WILTSHIRE Search and Rescue volunteers are going to be putting their skills to the test by carrying a stretcher and weighted mannequin over 14km of rough terrain in a bid to raise vital funds.
The pandemic has decimated the charity's fundraising with many events cancelled as a result. The charity helps the emergency services to find vulnerable and missing people.
Today (Saturday, April 17) 20 volunteers will be carrying the stretcher from Barbury Castle to Avebury and beyond, and are hoping to raise £8,000.
Wiltshire Search and Rescue
The chair of Wiltshire Search and Rescue (WILSAR) Adrian Sawyer said: “As a charity which receives no statutory funding, the pandemic has hit our bank balance hard.
"Every day we have money to spend but with no opportunity to replace it as we usually fundraise outside supermarkets, at events and through team challenges at workplaces.
"We’ve lost over 40 per cent of our donations and with no date in sight to allow us to do face-to-face fundraising, we needed to be inventive.”
ALSO READ: What it's like to be a Wiltshire Search and Rescue volunteer >>>
All team members are tested on their ability to walk 8km/5miles, carrying their search kit, in under two hours.
Volunteers are also expected to be fit enough to support with carrying a stretcher for the last 200m of their fitness assessment, which is vital if their missing person needs to be evacuated.
They therefore decided to combine these two crucial elements of their role while also raising much needed funds.
The event will be Covid-secure and will be run as a relay over the course length.
Wiltshire Search and Rescue has been given almost £25,000 for lifesaving water rescue equipment Picture: WILSAR
In 2020, Wiltshire Search and Rescue had its busiest year and was called out 165 times – an increase of more than 100 compared to 2019.
On average volunteers gave 16,172 of hours to their community. There were nine callouts to Salisbury areas and 21 throughout the south Wiltshire area.
Speaking about this busy year previously, Adrian said: “The increase in call-outs is a combination of a tough year, with people’s mental health being affected by the global pandemic.
"It is also a result of continued close, highly-professional working relationships with the emergency services and a renewed focus for the volunteers on being adaptable to a variety of asks. During a difficult year for everyone, the team members were on-hand to find, rescue and treat vulnerable missing people.” he added.
Wiltshire Search and Rescue has been given almost £25,000 for lifesaving water rescue equipment Picture: WILSAR
The charity receives no regular statutory funding.
Its shopping list of needs includes annual running costs of £26,000, a new incident control vehicle to replace their ageing one which will cost £75,000 plus enough money to make sure that new trainees have the uniform and kit they need once they have finished all their mandatory courses.
To support the team's fundraising efforts click here.
For more about WILSAR go to the charity's website.
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