain Rescue 56th Annual Review

56th Annual Review

Patterdale

MOUNTAIN RESCUE

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Patterdale Mountain Rescue Te a m 56th Annual Review

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Officers and Members

Legal Advisor Trevor Price Arnison Heelis Solicitors, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 7AW Tel: 01768 862007 Reporting Accountants Armstrong Watson Accountants, Birbeck House, Duke Street, Penrith CA11 7NA Tel: 01768 222030

All officers and members of the Team are volunteers.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (PMRT) is the operational strand of rescuers out in the mountains and local community, while the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association (PMRA) is the registered charity (number 1063329) that funds and plans for the longer term sustainability of the Team and its operations.

Officers President Team Leader PMRA Chair of Trustees PMRA Vice Chair PMRA Secretary Honorary Treasurer Team Secretary

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Dave Freeborn MBE Mike Rippon Chris Sanderson OBE JP DL Jacquie Freeborn Ken Hardcastle Jane Newport Nigel Harling

All contactable c/o Ogilvie House, Patterdale, Cumbria CA11 0PJ

Independent Examiners Armstrong Watson Accountants, Birbeck House, Duke Street, Penrith CA11 7NA Tel: 01768 222030 PMRA Trustees Helen Ash, Peter Baker, Angela Bell, Mike Blakey, Ann Childs, Matt Cox, Sean Duffy, Jacquie Freeborn (Vice Chair), Ken Hardcastle (Secretary), Chris Lewis, Gillian Mininch, Jane Newport (Hon Treasurer), Chris Sanderson OBE JP DL (Chair) Deputy Team Leaders Matt Cox, Sean Duffy, Eelco Docter Training Officer Tommy Cubby Search Dog Handlers David Benson and Andy Peacock Base Controller Jacquie Freeborn Equipment Officer Glenn Bridge Medical Officer Dr Andy McAlea Fundraising Chair Ken Hardcastle Vehicle Officer Mike Childs Radio Officer Dave Freeborn MBE Base Mangement Tony Recchia Collecting Box Coordinator Tony Henley Local Community Liaison Sean Duffy

Team Members Tom Abbey Helen Ash Peter Baker Neil Barrow David Benson Mike Blakey Glenn Bridge Mike Childs Martin Cotterell Matt Cox Tommy Cubby Chris Cunningham Eelco Docter Ed Dowcra Sean Duffy John Ellerton

Paramedic Vet Retired Businessman HGV driver (auto logistics) SHEQ Manager Quality and Compliance Director Retired Technical Support Manager Energy Engineer Potfest Events Organiser Company Managing Director Legal Advisor Police Officer Outdoor Instructor Outdoor Centre Manager Retired Doctor

Dan Farley Joe Finn Dave Freeborn MBE Jacquie Freeborn Chris Gaskarth Dave Gracie Ray Griffiths MBE Ian Griggs Pete Hamilton Ben Hammond Nigel Harling Glen Hodges Geoff Horky Tom Iredale Dan Jones Chris Lewis Andy McAlea Gillian Mininch Andy Peacock Tony Recchia Will Ripley MVO Mike Rippon Stuart Smith Mark Tomlinson Robert Wells Theo Weston MBE Suzie Wilson

Data Administrator Teacher Film Producer B&B Proprietor Financial Advisor Outdoor Instructor Retired Teacher C of E Bishop (part-time) Retired Storeman and Coxswain Doctor Police Officer Outdoor Instructor Health and Safety Manager Farmer Doctor Retired Doctor Operations Manager Firefighter Retired Police Officer Director, Outward Bound Commercial Manager Outdoor Trainer Retired Police Officer Dry Stone Waller Doctor Nurse

Probationary Team members Matt Nielsen Property Developer John Noblett Doctor Morris Rodham Retired Archdeacon

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CHAIR 2020 was certainly an unusual year but despite Covid, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association (the charity that supports the Team) has continued to operate successfully.

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As ever, we have enjoyed an appropriate turn-over of Trustees, with Karen Hodges and Nigel Harling standing down. We are very grateful to both; Nigel notably having made significant contributions as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Association, and Joint Chair of the Fundraising Group.

We welcomed Matt Cox and Peter Baker as new Trustees and they have quickly made their mark in a number of fields, not least social media and fundraising for the New Defender respectively. I would also like to

highlight Chris Lewis’s leadership of our project to revitalise our website. We are of course immensely grateful for all the Trustees’ work and I am sure you would join me in thanking them for all they do, and in particular our Vice Chair, Jacquie Freeborn; Secretary and Chair of the Fundraising Group, Ken Hardcastle; and Treasurer, Jane Newport.

As a result of Covid, we held our first virtual AGM in April and have since conducted our business very satisfactorily by the same means.

If anything, I would venture that meetings have been shorter and more focused and, as I write in early January, we may be set to continue operating in the same way for some time to come.

Face-to-face fundraising events were

understandably curtailed but, not least due to one family’s truly exceptional generosity, we were quickly able to raise the £85,000 necessary to purchase and modify our New Land Rover Defender, which we expect to enter service in early 2021. Needless to say, there are always more fundraising challenges on the horizon and we are already giving thought to funding the cost of solar-panels, replacement of our inflatable rescue boat, and garaging for one of our vehicles and associated equipment at the Pooley Bridge end of Ullswater.

The year ended on a very happy note with the announcement in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List of the award of an MBE to Ray Griffiths; a really fitting recognition of Ray’s personal achievements but more broadly an

indication of the value placed on the work of Mountain Rescue volunteers.

Lastly, I am sure you would all wish to join me in recognising the superb work of the Team. It excels under the exemplary leadership of Mike Rippon and the leadership group, and its levels of commitment and preparedness are second to none. Thank you - we are very proud to support you!

Colonel (Retd) Chris Sanderson OBE JP DL Chairman, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association

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There are many words to describe 2020, but only one really suffices and that’s “Bonkers”!

However, even with everything else that’s been thrown at us, I’m pleased to say there have been many projects undertaken that have continued to build and strengthen the Team and the organisation as a whole.

My thanks go to everyone who, through dedication and commitment, has ensured we’ve achieved our goals and delivered our core service in a year like no other.

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TEAM LEADER

I’d like to mention a selection of the notable achievements. Back in January, winter training in the Cairngorms saw the coming together of Keswick, Cockermouth and Patterdale teams for avalanche-based tabletop exercises along with joint activities to develop skills and working relationships.

The weekend included a visit by the SAR aircraft from Inverness, which allowed Team members to complete their helicopter training modules.

Early in the year, a dedicated fundraising group began raising funds for the New Defender Land Rover as well as overseeing

the sale of Mobile 3 to a fellow MR team down in Devon. The target was achieved in November through a generous donation from a family with a strong holiday connection to Patterdale. We are indebted to their generosity and to everyone who contributed to the special Appeal. There are further details on pages 18 and 19.

With the arrival of Covid 19 in early February and full lockdown in March, we saw seismic changes in our operational and training procedures. These changes were required to protect each other, our casualties and our families from the virus and I still wonder to this day how we managed to put processes in place so quickly. It certainly would not have been possible without the drive and determination of everyone involved in developing protocols and then adhering to them during training and rescues. That work at the start has kept us all operationally safe and we must continue to be vigilant.

As well as operational changes, we also moved into the digital world for training.

Members quickly embraced the need to develop online presentations, and training continued in a virtual world throughout the lockdown period. Another key benefit of this

change is we now have a digital library of presentations saved on the Google drive for future reference.

