#Volunteersweek   This week is volunteers’ week, an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering.    Everyone at Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) commits to hundreds of hours of volunteer time per year for the team, however, we are so much more than the members you see out on the hills.     We have several supporters who regularly give up their time to support training and fundraising events, often lay hiding in the cold wet moors acting as a training casualty and working behind the scenes to enable the team…

#COFFEE&BUTTYFUNDRAISER   This Bank Holiday Sunday (30th May) from around 09:00 the residents of Lower Greave Farm, London Road will be hosting a coffee and butty fundraiser in support of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT).   This is the second fundraiser held by the farm with the first earlier this month raising over £400 for the team!   There is no set price for the food and refreshments on offer, however, any and all donations will be greatly received.   If you are out for a walk around the area or heading up to Stoodley Pike why not…

#CalderdaleBoundaryRun   What do you do when national restrictions prevent you from completing events you’ve trained for?     If you’re Jonothan Wright, one of Calder Valley Search and rescue Team’s (CVSRT) operational members, then you hatch a plan to run the entire Calderdale boundary.  Nonstop!   An incredible achievement by Jonothan who has shared a few words outlining his feat.    ______   Earlier this year, I was due to run in the 108-mile Montane Spine Mountain Rescue Team Challenge to raise funds for my local team, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team. Of course, this event like so…

#COFFEE&BUTTYFUNDRAISER   This Bank Holiday Sunday (2nd May) the residents of Lower Greave Farm, London Road will be hosting a coffee and butty fundraiser in support of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT). If you are out for a walk around the area or heading up to Stoodley Pike why not pop along for some home cooked food along the way.  The organisers have placed signs on the local paths to help you find your way.    There is no set price for the food and refreshments on offer, however, any and all donations will be greatly received.  …

All at CVSRT were saddened this week to hear the news that a dear friend of the team Nev Sharp BEM has passed away.   Many of our current team worked alongside Nev who had connections to the team since its inception and was our team leader for more than ten years.     Everyone who knew him described him as a great man who made a huge impact, both locally and nationally, in the many years he worked with MREW and MRSDE.   We will look to pay our tributes over the coming weeks to celebrate his life, whilst…

Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team would like to remind our local community to please adhere to the Government lockdown restrictions and only exercise locally to your home. Now is not the time to be venturing into the more remote parts of our countryside and potentially putting yourself in harm’s way. Granted, accidents can happen to anyone, at any time, in any location (even close to home). By definition, an accident is an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury. If an accident happened to you in a remote, inaccessible location, would you know…

#Congratulations Laura   In a normal year, members of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) gather on the last Tuesday in January to discuss business.  On the agenda for this meeting is the formality of welcoming all of our successful probationary (probie) members to the team as fully fledged operational members.    #Congratulations Laura    However, for everyone throughout the Calder Valley and beyond, the past year has been anything but normal. For our newest team member Laura, our only 2020 new recruit, her journey into the team followed this pattern and was very different than expected.    Laura…

Throughout the COVID19 pandemic including the previous lockdown’s, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) has had the safety of our team members, casualties in our care and the wider community at the centre of how we operate.  Like many other organisations, since March 2020 we have had to cancel events, adapt to new procedures, and moved the majority of our training online. In addition to the steps already taken as a result of previous lockdowns and restrictions, we are, along with our local community and the rest of the country, also looking at how best to adapt to the…

#2020WhatAYear   Callouts Assisting the emergency services when our assistance is required is the reason Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) exists and 2020 was a busy year. There were 96 full team callouts in total, with our first of the year on New Year’s Day.  2020 also saw the busiest single day since CVSRT was formed with the team out on 4 separate incidents over a 12-hour period.   COVID-19 The global pandemic is something that has had a huge impact on all of us. As a team we had to adapt quickly and make significant changes to the…

#SEASONSGREETINGS   Wishing all of our supporters, friends and families a happy, merry and a safe Christmas. 

#WELCOMETOTHETEAM   Hot on the heels of Spot who recently joined the team, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) have a new contender for the cutest member.   Introducing Cooper, a 4 month old Labrador cross German Wirehaired Pointer, who is our latest trainee search dog.   Congratulations to Nicola, Cooper’s handler, who was recently accepted to become a trainee dog handler by Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England (MRSDE).   Nicola would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported her in getting to this stage. All of the team who work and train with the dogs…

#NEWTRAINEE   Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team have a new trainee, and perhaps the cutest one yet!   Please welcome Spot who joins his handler, Simon Adams, on the team as he begins the long journey to become an operational search dog.   Spot is a six month old Collie, joining a team full of experienced trainee and operational search dogs who will help look after him.    The support of the team will be invaluable as all Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England (MRSDE) dogs undergo an intense training and assessment programme for up to 3 years before they…

#SEARCH DOGS   During a cold and rainy weekend in February 2020, before the COVID19 restrictions were in place, a group of 3rd-year Digital Television Production students from Ravensbourne University, London joined Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England (MRSDE) dogs, handlers and dogsbodies from Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) as they completed one of their regular training sessions at Widdop and Langfield. The result is a wonderful insight into how the dogs & handlers work whilst searching for a missing person.      CVSRT and our MRSDE dog handlers would like to thank all the students involved who took…

