Team plays a full part in events linked to Help for Heroes Charity Run and Armed Forces Day in Bolton

Today team members were out in force to support a charity run organised and co-ordinated by Greater Manchester Police to raise funds for the Help for Heroes Charity.

The team had previously taken part in similar events on Saturday 7th November 2009 and Saturday 26th June 2010 (See website ’news’ items), all of which have involved our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE in regular planning and liaison meetings with the overall organiser Sgt Stephen Baldam of GMP, Brain Wiggans of GMFRS, the British Army and Sally Hayes of Bolton Council.

The team provided Standby Rescue Cover, moorland checkpoints, catering points and marshalling for the run today which is linked linked in its content to Commando Training activities in the Second World War.

Commencing at Winter Hill summit at 12:15 in conditions of heavy drizzly rain, hill mist limiting visibility to 20m, and humid temperatures, the run was a 6.9 mile race from Winter Hill summit down to Bolton Town Centre, with 42 runners from the British Army, GMP, GMFRS, and Prison Service taking part, and two runners, Michael O’Brien and Brian Brooks from the Bolton MRT.

42 runners assemble, ready for the off, at Winter Hill TV Transmitter Station

Sadly, during the run team member Brian Brooks aggravated an injury he had sustained in training for this event and had to withdraw in some pain at the end of the moorland section of the run. All other runners completed the gruelling run which under the run rules meant they all had to carry a 35lb rucksack and run in boots.

Team member Mike O’Brien (left) on the first section of the run

Again all who finished were met by tremendous applause from the gathered crowds in Bolton Town Hall Square, with Mike finishing in sixth overall place and along with Brian having raised sponsorship for the Help the Heroes Charity.

The mass crowds at Victoria Square, Bolton, awaiting the arrival of the runners into Bolton Town Centre

Guests of Honour at the prize giving ceremony which followed were the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, with representatives from the British Army, Iain Bailey, Bolton Divisional Commander GMFRS, Chief Superintendant Stephen Hartley of GMP and our very own Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE.

Plaques recording thanks from GMP were presented by Chief Superintendant Stephen Hartley to Bolton Mountain Rescue Team (accepted by our Team Leader) and GMFRS (accepted by Iain Bailey) regards both services’ considerable help to GMP in helping to organise and support today’s event.

Presentation ceremony taking place on the steps of Bolton Town Hall

Garry Rhodes MBE, Team Leader, receives a plaque from Chief Superintendant Stephen Hartley as thanks for the team’s assistance with the event.

The runners with their medals

Prizes were then issued to the best overall team (GMFRS) and to the first, second and third runners home.

Another event also took place today worthy of note here, with two GMP Police Officers in full riot gear and two GMFRS Fire Fighters in full BA gear running from Holcombe Army Camp to Bolton Town Centre, again raising funds for the Help For Heroes Charity.

The 20 Bolton MRT team call out list members who had taken part, plus runners Mike and Brian, and two members of our Support group, Iain Clarkson and Steve James, who had helped with on-route catering, all then joined the displays on Bolton Town Hall Square as part of the Armed Forces Day events. (With all four of our Team Land Rover Ambulances on public display)

The Mayor of Bolton, Councillor Noel Spencer MBE, along with Mike O’Brien (to the immediate left of the Mayor) and some of the team members who assisted with providing today’s standby rescue cover for the event.

The team is very honoured to have been invited to take part in this local Help for Heroes event, and in partnership with our colleagues in the British Army, GMP, GMFRS and Bolton Council we have already pledged our support for the proposed 2012 event.