In parallel with the ongoing Team activities, we created a “virtual pub” and reinvented a “virtual pub quiz” so that Team members could relax and keep in touch with each other. We found new ways of doing things, we were adaptive and we were resourceful.

However, we all agreed meeting for a “pint” in the real world was far more enjoyable!

Covid-19 has thrown us many challenges and hurdles to overcome during the last 12 months, through self-isolation, business demands, childcare, home schooling and family life. The diversity, resilience, flexibility and commitment of the Team have allowed us to remain operational throughout. It’s easy to take this for granted but it’s been a tremendous achievement.

There’ve been other projects like the development of a new website (see pages 20 and 21), the investment in lighter weight titanium stretchers and a review of our crag and tackle sacks. You can read more about the latter two in Glenn’s Equipment report on pages 10 and 11.

Probationer assessments continued in a socially distanced manner to ensure we had new blood entering the Team for sustainability. We welcome each new member as they bring new strengths to the Team. In case anyone reading this is interested, we will be interviewing for a new intake very soon.

Thanks go to our Trustees, supporters and everyone else who has contributed to Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team in 2020.

Your continued guidance, involvement and support enables the us to focus on delivering our primary role, to help those in need of assistance on the fells and lakes.

Finally, I’d like to say I have enjoyed the year and the challenges we faced together. It was a tough one in many ways but there is a satisfaction in getting through it stronger and together.

Look forward to seeing you all again when conditions permit, with best wishes.

Mike Rippon Team Leader

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EQUIPMENT

we would wish, we have made some steps forward on the equipment front in 2020 too.

As we are all aware, 2020 was a very strange and testing year and 2021 has started in the same vein.

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When the Covid crisis started last March, our priority was to continue our work and provide an essential service whilst keeping our members and the people we rescue safe from Covid. Setting up systems to protect ourselves and casualties was initially very difficult with limited access to PPE but, as we moved through spring and with the help of extensive training and increasing availability of PPE, we put in place robust protocols and practices.

These were developed further during the year and are still being used, as you would expect from any professional organisation. While it has been a challenge to go about our business as

After many decades of using exclusively the traditional Bell stretchers, we have purchased a lighter Titan stretcher with associated additions, including a central wheel. We have an ongoing project to make the kit we carry up the hill less heavy, and this new stretcher goes a long way to achieving that.

With the central wheel and adjustable titanium handles, it also enables fewer members to bring the casualty off the fell and to do it more comfortably. So far, this is proving a great success on callouts. As a result we have moved two of our five Bell stretchers on to other teams, and are considering buying another Titan stretcher. The new model is appropriate for most rescues but the Bell stretcher will still have a big part to play.

We should take delivery of our new Team vehicle shortly. The process

of converting the vehicle and taking delivery has been frustratingly slow but this has not been anyone's fault - Covid has interrupted every part of the process. I must thank Team members Mike Childs, Neil Barrow and Peter Baker for the immense amount of patient work they have put into all aspects of this project.

Again, as part of the ongoing aim of reducing the weight in Team equipment sacs, we have reviewed and rearranged our crag sacs, creating a separate sac for technical crag rescues involving significant rope work.

A lot of work has been done during 2020 to make our equipment-checking protocols and procedures clearer and more comprehensive. It’s not the most exciting part of our business, but absolutely critical.

Many Team members are involved in looking after our extensive array of kit and checking it is always ready to use

at a moment’s notice. There are far too many to mention individually, but I thank them all for their conscientious hard work.

I’d like to finish, as always, by thanking you, our supporters for your continuing generous support over a difficult year.

We simply couldn’t do the work we do without it. Let’s hope things improve dramatically during the coming months, enabling us all to get out and enjoy the stunning experiences and scenery the Lakeland Fells have to offer!

Best wishes to you all – and thank you.

Glenn Bridge Equipment Officer

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It's hard to write about the Team’s medical activities for 2020 and not talk about Covid. Like all of you reading this, it has consumed our lives.

Life and the mountain rescue year started unchanged with the Patterdale avalanche awareness and winter skills course. It was a great week of interteam training, although with lean snow conditions, and it turned out to be the only taste of normality the Team would have for the rest of the year.

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MEDICAL

All plans for 2020, including cas-care training, the medical student weekend and regional exercises, were put on hold. With the lockdown, we saw a large decrease in footfall to the valley and a consequent decrease in call outs. Between lockdowns, visitor numbers surged and the spectacle of bulging National Trust car parks overflowing on to the country lanes became a common sight. Whilst this led to a worrying spike in call-outs

for Cumbria, the Ullswater valley and Patterdale seemed to escape relatively unscathed.

Instead of our planned activities, the medical group found its days filled with PPE and Covid rescue protocols, weekly Zoom meetings, advice and an endlessly changing scenario. Mention must go to the regional Medical lead, Paula Cooke, LDSAMRA Operations lead, Mike Blakey, and our own Team Leader, Mike Rippon, for putting a lot of effort into making sure we stayed updated, safe and protected whilst performing our rescue duties.

During the lull, we managed to finalise work on the ‘medic sacs’ that will be put into service this coming year. These fulfil two functions: allowing us to take more advanced medical equipment onto the hill and at the same time lightening the load of the Team’s general sacs.

We had a welcome influx of healthcare

professionals in 2020 and now count anaesthetists, nurses, GP’s, A&E doctors and a Bristow’s helicopter paramedic amongst our ranks.

Patterdale has its own trauma team!

Our thanks need to go to them all for juggling hectic coalface NHS duties alongside family commitments and MRT responsibilities.

The intention had been to put a cohort of new members through their cas care exam but, with the cancellation of all face-to-face training as well as examinations, this was not possible.

After the efforts last year to convert lectures to scenario-based training, we were faced, along with the rest of the country, with a shift to a virtual learning environment. Thanks go to Dan Farley and all involved for the work done setting this up and making the transition seamless.

Whilst this format held little initial appeal, it proved surprisingly successful (maybe the ability to

turn your video feed off and have a break was part of this) and no doubt some elements will remain once the pandemic has receded.

However capable the virtual world may be for teaching and meetings, it falls short on the practical elements and (more importantly) on the social and team-building elements of faceto-face training. It is to be hoped that, come summer, the general public can get back to enjoying the National Parks and the Team can return to helping them out, when on occasion, it doesn’t all go to plan. Here’s to a brighter, more normal 2021 and thank you for all your support. Stay safe.

Andy McAlea Medical Officer

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It is highly unlikely that 2020 will be forgotten for a long time, and the impact of Covid on our training schedule and approach was significant.

January took us back to the Cairngorms and, while the snow-cover was nonexistent, there was an abundance of mountain rescue personnel. The Team’s winter training has grown phenomenally in recent years and there were members present from virtually every Lakes team.

Patterdale, Keswick and Cockermouth MRTs shared the delivery of a joint programme which means that all the teams now have a similar background when it comes to basic winter skills.

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Everyone gained experience working in a hostile environment and we trained on many key winter skills despite the lack of snow. The Rescue 189 helicopter came across from Inverness so that we were able to run through aspects of helicopter and winching protocols as part of the weekend too.

The training culminated in several technical rescue scenarios where 74 rogues from across the Lake District teams undertook technical rescue in a safe, efficient manner despite the different kit and systems that each uses and our general lack of familiarity with each other. Building those connections is a by-product of joint training and a vitally important one, especially for future major incidents across Cumbria.

Training in early February was meant to be night navigation but Dan proved that lightning can strike twice. Twice now he has set out all the markers on Gowbarrow only for a call-out hours before the training, resulting in its cancellation. Maybe 2021 will be third time lucky.

