Today we received the following very kind comments from Cheshire SART Team
Leader Joanne McClure regards the Foundation Course in Mountain Rescue
weekend (See article dated Friday 15th October 2010)

“I am writing on behalf of our members here in Cheshire.

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They would like to extend their thanks to everyone who made the weekend so fantastic and so memorable, including yourself and all the support staff, mentors, instructors.

They even suggested for our Trainee’s that the course becomes compulsory which is the first suggestion of such which we are now looking to adopt.

They wouldn’t change a single thing, not even the suggestion of visible instructors or mentors via a vest/id. They deem it as networking and by getting to know mentors and instructors then you are able to identify them considerably more than if you didn’t bother speaking to them.

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They have raved about the stretcher handling exercise, which I am really shocked about! And want to take this to our team to do in Macclesfield Forest or Delamere. They found that the exposure to steep ground has put them on a very good standing for future inter-team working.

They also have spoke about the fact that on Friday there seemed a divide between ALSAR & MR but more importantly, by Saturday morning, it no longer existed with any members and this helped them considerably to understand there are few differences.

A quote from one of them, “I was concerned of a divide with 2 members in my mentor group, by morning these 2 members had become my friends and no longer colleagues.”

Another quote, “Access to this course was a dream and has obviously took a lot of planning over many many years, thank you must be said to Garry & Jo for making this dream possible.”

Another, “Even as a Bobby, the team work is commendable and puts a lot of forces to shame. We were allowed to develop in our own time with encouragement by the mentors.”

Garry you should be very proud of your successes on this course and whilst you’ve had some recent difficult team issues to deal with not once has this reflected in the teaching of this course, you are truly a professional.

Thank you so very very much.

Joanne McClure, Team Leader.

Cheshire Search & Rescue Team.