#Weekend Events   You may see Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) members around the valley this weekend as we provide safety cover at events in the area.     __________ Saturday, 6th July: Todmorden Boundary Walk, Boundary Run, and Pike Hike   This event is organised by the Scouts and the Todmorden Rotary Club. Participants can choose from two distances: 22 miles and 11 miles. All proceeds will go to the Scouts and CVSRT.   Tickets are still available. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/todtic/t-nozqpvk     __________ Sunday, 7th July: Halifax Rotary Club Annual…

#Pauls 1000 Mile Trek   Paul is nearing the end of his incredible journey, walking 1,000 miles over 59 days.   He is undertaking this challenge to raise money for Mind and Mountain Rescue England and Wales. So far, he has raised over £4,500—an amazing achievement.   As his journey concludes, you might spot him in the Calderdale area. If you do, be sure to say hello and give him a big WELL DONE!   If you’d like to support Paul’s cause, donations are still welcome and can be made by visiting his donation page: https://www.justgiving.com/team/pauls1000miletrek.

#Quiz Night   This month’s quiz night, hosted by the Shoulder of Mutton Public House, Mytholmroyd, takes place on 12th June from 19:30.   It’s £2 per person to enter, with teams of a maximum 4 people, each team will get a free pizza and all proceeds will go to Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT).   Thanks to everyone at the Shoulder of Mutton for their support and happy quizzing!

#VolunteersWeek   This week, Monday 3rd June to Sunday 9th June, is Volunteers’ Week, an annual celebration of the contributions 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 training casualties, and work behind the…

One of our 2024 trainees is currently two days into an incredible adventure, walking the entire length of the Pennine Way.     The route starts in Edale, Derbyshire, and 268 miles and 11,225 metres of elevation later finishes in Kirk Yetholm, in the Scottish Borders.   An incredible challenge and an honour that Sue has chosen Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) to raise money for.   Sue has been making great progress and aims to finish by Wednesday 15th.   If you would like to support Sue and the team, please follow the link; https://gofund.me/550fce34   Every penny…

#Blazing Saddles Birthday Ride.   The weather was kind and riders were out with smiles on their faces.   Around 100 riders joined in on the festivities, throughout Sunday 21st April, celebrating Blazing Saddles 30th birthday.     A really big thank you to Blazing Saddles for their generous support to both Calder Valley Search and Rescue (CVSRT) and Slow The Flow.   Happy Birthday and thank you again for all of your support.

2024 New Recruits   To ensure that we have enough operational members trained and ready for call-out cover, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) run regular recruitment programmes to look for members of our community who would like to apply to join the team.    All aspirant candidates go through a three-stage selection process; •           Application form •           Open evening •           Hill skills assessment   This selection process allows CVSRT to check candidates’ suitability to progress onto the 12-month training programme.    On Saturday 13th January, 14 candidates arrived at our base in Mytholmroyd (The Rescue Post) ready for…

#Quiz Night   The second quiz night of 2024, hosted by the Shoulder of Mutton Public House, Mytholmroyd, takes place on Wednesday 27th March 2024 from 19:30.   The first quiz of the year, held in February, raised an amazing £110!   It’s £2 per person to enter, with teams of a maximum 4 people, each team will get a free pizza and all proceeds will go to Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT).   Thanks to everyone at the Shoulder of Mutton for their support and happy quizzing!

International Women’s Day   Today, Friday 8th March, is International Women’s Day, this year’s theme is #inspireinclusion   Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) are proud to honour the women members of CVSRT who play a pivotal part in running the team and help provide assistance in our community when called upon.   Today we are also taking this opportunity to take a look at the archives and revisit an interview one of our very own operational team members, Rebecca Freeman, gave a few years ago to the Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) magazine. If joining the team is…

#Team Leader   Over and above being an operational member there are various roles, within Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT), that members fulfil to ensure the success of the team.     One role in particular that has seen change this year, is that of Team Leader.    During our Annual General Meeting in January, Jonathan Cole (JC) summarised his time in the Team Leader role as he prepared to stand down.  Detailing his journey in the team that started over 26 years ago.  His speech also contained several special mentions to team members who have provided JC with…

#Quiz Night   We are honoured that the Shoulder of Mutton Public House, Mytholmroyd, has chosen Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) as their charity of the year for 2024.   Throughout the year they are planning on hosting regular quiz nights along with other events.   The first quiz of the year will take place on Wednesday February 21st at 19:30.   It’s £2 per person to enter, with teams of a maximum 4 people, each team will get a free pizza and all proceeds will go to CVSRT.   Thanks to everyone at the Shoulder of Mutton…

#The Best and Worst of Times   As the dust mud settles on another Montane Spine Race, Paul took the time to look back and ponder the good, the bad and the ugly of his time completing such a gruelling event.   Donations for Paul’s incredible efforts currently stand at an amazing £1,700, and there is still time to donate by following the link to Paul’s Givey fundraising page - https://www.givey.com/paultaylorspinemrchallenge2024    What the Dickens!? – Paul Taylor   It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, a gauge of wisdom, it was the age of…

#Trainee Assessment    Over Friday the 19th and Saturday the 20th January 2024 the latest group of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) trainees took on their final assessment - the culmination of 12 months of training.    The 18-hour assessment brought together all of their learning over the last 12 months to tackle 4 scenarios that simulate real life examples of incidents that CVSRT attend.   All the trainees did brilliantly, and the final act of a team vote to officially welcome them as Operational Team Members, was unanimous.   As with everything we do, this assessment would…

