Bolton MRT features in British Red Cross filming project to illustrate the work of UK Emergency Services

Today our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and long serving experienced team member Chris Tennant spent all morning and early afternoon in front of the cameras as part of an awareness filming project for the British Red Cross about the work of colleague Emergency Services to the British Red Cross and how they would work with British Red Cross resources on operational incidents.

Former team member and now UK Head of Event First Aid for the British Red Cross, Richard Hankins, had invited the team to take part and explain the workings of mountain rescue in the local and national context.

Garry, Chris and Richard were joined today by Cameraman Paul Hines and Director Harry Chambers of Nutmeg Productions, Farringdon, London.

To a script previously worked out in meetings between Richard and Garry, filming initially took place in our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, as torrential rain precluded outdoor filming.

As we share our premises with the site owners, the North West Ambulance Service Headquarters and some associated training facilities such as their Driver Training School, to the amusement and sometimes frustration of all involved there were many ’retakes’ of the question and answer sessions as traffic associated with the business of the NWAS HQ site and even children’s playtime at the adjoining school site were all picked up by the sensitive sound equipment.

The talking bits over, and despite the continuing very heavy rain, all then adjourned in two of the teams Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances firstly to the rain swept summit of Winter Hill, and then to the Rivington Hall Barn area for the all important ’background’ and ’filler’ shots. (Question; how do you protect a very expensive film camera from driving torrential rain and strong winds? for answers contact Paul and Harry of Nutmeg Productions!)

’Suitably’ wet through – well Paul, Harry and Richard were, as Garry and Chris were encased in their team issue wet weather gear, all then returned to our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ where our canny Training Officer Elaine Gilliland turned up for the final filming of the day, (In the dry and warm) indoors at our Base / HQ in front of our PC screens illustrating some of the IT applications in use in UK Mountain Rescue.

Filming over with the team, Richard, Harry and Paul then departed in mid afternoon to meet up with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service for the second part of their days filming schedule. (Which we bet took place in a warm and dry Fire Station!)

The team would like to thank Richard Hankins, Head of Event First Aid for the British Red Cross for inviting the team to take part in this filming project, which has also involved Greater Manchester Police, NWAS and of course Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.