Later in the month, Dave Freeborn gave the Team an update on our radio network and the correct radio protocols to use during operations and training. In a busy month, Neil Barrow

also ran through the safe use of our Team Land Rovers for winching and other tasks and we then headed out to drive a number of the local tracks, and check access-points and parking. This is important to do on a regular basis as key routes, such as the track up to Hayeswater, often deteriorate during the winter months or after storms.

Early in March, Glenn Bridge took a session on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) inspection checks and we discussed changes to our own inspection procedures. That focus on PPE proved even more important than we realised when, in mid-March, the country went into Covid lockdown.

My day job went into overdrive and I am very grateful to Matt Cox who took up the training gauntlet, organising sessions by Zoom. Some of these involved hours - or even days - of videoing and editing, and the technology enabled us to cover crucial aspects of our work such

as fatality protocols, the details of Covid procedures and swift-water expectations and equipment.

As the lockdown eased later in the summer, there was some socially distanced training that, although different, was still effective. Sessions covered rope-work - skills that were put to test during a sheep rescue soon after the training – as well as navigation with David Gracie, and equipment checking, packing and familiarity.

Sessions were held on basic stretcher handling techniques, made even more valuable as the helicopter crews have been less available due to their own Covid restrictions. Our new Titan stretcher was introduced and, while not as robust as the traditional stalwart Bell stretcher, has the advantage of being significantly lighter. Given our terrain and likely conditions, especially in winter, this allows us to get more kit to the casualty site with the same

number of people, speeding up extraction and improving casualty care.

As winter approached and Covid cases increased, the Team’s leadership limited face-to-face training to safeguard the Team’s operational resilience. Online training was delivered by Dr Andy McAlea and his medical team who ran a range of sessions covering drowning, heart attacks and angina, asthma and anaphylaxis, and hypothermia.

My thanks go to everyone who has prepared, delivered and attended training during a very strange and demanding year. Special thanks go to Matt Cox and to Andy McAlea for their role in ensuring that training continued in an appropriate format throughout 2020.

Tommy Cubby Training Officer

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Mountain man awarded MBE

That was the headline in the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald on 2 January. The local newspaper was announcing the inclusion of long-standing Team member, Ray Griffiths, in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List with an MBE for services to mountain rescue.

“On a personal note, I have known Ray for over 40 years and his commitment to the Team as well as his regional and national contributions are to be much admired. He has been a good friend and a solid companion on many rescues over the years, often in extreme conditions, so this is an award well deserved. Congratulations, Ray.”

Ray joined Patterdale MRT in 1976, after moving to the area to teach at Ullswater Community College in Penrith. He is now the longest serving Team member and he has held a number of different roles over the past 45 years including a spell as a Deputy Team Leader and a keen involvement in the development of technical equipment for rescue throughout.

Those regional and national contributions include an involvement with LDSAMRA, the Lake District’s regional MR organisation, and as Vice-Chairman of the national MR Equipment Committee. Ray received an MREW (Mountain Rescue England and Wales) Distinguished Service Award for that national work in 2012 and he was appointed MREW President in 2016, an office he still holds.

Dave Freeborn, President of Patterdale MRT and himself the holder of an MBE, has known Ray for many years:

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“It was great to see Ray awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours,” he said.

“The bottom line is that the MBE is a fabulous honour,” says Ray. “It’s a reflection on what MR volunteers do every day, 24/7. I feel honoured and humbled and it was a bit of a surprise really!”

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New Defender 110 Land Rover Appeal Achieves Target

On the 26th February 2020 the Trustees decided to replace Mobile 3, our 16-year-old Land Rover Defender, with Land Rover’s New Defender 110. Including the cost of conversion to a Mountain Rescue vehicle, this required the Team to raise £85,000. A committee was then formed to raise this sum by December 2021.

A plan was prepared to include a number of local fundraising activities, but at the time nobody expected that a new virus would have such a devastating effect on our lives and the economy. The lockdown in late March and various restrictions on public gatherings prevented traditional fundraising events of a social nature, and we did not consider it appropriate to implement plans to canvas for major sponsors.

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However, undaunted, an online Appeal was launched in July via social media, the Patrick Relay Supporters’ newsletter and the local press.

Patrick Relay elicited a magnificent response for which we are truly grateful. The Appeal benefited from a sizeable legacy and online activities which attracted incredibly generous donations from many individuals, including members of a local walking group. The sales of the Ullswater Valley 2021 Calendar, using photographs taken by Supporters as well as Team members, was a sellout success with 400 copies sold.

Likewise, the generous support of film-maker, Terry Abraham, allowed the Appeal to benefit from an online auction associated with his latest film, ‘Helvellyn: Life of a Mountain’.

These activities, and the proceeds from the sale of our oldest vehicle, meant that, by November 2020, we were half-way towards our target.

Later that month however, we received even better news in the form of an exceptionally generous donation in memory of a gentleman who had loved the Lake District, the Ullswater area

in particular, and warmly appreciated the work of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team. The support of this family meant that the full cost of the new vehicle, and its conversion for Mountain Rescue use, was achieved, a year ahead of time!

Now, we are looking forward to taking delivery of the new rescue vehicle, and its entry into operational service, sometime before Easter.

On behalf of the New Defender 110 Fundraising Group, the Team and Trustees, I take this opportunity to thank Lakeland Land Rover (Torver), Premier Hazard, The Rank Foundation (Pebble Grants), our Supporters, particularly those who donated and/ or bought calendars, and all those who contributed to the Appeal. Our

success underlines the importance of the Supporters’ Club, legacies, and donors large and small, to the longterm viability of Patterdale Mountain Rescue.

The new vehicle in process of being converted for our specialist Mountain Rescue needs.

Peter G Baker Chair, New Defender Fundraising Group

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New website launched As well as the retirement of one of our Land Rovers during 2020 (see pages 18 and 19), the Team has seen a refresh of one of its other longstanding assets. In the early part of the year, it was decided that we would bring our website up to date, making it more effective on mobile devices and generally sprucing up the design.

A small team worked to simplify the structure of the site, ensuring that it included everything that we need for now and trying to anticipate how things might develop in future.

This team was drawn from across the organisation with trustees, Team members and fundraisers all represented.

Thanks go to Chris Gaskarth, Dave and

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Farley, Ken Hardcastle, Peter Baker and Matt Cox. Dave, in particular, worked closely with Neil Burnett of Burnett Design to achieve the balance of a site that reflects the ethos of the team and keeps a clean and modern ambience while also taking on board everybody’s different views of what makes a perfect website!

The focus of the work was to give easy access to u information about what to do if you need to call Mountain Rescue u information about mountain safety, including planning your day and links to local and mountain weather forecasts u key facts about the Team, its history and how it operates today u incidents that the Team has attended, not only in the current year but also an archive of past incidents too

u a gallery of photographs showing recent activity u the various ways of donating to the Team u an online cart for purchasing goods from the Team’s fundraising shop.

We have made links through to Facebook and Twitter to bring our various news feed mechanisms together in a joined up way. This should mean that our website news is as current as possible without too much extra work updating in lots of different systems.

There’s a lot going on behind the scenes with the website too. From the same incident database of information we can now issue press releases and other communications with the press of a single button and the incident pages of this Annual Review can also be created from a consistent source of information.

The result of all this work is a colourful and easily navigated site, which we hope appeals to users.

To access our website go to

www.mountainrescue.org.uk.

