Team members, along with SARDA dog handlers, joined the search today for 63-year old Alethea Taylor, who has been missing from her home in Orleton, Herefordshire since Thursday last week.
The team joined Police, SARA and a “small army” of local volunteers to search the rural areas surrounding the village.
http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/9486922.Villagers_join_in_search_for_missing_Orleton_woman/
Entries for this years Big Black Mountain’s Challenge, which will take place on 12th May, are now OPEN! As usual places are limited so apply early to avoid disappointment
The team assisted the air ambulance to evacuate a young boy with a suspected leg fracture from Sugarloaf during the Christmas period. The boy was in an area of steep ground and the team stretchered him to the waiting helicopter who transported him to nearby Nevill Hall hospital.
Articles on the callout can be found at -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-16348498
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/28/boy-airlifted-hospital-sugar-loaf-mountain?INTCMP=SRCH
Team member, Tim Jarvis, is to undertake an expedition in 2012 to raise funds for both the team and the mountain rescue benevolent fund. Starting on 16th July, 2012, Tim is to drive the 2000 miles around the UK’s 15 national parks in a 1974 series Land Rover. The trip will also include visits to as many mountain rescue teams as possible on the way.
To follow the build up to Tim’s trip, check out his blog, which not only includes information on the expedition but has posts on life in the team.
http://firstbritishoverland.blog.com/
If you would like to sponsor Tim’s trip please go to -
How time flys, BBMC entry time is fast approaching! Next years event will be run on Saturday 12th May. For those of you who did last years event or who entered and unfortunately didn’t get a place, look out for your reminder postcard arriving in the post in the next few weeks. The entry form will be uploaded to this site in early January so keep checking back.
Following another successful year in 2011 we have produced a new calendar for 2012, again featuring stunning pictures of the Black Mountains. Calendars are available at a number of outlets (£7) or mail order (£9 inc. postage and packing). Stockists include -
Trekitt, Hereford
Crickhowell Adventure, Crickhowell
Skirrid Mountain Garage, Llanvihangel Crucorney
Crown Inn, Pantygelli
Aber Rocks Bouldering Centre, Abergavenny
Longtown Outdoor Education Centre, Longtown
Cheques for £9, made payable to Longtown Mountain Rescue Team, should be sent to
Calendar Offer
Longtown Mountain Rescue team
PO Box 120
Abergavenny
NP7 7WU
A South Wales Argus article on a recent team callout
Police called out the South Wales MR teams for assistance at 8:40pm on Tuesday 9th August. The call was to assist two young girls who had become cragfast on Mynydd James, East of Blaina, Gwent.
In attendance were 30 MRT members from Central Beacons MRT, Brecon MRT,Longtown MRT and Western Beacons SART.
Rescuers made their way over steep ground to the girls location, made them safe and warm after assessing them for injuries and both were brought to safe ground and awaiting families after a semi technical rescue. They were unharmed but cold after a longer than intended adventure.
Longtown Mountain Rescue Team have recently received generous help from Motorcare Motor Factors and Banner Batteries. The Team’s first response Land Rover is fitted with a complex array of radio communications and emergency equipment and they need to know that the vehicle will be ‘ready to go’ at a moment’s notice to any call for assistance.
In order to achieve this, the vehicle is fitted with several batteries needed to power the equipment. Motorcare, as distributors of Banner batteries, came to the rescue and donated two high-capacity batteries to the Team – one to ensure the Land Rover starts first time, the other to ensure that all of the ancillary electrical equipment such as lights and radios are able to function at full capacity for prolonged periods.
Team Leader Mark Nicholls stated: “We are extremely grateful to Motorcare for the generous donation, it does mean that we are always ready and prepared to go at any time of day or night, regardless of the weather without having to worry about the vehicles ability to do the same. It costs over £30,000 to run the Team and costs are always increasing. Donations and assistance from local companies like Motorcare are therefore really appreciated. We have had a very busy year so far, responding to call outs in and around the Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire area and have responded to incidents ranging from searches for missing vulnerable people to rescues of injured mountain bikers, horse riders and hill walkers”.
On Sunday 10th July 2011 a photo of the team on a training exercise with a Seaking from RAF Chivenor was published in the Observer newspaper. The photo was selected for the papers “My Sunday in a photo” feature.