#MontaneSpine   He did it!   Congratulations to Paul on completing the 108 mile Montane Spine Mountain Rescue Team Challenge.  With an elapsed time of 34:27:10 Paul tackled the route from 08:30 Saturday through to 18:57 on Sunday.   A massive achievement, with Paul also finishing second in his category.    Congratulations also to all the other competitors who attempted, suffered, completed and maybe even enjoyed this years event.   A thank you to all of the event organisers, marshals and support for the event and a huge thank you to everyone who has wished Paul well.     There…

#MontaneSpine   Only 2 days to go.   At 08:00 on Saturday 13th January 2024 one of our very own team members will be joining fellow Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) colleagues to attempt the Montane Spine Mountain Rescue Team Challenge.   You will be able to track Paul (dot number 625) and all the competitors progress live by visiting the official Montane Spine Website https://thespinerace.com.   Paul is also raising money for Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) as part of this challenge, and if you would like to support Paul and the team you can do…

Charity of the month   Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) are delighted to have been chosen by Harveys of Halifax as one of their charities of the month for 2024.   There are so many worthwhile charities supporting the Calderdale area and it is an honour to be thought of amongst them.   CVSRT are the charity for October and you can check out the photograph or visit Harveys of Halifax social media pages for information on who they are promoting each month.   Thank you.

Christmas Street Collection   £2,643.70! Amazing.   Such an incredible amount.     Every year we are amazed at the generosity shown by the people we meet during our annual street collection and this year was no exception. Thank you to all the shoppers out in Keighley and Halifax last Saturday.    All of the team’s operational and trainee search dogs and supporter dogs would also like to say thank you for the fuss.    If you missed us you can visit www.cvsrt.org.uk for details on how you can support the team.     Many thanks also to the lovely…

Annual Christmas Street Collection   Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) will be out in Halifax and Keighley town centres on Saturday 16th December.     The team will be in both town centres between 10am and 4pm, and if you see us please pop over and say hello.  We will be happy to talk to everyone about the work we do.  We will also have some of our Search dogs with us too!  Who can resist the chance to pet some cute doggies.   We are proud to call this area our home and each year are humbled…

#JoinTheTeam   Each year, typically over the depth of winter, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) hold a recruitment assessment to get to know those looking to join the team.   Scott, Matt, Nick, and Sarah, joined in January, following our 2023 assessment, and we asked them to take a look back over their first six months in Mountain Rescue, which culminated in a July visit to Ireland supporting our friends in Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team.   __________   Why did you put yourself forward to join CVSRT? Sarah - I have always been very keen on the…

#CALLOUT    At 09:10 on Saturday 18th November 2023, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) received a request from West Yorkshire Police (WYP) to assist with the extraction of two crag fast sheep on the hillside opposite the Staff of Life Inn, Cornholme.   This is an unEWEsual call for CVSRT as we do not often rescue animals. However, we had several team members out for the day completing rope training, so a limited callout was initiated.   While the weather was not as poor as it has been through the recent storms, the conditions were not BAAlmy so…

#MontaneSpine2024   On Saturday 13th January 2024 one of our very own team members will be joining fellow Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) colleagues to attempt the Montane Spine Mountain Rescue Team Challenge.   This is a 108-mile race along the Pennine Way between Edale in Derbyshire and Hawes in North Yorkshire with a time limit of 60 hours in a category specifically for members of Mountain Rescue teams.   To give some idea as to what competitors can expect throughout the route the official website provides this description;   "This challenging and technical section of the Pennine Way…

#MountainRescueAwarenessDay   Every year, Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) use Mountain Rescue Awareness Day to promote their work. For this and the last few years, the date has been set for the last weekend in October, just as the clock change heralds cooler days and earlier nightfall.    To help prepare for your adventures during the winter months there are some specific hints and tips to make sure we can remain safe when it goes dark, and covers areas including; Planning your trip Thinking about your gear Developing your skills.   Please visit https://www.adventuresmart.uk/welcome-to-the-dark-side to read more.   Remember,…

We hope everyone enjoyed last weekend’s #CalderdaleTractorRun. Thank you to all those who came along to take part, to all who made the event possible, and to the hundreds along the route who cheered and waved us on. It was a great event to be a part of. It was fantastic to hear that £1300 was raised for the team. An amazing amount. Thank you again to those companies who supported the event. Craggies Farm Shop | Craggs Energy | MUD UK | Vocation Brewery #charity #fundraiser #tractorrun#caldervalley#communityevent

#CalderdaleTractorRun   Only days away!   The Calderdale Charity Tractor Run 2023 takes place this Sunday, 24th September 2023.   The start and finish is at Craggies Farm Shop, New Road, Cragg Vale HX7 5TT.   The convoy will be leaving at 11:30 and there will be music, BBQ and a bar afterwards.   We hope to see lots of you there!   @craggiesfarmshop @vocationbrewery

#SowoodWI   It was a privilege that Sowood Women’s Institute chose Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) as their charity of the year.  Throughout 2022 they hosted several events, including books sales, quiz evenings and show stalls, all raising money for the team.   We recently met some of their members as they presented CVSRT with a cheque of the money raised over the year, an incredible £10,500.   Thank you so much to everyone at Sowood WI for choosing us as their charity for the year and the efforts in raising such a fantastic amount.  They even found…