Chris Lewis Trustee and Team website group leader

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2020 INCIDENTS Total number of incidents

57 71 in 2019 82 in 2018 73 in 2017 66 in 2016; 92 in 2015 (+ flood related); 85 in 2014; 72 in 2013; 53 in 2012

Rescue First Aid Ambulance Assist Search Fatality Animal 22 Other

man who had slipped and injured his ankle on a footpath near Seldom Seen in Glencoyne. He was treated at the scene by a Team doctor for a suspected broken ankle. After the injury was stabilised, the casualty was taken by stretcher to the Team’s ambulance and taken to the Rescue Centre for onward travel to hospital. The rescue lasted for three hours and involved 10 Team volunteers.

Incident

Report 2020

01 18/01/2020 13:29 Rescue Striding Edge While members of the Team were on a winter training weekend in the Cairngorms, members of RAF Leeming MRT were called by Cumbria Police to rescue a man who had fallen while scrambling on Striding Edge. The man, who had fallen about 10-15 metres close to the “bad step”, sustained back and upper leg injuries. The RAF Mountain Rescue Team called assistance from the Coastguard Rescue helicopter. After several attempts to enter the casualty site and in worsening weather conditions, the Rescue helicopter managed to winch the casualty from scene and he was flown to Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle for further treatment.

02 18/01/2020 16:49 First Aid Lanty’s Tarn, Glenridding Shortly after the rescue on Striding Edge, members of the public assisted a man to the Rescue Centre. He had slipped on the footpath by Lanty’s Tarn and was unable to move. The man was assessed and transferred to Cumberland Infirmary for further treatment.

03 26/01/2020 09:56 Rescue Striding Edge Team volunteers were called out by Cumbria Police to assist a walker who had sustained head injuries after falling about 20 metres from the “bad step” on Striding Edge. Given the nature of his injuries, a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, which was in the area

providing training for other teams, flew to the scene but was unable to access the casualty site due to poor weather.

The aircraft lifted Team members and equipment close to the location and, on arrival, the casualty was assessed. Improving weather allowed for the casualty and stretcher to be winched from the scene and flown to Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle.

04 27/01/2020 13:40 Rescue Seldom Seen The Team was called out by the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) to a

05 04/02/2020 14:14 Rescue Place Fell The Team was called out to a woman who had slipped and badly injured her ankle near the summit of Place Fell.

As it was a suspected broken ankle, assistance was requested from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). Once on scene, the casualty was treated by the GNAAS paramedic and doctor. The casualty was then evacuated by stretcher over boggy ground to the nearby helicopter for onward travel to Carlisle Infirmary.

The rescue lasted for three and a half hours and involved 13 Team members and three crew from GNAAS. 06 14/02/2020 13:53 Rescue Eden Hall near Penrith The Team was called to assist Penrith MRT with a river bank search. As the Team was deploying its Swift Watertrained members, a call came in to stand down and the Team returned to Base.

07 26/02/2020 14:40 Rescue Scalehow Beck A 69-year-old woman slipped and fell while descending from Place Fell.

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She had sustained an ankle injury which prevented her from continuing her walk. Several Team members made their way to the scene where the woman was treated and then evacuated to a Team vehicle. The incident lasted four hours and nine Team members were involved.

08 28/02/2020 10:36 Rescue Kirkstone Pass Due to snow fall several vehicles had become stranded on Kirkstone Pass and their occupants required transport down to safety and shelter in the valley bottom. This incident lasted two and a half hours and sixteen Team members were involved.

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09 01/03/2020 16:34 Animal Eagle Crag, Grisedale A local farmer’s collie was stranded on Eagle Crag and Team members were asked to rescue it from harm.

10 07/03/2020 14:30 Rescue Link Hause near Fairfield The Team was called out by Cumbria Police to rescue a fell runner reported lost and suffering from mild hypothermia. During the initial investigation, the fell runner was located in a neighbouring team’s area at Link Hause, which lies between Fairfield and Hart Crag. The Team made contact with Langdale Ambleside MRT and the callout was passed over to them.

11 14/03/2020 22:00 Rescue Hart Crag Four wild campers got into difficulty after one of their tents was damaged in heavy rain and wind. They had set up camp near the summit of Hart

Crag and were overwhelmed by the adverse weather. The Team was called out to rescue them off the fell after they became disorientated when trying to descend. They were known to be cold and very wet. Six Team members went out, located them and led them down Dovedale to safety.

They were welcomed by the local vicar in Patterdale who offered them refuge for the night. The rescue involved eight Team volunteers and lasted five hours.

12 18/03/2020 14:29 Rescue Airy Crag on Gowbarrow A local man from the Penrith area fell while walking with his partner above Aira Force. The man, who was in his early 70’s, suffered an injury to his lower leg and required a stretcher evacuation from Gowbarrow Fell. He was then met by an NWAS ambulance for onward transport to Carlisle CIC. The incident lasted three hours and 18 members of the Team were involved.

13 20/03/2020 14:35 Rescue Grisedale A 20-year-old woman from Worcestershire fell while descending from Grisedale Tarn and sustained a dislocation injury to her knee. Initial reports received by Cumbria Police indicated that the injury may have been far more serious so assistance was requested from an air asset.

Although it was a fine and sunny day, wind at the scene meant that the GNAAS helicopter was unable to land. The Team therefore carried the casualty on a stretcher down to the valley bottom where a Coastguard Rescue helicopter was able to collect her and fly her to James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough. This incident involved 14 Team volunteers and took a total of five hours.

14 21/03/2020 11:35 Search Flesh Crags on Red Screes Cumbria Police contacted the Team to inform them of a man with a leg

injury on the Red Screes path above Kirkstone Pass. Having spoken to the casualty and ascertained their exact location, this incident was passed on to Langdale Ambleside MRT as it was in their area of operation.

Covid-19 LOCKDOWN in place for three months 15 14/06/2020 12:11 Rescue Dollywagon Pike The Team was called out by Cumbria Police to rescue an elderly woman who had sustained a suspected fractured arm and minor head injuries after stumbling while out walking. She was located on Dollywagon Pike and treated on scene by a Team doctor before being stretchered down to Thirlmere and transferred to the waiting NWAS ambulance. The incident was attended by 18 Team members and lasted for six hours. 16

06/07/2020 13:18 Search Sweden Coppice above Ambleside Members of Patterdale MRT were alerted by Cumbria Police to reports of shouts for help in the vicinity of Sweden Coppice above Ambleside.

After a review of the location, the incident was handed over to colleagues in Langdale Ambleside MRT. 17 11/07/2020 11:13 Rescue Little Mell Fell The Team was tasked to help a man from West Cumbria who had slipped while walking on Little Mell Fell and had dislocated his shoulder. Four Team members responded but the casualty managed to make his way off the fell unassisted and was able to meet an ambulance at the roadside.

18 19/07/2020 17:52 Search Arthur’s Pike The Team was alerted to a family lost on Arthur’s Pike. Following a brief telephone conversation, it became apparent that there were no injuries in

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the party and the family were making their way back to Pooley Bridge where they had parked. No Team members were called out.

walkers had found their route again.

They were safe and well and continued on their walk. The Team was stood down.

the Rescue Centre, they were treated for hypothermia by Team medics. The rescue lasted three hours and was attended by ten Team volunteers.

19 25/07/2020 02:30 Rescue Hallin Fell The Team was called out by Police to two adults and a child who had been wild camping on Hallin Fell. Their tent had blown over and they were unable to descend due to bad visibility. Team members attended, went on the fell and located the party near the summit trig point. The party was escorted down safely to their car. The rescue involved five Team members and lasted for two and half hours.

