We are proud to announce once again that senior Bolton MRT team member Mike Marsh has had the honour of organising and coordinating the Mountain Rescue England & Wales National Party Leader’s Course. Mike has been associated with this course, and its predecessor, the MPSRO Regional Party Leader’s Course for a number of years now, and has developed from an instructor to full organiser.

The course is held at Rishworth School, Ripponden, over the course of a full weekend, and aims to fully equip Mountain Rescue team members (who have a minimum of two year’s M.R. experience) with the requisite skills to lead Mountain Rescue search parties on operations.

The course always receives very favourable comments from those who participate, with members this year attending from English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish Mountain Rescue Teams.

Former Bolton MRT callout list member Ann Shaw who has also been associated with this course and the MPSRO courses over many years, gave her full assistance this weekend. Team member Gyles Denn, a forensic toxicologist with the Home Office, presented an evening lecture to all present on scene of crime and forensic protocols, as frequently encountered on current-day Mountain Rescue operations, in all their complexity and variety. (Gyles is the author of the Bolton team’s forensic protocol document).

Bolton MRT team member John Parish was a student on the course and will now go on to gain operational experience within the Bolton MRT.