The well-known high street retailer, Wilkinson, has generously donated £250. The team will put the money towards the cost of replacing and updating their rescue equipment.

Vice Chairman, Eric Needham, said, “Buxton Mountain Rescue Team is a purely voluntary organisation dependant entirely on donations. It costs over £30,000 a year to provide our service and finding this money is always difficult.

We answer approaching 70 call outs for assistance every year and pride ourselves on the high standard of care we are able to give to the people we help. …

Outstanding people had their achievements and contributions to the community rewarded at Derbyshire County Council’s first Excellence in the Community awards.

The authority hosted the prestigious ceremony at the Devonshire Dome in November to honour individuals, groups, businesses, voluntary groups and charities that are making a difference to the lives of others.

Councillor Joyce Sanders, chair of Derbyshire County Council and politician, journalist and author Roy Hattersley made the presentations.

Awards recognised achievements in five categories;

– fundraising for good causes

– volunteering in the community

– protecting Derbyshire’s environment

– helping make Derbyshire a safer …

Peak District Chairman Mike France, presented long service certificates amassing over 150 years service at a recent ceremony at Buxton Team HQ. Two forty year certificates were presented to Team Chairman Ian Hurst and Call Out Officer John Mayer. Three twenty five year certificates were presented to team members Malc Bowyer, Peter Parker and Alan Pedlar.

Our sincere thanks to Ned, who recently completed a sponsored run for the team raising a three figure sum in the process.

Ned’s parents have always been keen to support charity, and when Ned decided that he wanted to run with Mum, she decided that it would mean more to him if the charity was one he could relate to, enter stage right BMR search dog handler Dave Mason. Ned had been aware for some time that ‘Uncle Dave’ and his collie Megan were a special pair, as they went out to …

Congratulations to Megan for dragging handler Dave Mason through her recent SARDA grading…

It’s been nearly 6 months since I last wrote an article about Megan and my battle to turn her into a search dog. Since that time Megan has grown stronger, quicker and her enjoyment for searching has grown and grown. In comparison, all that’s happened to me is that my hair has thinned and receded further. I am positive that this is more than co-incidental.

When I last wrote, Megan had passed her first major challenges; her registration (obedience) and stock tests. To me this seems like it happened years ago and not the few months it has actually been. Megan’s …