Cleveland Mountain Rescue – an amazing local voluntary service

‘Entries are now open for the Cleveland Survival 2023! Saturday 18th March 2023 - sunshine is on order,’ announce the organisers of our local Mountain Rescue major annual fundraising event. As it’s a test of navigation on the day, the starting point is still secret, but it’ll be somewhere in the North York Moors/Tees Valley area and will be revealed just a week in advance.

When I meet Gary Clarke, Public Relations volunteer, he gives me more details about what’ll be involved: “It’ll be our first full run since Covid. Entrants can choose between challenges of 15 - 16 miles and 26 - 28 miles. They set off at 8.00am and get back by 6.00 to 7.00pm, before it gets dark,” he explains. “Most are experienced hill walkers, but some fell runners join in too.” (For more event details, visit the Cleveland Survival Facebook page and www.sientries.co.uk)

Gary, who’s been a volunteer for five years, helps at the checkpoints and takes photos and a video, which he assembles as a package afterwards. Others make sure that water bottles can be topped up during the challenge and prepare a hot meal for entrants after they reach the finishing line. The money raised through entry fees and sometimes sponsorship, supports the response to the 60 - 65 call outs that Cleveland Mountain Rescue receive each year.

When the charity was set up in 1965, two thirds of the call outs concerned missing people. Doing the 42 mile Lyke Wake Walk across the Moors was very popular then, but walkers sometimes got lost. Today, only a third of call outs are for missing people and these are often vulnerable individuals. The Mountain Rescue Team are asked to search for them by Cleveland/North Yorkshire Police or by the Yorkshire and North-East Ambulance Services. “We work at their request,” says Gary.

The people in need of physical help usually range from the late teens to people in their 60s and 70s. Injuries to the lower legs such as broken ankles caused by trips and slips are common. Mountain bikers often present with upper body injuries when they have accidents and there’s a steady number of riders coming off horses. Rock climbers may sustain back and pelvis injuries when they fall. Occasionally, hang-gliders need assistance but not in recent years, though.

When I ask if people are appreciative when the rescuers arrive, Gary says: “Yes. Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team members are often asked to go to hard to access places that ambulances can’t reach, so the injured may have been waiting for quite a while. They are very grateful when help arrives.”

The service responds to calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so numbers of trained volunteers need to be kept up. The aim is to have up to 50 Search and Rescue team members who have time to give, outside their work commitments. There are annual recruitment programmes to attract men and women over 18, who are confident and fit hill walkers. Mountaineering and rock-climbing experience isn’t needed, although it would be welcomed.

The next group of recruits will start training in September. As Prospective Members, they attend an induction programme for 10 – 12 weeks on Wednesday evenings at the Newton-under-Roseberry premises. After the initial sessions, they work alongside full members on the hills, learning about the equipment, the way to assemble stretchers and how to carry injured people. By January, most are ready to become Probationary Members. They will spend at least twelve months in this role, which includes going on the call out list, but always working alongside experienced colleagues. Continuous assessment takes place and most move on to be Full Members.

It’s quite common for experienced members to choose to train as paramedics and even those who leave the team often return to help with casualty care training. Some of the Cleveland Mountain Rescue team are qualified doctors, so there is a flow of expertise in both directions. There are opportunities to take extra training to join the Water and Flood Rescue team. Gary says: “In 2015, volunteers were deployed to the York floods. In the last couple of winters, there have been call outs to rescue people who’ve tried to drive across fords on the Moors and got stuck.”

The tasks of the 10 – 20 Support Members of the Cleveland Mountain Rescue team include fundraising, checking equipment and cleaning vehicles at their base. They act as marshals at family friendly fundraising events, such as the annual Four Tops challenge, which is advertised in July and takes place in September/early October. “The four tops are Roseberry Topping, Captain Cook’s Monument, Highcliff Nab and Little Roseberry,” explains Gary. “Entrants are given options of a seven mile or thirteen mile route.”

Somewhat longer is the fundraising Whalebones Walk provisionally planned for 30 April 2023, the Sunday of the May Bank Holiday weekend. It will start in Whitby and follow the 22 mile Cleveland Way Coastal Path north to Marske. (See www.clevelandmrt.org and their Facebook page for more information.)

I ask Gary what’s best about being a member of Cleveland Mountain Rescue. “It’s the teamwork. There’s a great spirit. I like being out on the hills and helping people in difficulties,” he confirms.

Rosemary Nicholls

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Saltburn Blues Club

Unfortunately, I had to cancel the January gig as our venue at New Marske Institute is undergoing a complete refurbishment and it was doubtful it would be finished in time.

However, I am hopeful that the February gig will go ahead in what will be then a state-of-the-art concert room. I am very excited to see the completed work and then hopefully the future will be bright for Saltburn Blues Club and I think we will be attracting even more people to the gigs.

The February gig is on the 25th, 8pm, when we welcome back the superb Band Redfish. Redfish are an exciting new-ish Blues Band, featuring some very talented Scottish and Cumbrian musicians who create a distinctive sound that blends Blues, Roots, Jazz and Soul. They have appeared at a range of Festivals including Maryport, Colne, Skegness and Bowness Blues Festivals. Support is by local Band The Seaview Playboys. Tickets are £12 and available from The Spar Milton St., Saltburn, Ents24.com and 07960 935263.

We have a slightly earlier than normal Balmoral Acoustic Blues Club on Sunday February 5th 8pm at Saltburn Conservative Club with the first visit of Elsie Franklin from York.

“Elsie Franklin is the most natural blues singer I’ve heard in years, her guitar playing is pretty damn good too, uncluttered and tasteful, she really understands the genre. She’s the whole package.” - a fine endorsement by Dave Kally a UK Blues legend of The Blues Band fame. Reserve your seats directly with me on 07960 935263, £8 for this one.

Your weekly dose of the Blues is as always available via my radio show Still Got The Blues on Zetland 105FM, Alexa and now for Virgin customers on the app Radioline, Mondays 7-10pm. Or catch up on Mixcloud at your convenience.

Keep diggin’ the Blues folks. Harry

BREAKING NEWS as I wrote this article booking was made for Saturday 11th February in the New Marske Institute of the wonderful Alice Armstrong Band, see poster opposite for details.