Mountain Rescue Donation

Rotary donation of nearly £3000 to Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team is the latest beneficiary of donations from Rotary Clubs around the UK following the storms of last winter.Last week (16 February) representatives of Rotary District 1190, covering Cumbria and Lancashire, visited the Patterdale Rescue Centre and saw the Propaq medical monitoring equipment that their recent donation of £2890 has financed.

Charlie Shepherd, President of the Rotary Club of Penrith, was accompanied by Wendy Aldred, Assistant Governor of Rotary Cumbria and Lancashire. Team members were able to show them the range of equipment that they use on the mountains to ensure that every casualty has the best possible chance of a full recovery.

“This is a Team of volunteers that has been at the centre of recovery operations in floods and in other emergencies over the years,” said Charlie, “and Rotary is pleased to give assistance in this way.”

In all, Rotary Cumbria and Lancashire raised over £200 000 in donations after Storm Desmond to help groups and communities across Cumbria with money coming into their funds from across the UK.

“We’ve been able to pass on donations to over 45 different organisations including Youth Zone in Carlisle, the Calvert Trust boat house in Keswick and Appleby Girl Guides,” said Wendy Aldred, “and it was good to be able to direct some of the money to replace Mountain Rescue kit that was damaged during the floods.”

The Propaq is a mobile device that monitors oxygen levels, blood pressure and heart rate as well as other vital signs while a casualty is out on the mountains.

“It can be a real life saver,” said Jacquie Freeborn, Chair of the Trustees of Patterdale Mountain Rescue, “especially if the casualty may be suffering from hypothermia or has suspected heart problems. We tend to use this piece of kit in a whole range of situations so being able to replace the damaged one is invaluable to our work.”