21 27/07/2021 14:49 Rescue Stick’s Pass A woman was reported stranded near the ski hut in the Sticks Pass area. She was talked down by a Team member.

No other Team members were called out.

23 09/08/2020 20:30 Rescue Hole in the Wall, Helvellyn The Team was called with report of a young man suffering from heat exhaustion. The casualty was part of a group of three, heading up towards Helvellyn to camp overnight on the top. The combination of carrying a heavy rucksack and camping gear combined with the warm weather caused the casualty to become very unwell and unable to continue. A group of passers-by kindly assisted the teenagers and then made the right decision by calling 999 to request Mountain Rescue. 20 Team members turned out and located the casualty who was treated for his symptoms on the fell and then stretchered back down to the valley where his family were waiting to take the group back

20 26/07/2020 13:12 Rescue Swirral Edge The Team was out training when it was alerted by Police reporting two walkers lost in bad visibility near Swirral Edge.

After a few attempts, the Team Leader managed to speak to the lost party by mobile phone and at that point the

22 04/08/2020 12:45 Rescue Stony Cove Pike and High Street The Team was alerted by Cumbria Police to go to the aid of two walkers who had become lost somewhere between Stony Cove Pike and High Street. The couple were reported as very cold and wet. Base made contact with the lost people and managed to get a fix on their location. Two Team Land Rover ambulances were dispatched to Pasture Bottom and then on to the couple who were escorted from the fell. Once back at

home. The rescue lasted four and a half hours.

24 11/08/2020 17:45 Rescue Hole in the Wall, Helvellyn The team was alerted by Cumbria Police that there was a man on Helvellyn suffering from exhaustion after reaching the summit. The man was in a party of three and they were located at the Hole in the Wall. One of the duty leaders from the Team made contact with the party, confirmed their location and discussed the casualty’s condition. It was decided that, after a rest and a drink, he was improving enough to slowly make his way off the fell. A Team member volunteered to go and meet the party and escort them to their vehicle. The rescue lasted two and a half hours and involved two Team members.

25 16/08/2020 18:10 Rescue Birks Fell The Team was contacted by Cumbria Police with reports of a man who had

become lost and disorientated on Birks Fell above Ullswater. After making phone contact with the lost man, his exact location was established and he was able to make his own way off the fell and back down into Glenridding.

26 20/08/2020 22:18 Other Arthur’s Pike Volunteer members of Patterdale MRT were called by Cumbria Police to reports of flashing lights close to Arthur’s Pike above Ullswater. After further investigation, it was believed to be mountain bikers making their way back off the mountain and the Team was stood down. The incident lasted 30 minutes and the alarm was raised with good intentions.

27 21/08/2020 17:50 Rescue Threshwaite Mouth A young woman from Estonia had become lost and disoriented whilst trying to complete the Coast to Coast leg from Patterdale to Shap. She was located and escorted down from the

fell by one of the Team.

28 24/08/2020 16:35 Rescue Brown Hills The Team was alerted by NWAS to go to the aid of a 79-year-old man who had slipped whilst out walking with friends and had sustained a suspected fractured ankle close to Brown Hills above Watermillock Common. The Team initiated a pincer-type movement accessing the casualty from Dowthwaitehead and also from the wall line above Brunt Crag close to Aira Force. Once at scene, the man was treated for his injuries by one of the Team doctors, packaged into a stretcher then carried to Dowthwaitehead for onward transportation in a Team vehicle to Dockray and a waiting ambulance. The rescue lasted five hours and involved 16 Team members.

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29 25/08/2020 06:25 Rescue Boredale Hause The Team was awoken by Cumbria Police requesting they make contact with a mountain biker who had camped overnight close to Boredale Hause. It became apparent that the 41-year-old man from Birmingham had chosen to camp at the location after suffering severe cramps there the night before. He was now concerned about the driving rain and strong winds.

After some reassurance from one of the Team deputies (DTL), the man agreed to walk off the fell with his bike with the Team checking his progress via GPS/mobile technology from Base.

He was met off the fell by the DTL and taken to his accommodation.

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30 27/08/2020 18:24 Search Above Helvellyn Screes A man reported losing his brother on the descent from Helvellyn. The Team was called but both men were located on the Thirlmere side of Helvellyn so

the incident was passed to Keswick MRT. 31 28/08/2020 14:51 Rescue Ullswater The Team was alerted by Cumbria Police to reports of a female paddle boarder in distress on Ullswater near Aira Force Beck. As Team members were investigating, it was confirmed that a steamer had collected the woman and brought her back to the pier.

32 30/08/2020 17:31 Ambulance Stybarrow Crag The Team was called by NWAS to assist in the rescue of a woman who had fallen down the embankment at Stybarrow Crag. She was safely extracted from the scene and, after assessment by NWAS, was transferred to a stretcher and carried a short distance to the waiting ambulance.

33 03/09/2020 14:15 Search Hart Crag A group of walkers was reported as lost on or near Fairfield. A Team Deputy made contact and, as there were no injuries, he was able to locate them accurately and talk them down to safety.

34 09/09/2020 15:14 Rescue Birkie Knott The Team was tasked to help a man who had slipped and injured his knee while descending Birkie Knott behind St Peter’s Church.

35 12/09/2020 14:18 Ambulance Aik Beck The Team was called out by NWAS to assist an elderly man who had slipped, fallen and hurt his knees while crossing Aik Beck above Park Foot campsite.

Once the exact location was confirmed, the incident was within the area of Penrith MRT so the callout was passed over to them.

36 12/09/2020 15:10 Rescue Swathfield, Lakeshore path The Team was contacted by NWAS to go to the aid of a 57-year-old woman who had turned her ankle whilst walking from Howtown towards Pooley Bridge. Team volunteers assembled in Howtown and made their way to the casualty and her daughter. One of the Team doctors attended to her injuries and the Team then stretchered her to her vehicle at Pooley Bridge for onward travel to hospital. The rescue lasted three hours and was attended by 10 Team members.

37 16/09/2020 15:15 Search Hart Crag The Team was called by Cumbria Police to make contact with a 53-year-old man who had become disorientated in mist and fog in the Hart Crag area.

The Team contacted the man and, with the aid of modern phone technology, managed to talk him off the fell and to safety. The rescue lasted two and a half

hours and was handled by one of the Team deputy leaders.

38 19/09/2020 16:15 Rescue Kepple Cove The Team was called by Cumbria Police to go to the aid of a 50-year-old man who had become exhausted after a day out in the high fells. The Team responded and made sure that he got off the fells safely and that his fellow walkers took him for medical attention.

39 27/09/2020 08:29 Search Red Moss The Team was called out by Cumbria Police to reports of a walker who had failed to meet up with his family after a walk the previous day. As the Team began to make preparations for a search of Matterdale Common and the surrounding fells, the man rang Cumbria Police to say he had returned safely to his car after spending the night on the fells. He had been suitably equipped for a night outdoors and was well, albeit a little chilly.

40 03/10/2020 16:15 Search Helvellyn The Team was called to a group of walkers who had become disorientated in poor visibility on Helvellyn. Their 999 call location showed them near the Whiteside cairn, trying to navigate down the Thirlmere side to their parked vehicles. As Thirlmere is part of the Keswick MRT area, the rescue was passed on to them.

41 07/10/2020 20:38 Search Hole in the Wall The Team was asked to investigate an overdue walker. Using the SARLOC system and having made mobile phone contact with the man, the Team was able to ascertain that he had re-joined the path and was making his way back to the valley floor.