#adventuresmart   The rain is here, the temperature is getting cooler and the clocks have changed. That can only mean one thing, winter is nearly upon us.     When planning any time in the outdoors during these winter months it is more important than ever to be #adventuresmart.    Sunday October the 25th is also Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW), Mountain and Cave Rescue Awareness Day.  This focuses on three key areas to help when getting ready to head out into the hills;   Prepare - Take a torch and some spare batteries.  Be Aware - Make sure…

#CONGRATULATIONS   A huge congratulations to Will Carver for completing the Peak District 75KM Silver Challenge this weekend.  Will finished the course in around 10 hours and finished in second place, an amazing result.   Will completed the challenge whilst raising money for Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team and has raised over £200 so far.   To read Will’s story and donate please visit - https://givey.com/thepeakdistrictchallengesilver

#BearingUp   One of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) members, Paul Taylor, continues to ride, one wheeled (on a unicycle!), along the canal towpath system across the country from Runcorn to Goole, all in order to raise much needed funds to provide equipment for CVSRT’s specialist Swift Water Rescue Technicians.   Paul is scheduled to pass through Mytholmroyd and CVSRT’s headquarters this evening (Monday 14th September) and he has shared some words on his challenge.    ______   CVSRT need to equip the SwiftWater and Flood Rescue Team with essential Flood Rescue items.    Calder Valley has frequently…

CVSRT is very fortunate to have 6 qualified MRSDE Search dog handlers in the team, working 4 air-scenting search dogs, and two dogs in training (…possibly a third aspirant pup, but that’s another story, Sssh!!) To maintain the search skills of the dogs, the handlers train with them twice weekly, searching for dogsbodies (volunteers hiding from the dogs), as well as regular training with the full team. Life in lockdown and adhering to social distancing guidelines obviously has its challenges when it comes to training, however search dog training is naturally a socially distanced activity with dogsbodies generally hiding 500mtres…

Yorkshire Dales Three Peaks   Today is the day Robert Batty will be taking on the the Yorkshire Three Peaks.     The original plan was to complete the challenge overnight, however, the forecast isn’t kind and Robert has made the decision to set off earlier (2pm) to ensure he misses the worst of the weather.   The challenge is still high, navigating the 3 peaks will see Robert ascend around 1,585m during the 38.6km route and it will certainly be dark when he finishes.   Good to luck to Robert and a huge thank you for choosing Calder Valley…

#GOPageBoy   This weekend two members of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT), Tim and Al, visited Pageboy to offer our thanks and some morale support as he and Tina completed the final part of the Tri-Nation Trotathon.     PageBoy has been representing CVSRT all week as he competed against fellow tiny horses Angus and Titan in the Tri-Nation Trotathon Trail Marathon Run.   Everyone has finished and the results can be found by visiting our Facebook Page.  Well done to all the horses and their guides.   The CVSRT fundraising page will remain open all week and…

Calder Valley is a wonderful area, filled with incredible people who are not only out in the hills testing themselves they are also out having fun in imaginative ways. Not only that they are actively raising much needed money for charities while doing so.   We are honoured that several of these amazing people have chosen Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) as their chosen charity.   A brief story of these fundraisers is below along with links that will allow you to read more, follow their progress and give you the opportunity to donate.  Each donation, no matter…

What is it like to be a part of Calder Valley Mountain Rescue Team (CVSRT)?     A few members of the team took some time out to chat with Laura Reid at the Yorkshire Post, reflecting on what life is like as a volunteer and the busy period we have experienced throughout the COVID19 pandemic.    Thank you to Laura and the Yorkshire Post for publishing an excellent article.    To read the full article follow the link; https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/meet-these-yorkshire-mountain-rescue-volunteers-helping-reach-people-difficulty-remote-places-2906586?fbclid=IwAR087pTF_O-VqCZX-2dKzFvqlGAj5Y4u0DMfBusJ10CQI2YEishjFfgZhjY   If you would like to support the team and to donate to CVSRT, please visit: https://www.givey.com/caldervalleysearchandrescueteam    

#Virtual challenge  What happens when you cannot run events planned to take place during the current COVID19 lockdown?  You run them virtually. Two local running races, the Horsforth Fellandale’s Danefield relay and the CraggRunner’s Stock’s Lane Stinger are this year being held virtually.  Sign up, record your run and share your time with the event organiser, or just complete it for fun! We would like to thank both events for choosing to raise money on behalf of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT). _______________ Danefield Relay If you’re quick you may have time to squeeze in an official entry…

#TRAINING   Over the last few months, as we all continue to adapt to the restrictions in place due to COVID19, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) trainers have had to find alternative ways to ensure we can continue to keep our skills at the highest standards.   Some of these sessions, while still focusing on key skills, have had a more light hearted approach and have encouraged taking part with other members of their household.   Our last training session was based around navigation and included an orienteering style post box hunt.  The challenge was to walk, run,…

Yesterday (25th June 2020) was the hottest day of the year and saw Calder Valley Search & Rescue Team experience the busiest day* since the team was formed in 1966, with four callouts within 12 hours. (*Not including major incidents during flooding and adverse winter weather conditions). Jonathan Cole, CVSRT Team Leader said, “As with all incidents, the casualty’s safety and efficient evacuation is paramount and I’m very proud of all CVSRT members who coped admirably with all four incidents and worked seamlessly with fellow mountain rescue team members and the statutory emergency services to achieve this. It’s worth remembering…