The Severn Trent Community Fund has provided a grant of £24,575 to Edale Mountain Rescue Team, supplying the funds for vital lifesaving equipment. 

Edale Mountain Rescue has had a team operating 365 days a year since 1956. Whatever the weather, the rescue team are on call ready to provide an essential service to anyone, from local residents  to international visitors to the Peak District. 

Known for its varied terrain, the Peak District can be extremely challenging for ambulances to get to waiting patients. The Edale Mountain Rescue Team is one of the busiest in England and Wales (over 150 call outs in 2023) and is trained and equipped to provide emergency medical attention in remote locations. 

The area that team covers includes major attractions such as Mam Tor, the gritstone edges and the Derwent Valley. As iconic parts of the Peak District National Park, they attract tens of thousands of visitors, some of whom occasionally unfortunately find themselves needing to call 999 and asking for ‘Police – Mountain Rescue’ in order to call the Team out.  

The grant has provided the finance to purchase new and improved medical equipment, such as devices for monitoring critically injured patients in a pre-hospital environment, and CPR devices used to treat cardiac arrest incidents.  

Dr Steve Rowe (Medical Officer) from the Edale Mountain Rescue Team, said: “The grant from the Severn Trent Community Fund is instrumental in helping us provide the best possible remote medical care and helping us to save lives.

“As we are entirely run on a volunteer basis and funded by donations, we greatly appreciate this support from Severn Trent. 

“We are all passionate about the outdoors and enjoying the green spaces safely, and we regularly give talks to youth and community groups across our area about our role and promoting awareness on what to do if a rescue is needed.” 

Sue Heyes, Severn Trent Community Fund Officer, said: “We are so happy that our panel selected the Edale Mountain Rescue Team to receive this grant. The work they do is vital to keeping millions of visitors safe each year.

“It’s amazing to see the dedication of the volunteers in making sure everyone from any background or age feels welcome and safe in the beautiful Peak District National Park.” 

To find out more about the Severn Trent Community Fund, visit stwater.co.uk and search for Community Fund.