42 17/10/2020 15:31 Rescue Swarth Beck Cumbria Police tasked the Team to help a woman from the Derbyshire

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area who had fallen and injured her ankle on the path from Howtown to Pooley Bridge.

43 19/10/2020 12:48 Rescue Aira Force Beck The Team was called out by NWAS to rescue a man who had slipped and sustained a head injury while walking close to Aira Force Beck. The Team assessed the casualty on scene before transferring him via stretcher to the waiting ambulance. He was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle (CIC) for further treatment.

44 25/10/2020 09:30 Animal Greenside A local farmer asked the Team to recover a sheep from a gorge above Glenridding. The rescue took three hours and involved eight Team members.

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45 26/10/2020 13:05 Rescue Hallin Fell The Team was alerted to an incident on Hallin Fell. A woman from the Southport area had fallen while walking and injured her lower leg.

She was treated for her injuries at the scene and stretchered to a waiting ambulance for onward transport to CIC. The incident required 10 Team volunteers for three and a half hours.

46 27/10/2020 17:36 Rescue Boredale Hause The Team was called out after a lone walker contacted 999 when she got lost near Boredale Hause when darkness fell. The walker had set off from Martindale with the aim of walking to Patterdale, but got lost when she was near the Hause. The Team’s duty leader made contact by phone and managed to get an accurate location using a combination of the Phonefind tool and WhatsApp live location sharing. Once located, the walker was directed using her mobile phone’s compass and she safely made it down to Patterdale.

47 01/11/2020 14:19 Rescue Ullswater Cumbria Police alerted the Team to an overturned boat in the middle of Ullswater in the area of Watermillock.

Whilst Team members were assembling, it became apparent that the occupants had safely made their

way to shore and that the Ullswater Yacht Club would recover the boat. The Team was stood down.

48 02/11/2020 12:25 Ambulance Gowbarrow NWAS asked for assistance from the Team in evacuating a 68-yearold man who had taken ill whilst walking on Gowbarrow Fell. The man was stretchered from the fell and transferred to the care of an ambulance crew at Aira Force car park.

The incident took 14 Team members three hours.

49 14/11/2020 13:00 Rescue Birkside Gill The Team was called out by NWAS to a walker who had fainted. The exact location was unknown and the informant described it as near the top of Birkside near Helvellyn. The Team could not get back in touch with the casualty’s party as their mobile phone had run out of battery. Due to the inexact location, the Team contacted Keswick MRT and it was agreed that both teams would respond. The casualty party was located by Keswick MRT about two hours later and escorted down towards Thirlmere. The rescue lasted three hours and involved 27 Patterdale MR volunteers.

50 15/11/2020 12:14 Search Helvellyn A group of five young walkers rang 999 after getting lost on Helvellyn in bad weather. The Team leader used Phonefind technology to establish that they were on the main path going down Lower Man, near Helvellyn.

Phone contact was made just as the party had come across some passersby who told them where they were and pointed them in the right direction.

As the party was no longer lost and knew where they were going, the Team stood down.

51 22/11/2020 13:50 Rescue Caiston Glen The Team was called out to help a woman from the Kendal area who had fallen and injured her leg whilst out walking in the High Hartsop Dodd area.

31

The woman was treated at the scene

by Team members before being stretchered down to the bottom of Kirkstone and a waiting ambulance.

52 26/11/2020 20:14 Rescue Striding Edge The Team was called out with report of a couple who were lost and crag fast on Striding Edge. The Phonefind tool located them just off the main path on the head wall of Helvellyn. Six Team members went out and reached their location at around 10.30pm. The couple had become disorientated in the dark and had strayed off the main path, getting stuck on steep rocky ground.

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terrain. This meant they were caught out by the early fading light and total darkness. They were on a date after meeting online but it is unknown if any further dates followed!

When the Team reached them, they were safe and well but very cold after the wait. The couple were moved to safety using a rope belay and were then walked off and back down to Glenridding. The couple had set off for their walk at around 2pm and had not realised the difficulty of the

53 12/12/2020 17:20 Rescue Yew Crag, Gowbarrow The Team was called to assist a woman and child after they had become stranded on Yew Crag. While the Team were responding, the pair - who had a torch with them - managed to retrace their steps and make their way safely down to the roadside. They were located by a Team member and driven back to their car parked nearby.

The callout lasted for one and a half hours and was attended by eight Team members.

54 19/12/2020 14:20 Rescue Glenridding Common The Team was called out following a report of a man with knee and possible head injuries who had fallen while descending from Swirral Edge

with his friend. The party managed to make their way down to Glenridding Common and one of them had run ahead and notified Mountain Rescue after dialling 999. The Team located the casualty on the main path on Glenridding Common and he was assisted down towards a waiting Land Rover and transferred to the Rescue Centre, where a cut to his head was treated by a Team Doctor. The rescue lasted two hours and involved 17 Team volunteers.

55 19/12/2020 16:22 Rescue High Hartsop Dodd The Team had just returned to Base after the previous rescue when it was called out to an incident near Dove Dale. A 20-year-old man had fallen while descending from High Hartsop Dodd, injuring his ankle.

Another person in the party had made their way down to Sykeside Campsite to raise the alarm. The Team responded and located the casualty

on the path where he was treated for a suspected broken ankle and then stretchered down to a Team Land Rover in the valley. The casualty was transferred to Base and handed over to an ambulance for onward travel to hospital. The rescue involved 17 Team members and lasted two and half hours.

56 22/12/2020 17:48 Search Allen Crag The Team was called by Cumbria Police to reports of a man “last seen heading to Allen Crags” and now overdue. After an initial investigation, his location was confirmed to be in the area of Keswick MRT and the callout was handed over.

The missing person was found at the telephone kiosk in Seathwaite.

57 25/12/2020 08:45 Rescue Dove Crag The Team was called by NWAS on Christmas morning to go to the aid of a young man who had camped overnight close to Dove Crag and was unable to

make his way off the fell due to a cold injury to his feet. Initially six Team members made their way to scene but, when it became apparent that the young man would need stretchering down from Dove Crag, a further eight members were required. In total, 15 Team volunteers were involved for six hours to evacuate him down to a waiting ambulance.

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Training before and after lockdown.

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35

Fundraising

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2020 was a strange year for lots of things and our fundraising efforts were no exception. Having said that, several areas held up very well, most notably the generous membership of our Supporters’ Club. The vast majority of members carried on with their annual or monthly subscriptions and we also managed to attract nearly 30 new members to the Club, which was brilliant given the financial pressures created by the pandemic. We hope to pass the 500 members milestone during 2021. This is a hugely important part of our fundraising effort as it gives us a consistent income stream that we rely on to help meet our day-to-day running costs.

We were unable to hold any of our normal Base Open Days last year or to attend any of the local events throughout the spring, summer and autumn. These are occasions where we normally interact with regular and potential new supporters, not

to mention selling our various shop items. We hope to see a resumption of events at some point this year, but it will depend on Covid restrictions and seems unlikely to be in the next few months. In addition to the loss of product sales and donations from events, we also suffered a major reduction in income from the 80 or so collecting boxes that are hosted for us by shops, pubs, hotels, camp-sites and caravan parks. Inevitably, with no visitors for much of the year and pressure on venues to have clear, sterile counters, our boxes had to take a back seat.

One high point was the uplift in online shop sales generated by our new website, which launched in September.

