I was asked last year to try and help the Brecon mountain rescue team (@breconmountainrescue) raise funds following their base burning down in 2017. Ordinarily, I’d just come over and do a talk, and hopefully, that would net some cash, but that’s not been so easy.
We talked about some Zoom style thing, but I felt that we’re all a bit Zoomed out at the moment, plus I’ve had enough of looking at people’s gormless faces, trying to work out if they can even hear me.
Thinking out of the box, I thought about doing it on the side of Pen Y Fan, with everyone standing in Zorb balls, employing the SAS (who bloody love Pen Y Fan), to keep people in position, but I ended up thinking it might be counterproductive in terms of helping Mountain Rescue.
At the same time, I’ve been thinking of how to reduce the number of climbing accidents - which is why I wrote Down - and wondered if I could kill two birds with one stone.
And so I hit on the idea of creating an hour-long training film/slideshow style thing and giving it away to clubs who donate £100 to the teams Justgiving page, with the university climbing clubs being the primary focus.
It’s just an idea, but as I said, it seems to kill two birds with one stone or save two birds.
Yes, would be very keen to support this. Have a mountain medicine audience who would be very keen to see this and have funds in place to support this financially. Let me know how we can help in any way.
Thanks Jeremy. I had to get a friend down off a route in Africa with a broken leg a while back, and it was interesting comparing how you think such an event will go, and how it really goes (actually, it was the second descent with someone with a broken leg!). I've never been on a wilderness first aid course, but I remember seeing one being given at Glenmore lodge and I was really impressed with how realistic it seemed (lots of screaming and shouting).
It seems easier to focus on clubs, as I feel they could draw together a group of people, or might have funds for training, but yes it would be daft to ignore individuals. As with so much in this free economy, it's about doing it in a way that provides the best value for the Mountain Rescue team, as well as the customer (when someone is paying for something it has to be better than what's out there for free!).
Great idea. Very interested and outside the club scene as the representative of Technical Operations Rope Rescue at Fire Rescue Victoria.
Great idea Andy.
Yes, would be very keen to support this. Have a mountain medicine audience who would be very keen to see this and have funds in place to support this financially. Let me know how we can help in any way.
Thanks Jeremy. I had to get a friend down off a route in Africa with a broken leg a while back, and it was interesting comparing how you think such an event will go, and how it really goes (actually, it was the second descent with someone with a broken leg!). I've never been on a wilderness first aid course, but I remember seeing one being given at Glenmore lodge and I was really impressed with how realistic it seemed (lots of screaming and shouting).
Great cause met by good idea , I am sure there would be significant interest outside of the club scene ( difficult to meet up) to us individuals
It seems easier to focus on clubs, as I feel they could draw together a group of people, or might have funds for training, but yes it would be daft to ignore individuals. As with so much in this free economy, it's about doing it in a way that provides the best value for the Mountain Rescue team, as well as the customer (when someone is paying for something it has to be better than what's out there for free!).
I’m pretty sure my local club would participate
I'll post some more details when I've worked it out.