A open invitation to all our friends and supporters to join us on a very special day for the team, on Sunday afternoon 26th July 2015

On Sunday afternoon 26th July 2015, we are welcoming to our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ a very special VIP visitor in Sharman R Birtles JP, DL. The High Sheriff of Greater Manchester 2015 – 2016.

Sharman is visiting the team, alongside her husband Grahame to learn more about our work within the Greater Manchester community.

Sharman will be arriving at 12 noon, and will stay for a Dedication and Blessing ceremony being held for our Incident Control Vehicle, named in memory of the late Jenny Hoey, who made a substantial bequest enabling the purchase of this vehicle.

This Dedication and Blessing Ceremony will be held by the Bishop of Bolton, Chris Edmondson.

Following this will be the presentation of some special awards, including long service awards to the team membership.

Amongst other guests present will be:

• Derek Cartwright, Director of Operations NWAS NHS Trust
• GMFRS Group Manager, Operational Assurance, Ben Levy
• GMP Superintendent Leor Giladi
• Team Supporters and great friends of the team Norma Ramm, Jim Fletcher BEM and his friend June.

The timetable for the day’s activities is:

• 10.00hrs Team members arrive to set up displays, seating, and catering provision, all six Team Vehicle sand our SAR Boat to be on display within the main courtyard area.
• 12.00hrs Arrival of Sharman R Birtles JP, DL High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, alongside her husband Grahame, to be met by
• Team President Bob Hutchinson and Team Vice President Tony McNally.12.10hrs Sharman introduced to Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Deputy Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh, Chairman Craig Lamb, and Gillian Gregory of our Support Group.
• 12.15hrs Welcoming drinks.
• 12.25hrs Sharman and guests shown DVD on mountain rescue in the UK, followed by a look at team search and rescue equipment display, our vehicles and SAR Boat, as demonstrated by the team membership.
• 13.30hrs ‘Official’ photograph including all special guests present.
• 13.40hrs Drinks and Light Buffet.
• 14.05hrs Dedication and Blessing Ceremony of Incident Control Vehicle, radio call sign ‘Bolton Mobile 6,’ named in the memory of the late Jenny Hoey, by the Bishop of Bolton Chris Edmondson.
• 14.15hrs Team Awards
  • The Stanley Award for the Most Promising New Team Member 2015. Recipient to be named on the day.
  • The Howard H Hill Memorial Tankard – Presented to the person or persons that have made a significant contribution to the team over the previous year. Recipient to be named on the day.
  • Presentation of Long Service in Bolton Mountain Rescue Team Certificates to ; Geoffrey H Seddon – 45 Years attained in 2014, Robert R Hutchinson – 35 Years attained in 2015. Craig Lamb – 20 Years attained in 2014. Chris Tennant – 15 years attained in 2014. Gillian Gregory – 10 Years attained in 2014.
• 14.45hrs Official thank you to all invited guests, followed by BBQ.

All guests present are invited to stay as long as they wishe would like to take this opportunity to invite our considerable number of team friends and supporters, benefactors and colleague representatives from neighbouring mountain rescue and search and rescue teams to this very special day for us, to witness proceedings and to view the team on display.

To contact personally all the supporters and friends of our team would be a major undertaking, so through the medium of our website and associated Facebook and Twitter feeds, we would like to extend such an invitation in this manner.

The venue is our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, situated within the NWAS Headquarters complex of Ladybridge Hall, Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 5DD.

Our building is the former stables / garage block to the main Hall itself.

There is ample car parking on site, with team members on hand to guide visitors to such.

If you wish to attend, then all we ask is that you contact our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE by email at tl@boltonmrt.org.uk copied also to our Secretary Gillian Gregory at secretary@boltonmrt.org.uk so that we may make provision for your attendance and arrange catering for you.

We look forward to seeing our friends and supporters on the day, for which we have booked wall to wall sunshine and warm temperatures!