The resulting sales in the run up to Christmas exceeded our expectations and we are now running out of several greetings card designs and looking for new photographs to allow us introduce new cards later this year. Any offerings from supporters for this would be welcomed.

Legacies again formed an important part of our income. Each year we receive a range of such gifts, some from previous Supporters’ Club members, and others from apparent strangers who obviously know of us and want to support our work after they are gone. We have literature available to support people who are considering a legacy and we are in the process of refreshing that in 2021. Small and local charities seem to be doing better than large ones on this front at present and we have certainly benefited from this sort of generosity in recent years.

Our supporters were also very generous with our major fundraising campaign of the year, the Appeal to purchase, modify and equip a new Land Rover Defender 110, the first of its type to be bought for use in Mountain Rescue. There is a separate report from Peter Baker, who chaired the team for this project, on pages 18 and 19 with acknowledgement of several very generous donations and grants.

Base Open Days are an excellent opportunity to explain mountain rescue. We hope they will return soon.

At a time when many charities are struggling to raise funds and fearful for the future, it is reassuring to know that we have Trustees and supporters who continue to do a great job for the Team and for Patterdale MR Association. Your generosity is very much appreciated – thank you.

Ken Hardcastle Fundraising Committee Chair

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everyt

The Team has always been fortunate to have fundraising collection boxes in a wide range of locations across our patch. These are distinctively Mountain Rescue and have been on bars and by tills from the Kirkstone Pass (at the Inn) to the village of Greystoke (north west of Penrith), some of them for many, many years. Several of our box hosts have also been known to drop the proceeds of events and competitions into the boxes to boost funds and we’re very grateful for their support over the years.

hing

changes

Unsurprisingly, Covid has had an immediate impact on the scale of collection box donations in 2020. Visitor numbers were much reduced, many people have displayed an aversion to handling cash and many collection box hosts felt they needed to remove their collection boxes from sight. This was completely understandable as they needed to keep their counters and till areas clear for regular cleaning and to accommodate screens and other pandemic paraphernalia.

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Covid-19 also seems to have accelerated a shift to online and card payments rather than cash. We anticipate that this will be a permanent move and we have decided that we need to adapt. Our Fundraising Committee and Treasurer are currently investigating various code systems and online routes for donations and you should see the

results of our findings in terms of scannable codes on boxes and other means in the months to come.

Consequently, collections boxes that contributed over £9,000 in 2019 reduced to just £1,141 collected in 2020.

We were unable to do an end of year visit to the collection box hosts so there is probably also money left that we have been unable to collect as yet. We hope to resume visits to our collection box hosts as soon as it is safe to do so. Thank you all for your patience.

Fortunately, other giving and donations continued apace, as you can read in Ken Hardcastle’s Fundraising report and in news of our New Defender Appeal. For that, we are very grateful indeed and we also appreciate those cheques and online donations from visitors who might otherwise have dropped cash into a collection box.

Hopefully 2021 will turn out to be a better year all round but, until we can visit again, we’d like to say a huge thank you to every business that hosts a collection box. Each one helps to raise awareness among visitors and we’d like to say a big Thank You to everyone involved. Thanks also go to Tony Henley who would normally visit each site regularly, emptying the boxes, meeting the hosts and ensuring that all the proceeds make it safely into the bank.

He is hoping to see many of you as soon as possible in 2021.

collecting boxes 1863 Bistro and Bar Pooley Bridge Barco House (1 & 2 Low Rake) Patterdale Barn Studio Pooley Bridge Beckses’ Caravan Site Penruddock Brackenrigg Inn Watermillock Broad How Patterdale Brotherswater Inn (x3) Brotherswater Catstycam Glenridding Chestnut House Pooley Bridge Cocklake’s Farm Shop Troutbeck Cove Caravan & Camping Watermillock Crown Inn Pooley Bridge Fairlight Café Glenridding Fellbites Café Glenridding Fellgarth Cottage Patterdale

George and Dragon Gillside Farm (Campsite) Glenridding Bridge Glenridding Hotel (x3) Glenridding Mini-Market Gleridding Tourist Info Centre Granny Dowbekkin’s Greystoke Shop and Post Office Greystones Coffee House Grisedale Bridge Self Catering Helvellyn Country Kitchen Helvellyn YHA Herdwick Inn Hillcroft Caravan site Hopkinson’s Caravan Park Howtown Hotel Howtown Tearoom Inn on the Lake (Ramblers Bar) Joint Adventures King’s Arms Kirkstone Pass Inn Lowther Barn Tea Room Moss Cragg Mountain Life Old Water View Outward Bound Outward Bound Parkfoot Caravan Park

Clifton Glenridding Glenridding Glenridding Glenridding Glenridding Pooley Bridge Greystoke Glenridding Patterdale Glenridding Glenridding Penruddock Pooley Bridge Whitbarrow Howtown Howtown Glenridding Coniston Stainton Kirkstone Pass Sandwick Glenridding Rheged (Stainton) Patterdale Watermillock Howtown Pooley Bridge

Patterdale Hall Estate Office Patterdale Patterdale Hotel Patterdale Patterdale Post Office Patterdale Patterdale YHA Patterdale Pooley Bridge Inn Pooley Bridge Pooley Bridge Shop & PO. Pooley Bridge Queens Head Askham Quiet Site Watermillock Rakes Cottage Glenridding Relph’s Tirril Royal Hotel Dockray Side Farm Tea Room Patterdale Sportsman’s Inn Troutbeck St Patrick’s boat landing Glenridding Sun Inn Pooley Bridge Sunningdale B&B Stainton Traveller’s Rest Glenridding Troutbeck Head Caravan Site Troutbeck Ullswater Holiday Park Watermillock Ullswater Steamers Pier Glenridding Ullswater Steamers Pier Pooley Bridge Ullswater Steamers (x3) On board Ullswater View B&B Watermillock University of Cumbria (Brambles Cafe) Newton Rigg Waterfoot Caravan Site Pooley Bridge Waterside Farm Pooley Bridge Whitbarrow Holiday Village Whitbarrow White Lion Hotel Patterdale

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As a token of our appreciation for your support we will also ensure that all Supporters receive a car sticker and, in the case of those able to make a longer term commitment, a unique membership badge.

40 Individual 1 Year Membership A minimum contribution of £12 Individual 1 Year Membership A Individual minimum 5 Year Membership contribution of £12 A minimum contribution of £60 Individual 5 Year Family 1 Year Membership A Membership minimum A minimumof £60 contribution Family 5 Year Membership Family 1 Year A minimum Membership contribution A minimum of £125 Lifetime contribution of £25 Membership A minimum Family 5 Year contribution Membershipof £500 A minimum contribution of £125

Apply to The Honorary Treasurer: PMRA Ltd.

Ogilvie House, Patterdale, Cumbria CA11 0PJ

Supporter Number

Lifetime Membership A minimum contribution of £500

Apply to The Honorary Treasurer: PMRA Ltd.

Ogilvie House, Patterdale, Cumbria CA11 0PJ

/

/

/

/

Signed.............................................................................. Date........................................................

or indefinitely and debit my/our account accordingly.

thereafter every month / year until

(date of first payment) and

as a gift aid donation commencing

the sum of £ ............(words)...............................................................

Please pay Barclays Bank, 1 Market Square, Penrith, Cumbria, CAl I 7YB CODE No: 20-66-97 for credit of PMRA Ltd NC No: 50218081

Sort Code ........... : ........... : ............

Bank A/c Number ..............................................................................

Postcode .................

The Manger Bank/Building Society .................................................

Your Name (in capitals) .....................................................................

