This weekend saw the 29th Annual Oldham Mountain Rescue Team International Weekend Seminar run and full call out team member and Training Officer, Elaine Gilliland, journeyed to Boarshurst Outdoors Pursuit Centre in Saddleworth, to take part.

Elaines account of this weekend follows below.

Arriving at 19.30 hours on Friday, I was one of the last to arrive and most of the group had already ventured to the Cross Keys public house for light refreshment. I was welcomed by members of Oldham team and immediately transported to the Cross Keys to meet other delegates.

At 20.30 hours delegates crossed to Oldham Team Headquarters for a welcome, introduction and safety briefing and given an overview of the weekend and what was expected.

Returning to the Cross Keys, delegates from Derby, Kinder, Kerry, Bolton, Swaledale, Dublin and Wicklow, Longtown, and Western Brecons Mountain Rescue Teams, Exmoor Search and Rescue Team, Thames Valley Police, Metropolitan Police, Dutch Fire Services and Pro-Rescue (32 delegates in total) introduced themselves and continued with further ‘light refreshment’. Truly international participation.

The Saturday morning wake up call was at 07.30 hours for breakfast with a briefing at Boarshurst at 08.15 hours and then straight out onto the crags at Underwood where the delegates were split into four groups and Oldham Mountain Rescue Team members took the delegates through Single Man Rescue, Strop Rescue, Horizontal Stretcher Lower and Single Point Cableway Lower, allowing each delegate to practice each of the cliff rescue techniques in hillside simulation exercises. After a sunny, but windy day out on the crags delegates returned to Boarshurst for an excellent evening meal provided by the ‘catering crew’ – team members, family and friends of Oldham Mountain Rescue Team – and a short period of rest and recuperation before again venturing to the Cross Keys.

At 20.30 hours all participants were given a short briefing at Oldham’s HQ and then returned to the Cross Keys to socialise.

On Sunday morning delegates were given a lie in, with breakfast provided at 08.00 hours and a briefing outlining the day at 08.45 hours. By 10.00 hours participants were at the crags in Wilderness Gulley in Chew Valley where every attendee was able to participate in setting up the belay systems for the cliff rescue techniques undertaken the previous day and given the opportunity to again put into practice the techniques, the highlight being a 200 metre Cableway Lower between the crags…..Fabulous.

Elaine would like to thank all members of Oldham Mountain Rescue Team for the opportunities provided at this excellently organised weekend, and the supporting family members and friends for providing the catering throughout the weekend. A great time was had by all.