Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team reaches £80,000 target to buy new command vehicle

Photo: Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team.

Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team has reached its £80,000 target to buy a new command vehicle.

The appeal took just four months after being launched in November last year.

The new vehicle will replace an aging incident command trailer which has been a crucial piece of equipment for more than 15 years.

The trailer is the operational nerve centre on call-outs and houses their communications and IT equipment.

David Furness, chairman Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, said: “We are delighted to have reached our fund-raising target so quickly and have been humbled by the generosity of our supporters particularly during this most difficult of times.

“We would like to thank every individual, business, club and organisation that has contributed to our fund-raiser.

“Your support provides us with an important new resource that will enable us to continue to providing our life saving services.”

The charity said they were “indebted to the many hundreds of individuals who have generously donated” despite the pandemic.

Local organisations, businesses and clubs that have donated to our fund have also been thanked.

A diagram of the new command vehicle.

The charity has received substantial grant funding from a number of different organisations, including:

  • Jack Brunton’s Charitable Trust (£2,000)
  • Mr Robert Miller, Gunnerside Estate (£10,000)
  • Nickerson Foundation (£1,000), Noble Family Trust (£500)
  • North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner Community Fund (£4,780)
  • Two Ridings Community Foundation Disaster & Recovery Fund (£10,000)
  • Vickers Staff Charitable Fund (£500)
  • Yorkshire Dales National Park Sustainable Development Fund (£10,000)

After a bespoke conversion, the new incident command vehicle should be ready for call outs in September.

The appeal was launched on November 1 via a Crowdfunding site.

Within a month the charity had raised over £25,000.

With the fundraising well under way, they then submitted grant applications to a number of organisations and charitable trusts.

The fundraising efforts also continued with raffles, quizzes and regular social media posts.

A number of local businesses, organisations and clubs generously supported the fundraising efforts, including:

  • Altberg Boots
  • Bainbridge Motor Club
  • Catterick Garrison Welfare Fund
  • Dales Mountain Biking Centre
  • Duke of Arundel
  • Noble Family Charitable Trust
  • Penrith Rotary
  • Raynet
  • Reeth Post Office
  • The Mercers, Grocers and Haberdashers Charitable Trust, Richmond.
  • Richmond Masons
  • Spirit of Swaledale
  • Swaledale Outdoor Club
  • Upper Wensleydale News
  • Vickers Staff Charitable Fund

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s member champion for sustainable development, Carl Lis, said: “Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team provide an essential service in a large area of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

“Their specialist rescue services are an important element of local community resilience whether it be responding to the immediate impact of flash flooding or helping with the longer term community recovery operation.

“Their skills are also called on by some of the many visitors to the National Park, whether it be lost walkers or injured mountain bikers needing to be carried off the fell.”

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:  “The speed at which the money was raised with this appeal is a testament to the huge support our mountain rescue teams have in Swaledale, across North Yorkshire and beyond.

“The volunteers who go above and beyond to support our emergency services play a vital role in keeping us all safe and feeling safe.

“I want to thank them all for their work and am delighted my Community Fund was able to play a part in making sure they have the best possible equipment with their new Incident Command Vehicle.”