TO: BANK / BUILDING SOCIETY

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society to pay Banker’s Order

Signed .......................................................... Date ...........................

£ .................. each month / year commencing .......................... as shown on the Bankers Order below and this sum is to be treated as Gift Aid. I understand that I must pay Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax equal to the tax Patterdale Mountain Association Ltd. can reclaim on my donation (28p for every £1 given)

I promise to donate for .....................years/indefinitely the sum of

To:- Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association Ltd.

Gift Aid

There are five categories of membership, all of which entitle you to ongoing contact via the Team’s newsletter, Patrick Relay and our Annual Review.

#

please join our SUPPORTERS’ club contribution of £25

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Five ways you can financially help

2.

GIFT AID STANDING ORDER AND BECOME A MEMBER OF THE SUPPORTERS CLUB (min. contribution of £12 per annum) If you wish to donate regularly, say annually, and you pay income tax at the standard rate, a Gift Aid Standing Order enables the value of your donation to be increased as the Association is able to reclaim the tax paid. All donations are worth 28% more. A Gift Aid Standing Order form is printed on page 45 for your use. Payments are by Bankers Order.

Supporter Number

3.

A LEGACY IN YOUR WILL Many will help Patterdale Mountain Rescue by remembering the Team with a legacy in their will. The Trustees of Patterdale Mountain

#

Supporters’ Club Membership Form

To join the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team Supporters Club complete this form and send to:

The Honorary Treasurer, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association Ltd, Ogilvie House, Patterdale, Cumbria CA11 0PJ

Name .......................................................................Title ..................

Address ..............................................................................................

.............................................................................................................

...............................................Post Code..................Date.................

Individual 1 Year Membership (min £12)

Please enrol me as a member of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team Supporters Club under the following membership level

Individual 5 Year Membership (min £60)

Family 1 Year Membership (min £25)

Family Lifetime Membership (min £500)

(please tick appropriate boxes).

I enclose cheque / PO for £.........................................

Print Name......................................

Gift Aid Declaration. To be signed by taxpayers Please treat my donations to PMRA Ltd as Gift Aid Donations I understand that I must pay Income or Capital Gains Tax equal to the tax deducted from this and all future donations (28p for every pound you give)

Signed ....................................

Please make all cheques payable to PMRA Ltd.

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1.

DONATIONS Any donations will be warmly received, preferably by cheque, to the Association’s Treasurer. If you are a taxpayer please use the Gift Aid declaration on previous page.

Rescue Association undertake to use those legacies to best effect. If you want your legacy to be used in a specific way. e.g. towards a new Team Vehicle or Swift Water kit, then you can specify this and the Trustees can arrange this to happen, but it is worth noting that operational needs change all the time and by leaving the use of your funds unrestricted the Trustees can exercise their judgement to ensure that legacies are used in the most effective manner at the time.

By completing an “Expression of Wishes” (also known as “Nomination of Beneficiaries”) form, then you can specify exactly who should receive a share of “unused” pension funds on death. Anyone can be nominated as a pension beneficiary, including a charity like Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association. For wording, please ask your Solicitor for advice.

4.

GIVE AS YOU EARN This is a tax-free way of giving to charities direct from your pay and many employers have agreed to co-operate. The donation

is deducted from your pay before your tax deduction is calculated. The Association is registered with the Charities Aid Foundation.

5.

SELF ASSESSMENT Tax repayments can be gifted wholly or partially and the Association will also receive the additional benefit of Gift Aid ( 28% ). This method came into effect from April 2004.

Please quote our code EAK78XG. Full details are available from the Inland Revenue website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk All the Trustees and Team members of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association are unpaid volunteers.

Charity Name: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Association Ltd Bank code : 20 - 66 - 97 Bank Account No : 50218081 Give as you earn : 006995 S OUNT accounts Charity Commission L ACC NNUA the audited A ed f Reg No : 1063329 obtain rer copy o u ay be A s year m ’s Trea for the Association close a e n from th st. Please e ue by req 1 / ” x 9”.

6 2 S.A.E.

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Online

SHOP

Greetings Buy ur from o p sho online ort pp and su m a the Te

CARDS

See full range and ORDER ON LINE www.mountainrescue.org.uk/shop

All cards are blank inside for all occasions and all year round use.

Photos by award-winning photographers John Williams, Andy McAlea and Mark Littlejohn.

Gifts and

CLOTHING

Buy ur from o p sho online ort pp and su m a the Te

See full range and ORDER ON LINE www.mountainrescue.org.uk/shop 44

Want to order offline? Contact Jacquie Freeborn, Motherby House, Motherby, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0RJ T: 017684 83368 E-mail jacquie.freeborn@patterdalemrt.org.uk

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Obituaries

These are not something that we would normally include in these pages but we would very much like to mention the loss of two key characters from the Team in recent months.

Alan “Smudge” Smith

Sadly, we learned in December 2020 of the death of Alan ‘Smudge’ Smith who was a Team member from1979-1994, only leaving the Team when he moved out of the valley.

Smudge gave a lot of time to the Team, not only with rescues but also looking after the Team radios. At that time, the radios were particularly vital pieces of kit to keep Team members safe as there were no mobile phones and no GPS tracking back then. Alan was a real character and also a great cartoonist as can be seen in some of our early annual reports.

The Team sends its condolences to all of Alan’s family

46 at this sad time.

Keep safe, have a great day and #BeAdventureSmart

Bishop Ian Griggs

Another former Team member, Bishop Ian Griggs, sadly passed away in January 2021.

Ian joined the Team in 1999 and, although he retired from active service in 2003, he continued helping with fundraising and open day events as well as helping with collection boxes. He was always available to give advice and help with support to the relatives and friends of casualties.

He was very much one of the Team, adding humour and never batting an eyelid at some of the banter, even when standing nearby in full Bishop’s regalia.

We send Pat and family our deepest sympathy.

The Team is here to ensure that everyone taking to the hills around Ullswater can enjoy the outdoors, safe in the knowledge that, if something goes wrong, we’re there to help. We need to share that responsibility for safety with YOU too – and we know that the best way to have a great day out is to be prepared and do everything you can to prevent acccidents and problems.

We’d emphasise that the weather, the visibility and the conditions underfoot can all be very different higher up on the fells. It’s worth planning your route with easier descent routes in case the weather changes for the worse or there’s ice on your path or the heat is too much for you.

Basically, your best way to have a great day out is to avoid being a statistic in next year’s Annual Review!

www.mountainrescue.org.uk/safety-advice

#BeAdventureSmart is a campaign supported and promoted by a wide range of organisations, including Mountain Rescue, and it simply asks you to consider three questions before setting off for a walk or a climb or a bike ride.

Do I have the right GEAR?

There’s lots of advice in the safety section of our website:

You can get more information about the fell top conditions from the daily assessor’s report from Helvellyn summit on the Lake District Weatherline: www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk And there’s a Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) forecast, updated daily online too: www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/english-and-welsh/lake-district

Do I know what the WEATHER will be like?

Am I confident I have the KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS for the day?

Keep safe, have a great day and #BeAdventureSmart 47

For Mountain Rescue call 999

• Dial ‘999’ – ask for CUMBRIA POLICE – then MOUNTAIN RESCUE. • Provide details of who you are, your group size and their condition, your current location (Grid Reference if possible), and a contact number.

• Keep yourself and your group safe and warm, protected from the weather and wait for the Mountain Rescue team to contact you with further instructions.

• Do not move unless asked to by the Mountain Rescue - mobile signals vary and moving just a small distance may lose a mobile signal.