Cockermouth Mountain Rescue at 70
Cockermouth Mountain Rescue at 70
What an organisation these are! For over 70 years, Cockermouth Mountain Rescue team members have risked life and limb to rescue thousands of people, sheep, lost dogs, goats, horses, and even a raven – on our fells and mountains.
These people are all volunteers who give up their time for absolutely nothing, whether that be when they are training or actively saving people.
Humble beginnings:
The Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team was formed at a meeting in Armstrong’s Cafe (also known as Central Cafe) with local mountaineers and Keswick MRT members on February 23, 1953.
To join the team back then, all that was required was the possession of a pair of boots, a rucksack, and a tin of elastoplasts. It’s amazing to see how far things have come.
I love the fact that one of their first vehicles was a Jennings Brewery lorry.
In the early days, they had no pagers or mobiles, if you needed help, there would be a callout where a policeman would either walk or ride on his bike to where the team members lived and tell them that they were needed.
Chatting with one of the team doctors last year, I was horrified to discover that organisations like Cockermouth Mountain Rescue are self-sufficient and receive no government funding or financial support whatsoever.
Annual operating costs run at around £100,000, a far cry from the £50 needed back in 1953, and a new vehicle costs about £50,000 with all the extra equipment they require and gear that needs to be updated and replaced regularly.
As a registered charity that relies on voluntary donations, Cockermouth Mountain Rescue savours and appreciates every penny that is donated.
You can donate directly, or you can support the team by leaving a legacy in your will. A gift from you will have an enormous impact, helping the team help more people for years to come.
A legacy will cost you nothing in your lifetime. It may even reduce inheritance tax on your estate because legacies to charities are tax-free.
Sadly, their service and help will always be required, and that won’t change anytime soon. As it stands, they are called out on average 70 times a year covering quite a large area, from Buttermere, Ennerdale, Lorton, and Loweswater Valley areas.
If you get into trouble in these areas, it will be Cockermouth Mountain Rescue that would be called out.
If you would like to join the team and are an experienced mountaineer who lives or works in their operating area, get in touch, as they would like to hear from you.
If you have any spare cash and want to put it to good use, then, as above, get in touch, as they would really, really love to hear from you.
Visit www.cockermouthmrt.org.uk to learn more
Their 2023 Annual Report magazine is available to download, with details of their rescues, training and adventures – great read with breathtaking images.
In the meantime, Thank You to all the members of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue, past and present; and finally, Happy 70th Anniversary – we hope you have the quietest year ever…
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