Their life-saving and rescuing skills are profound and their crews are expected to tackle some of the most adverse and challenging conditions imaginable.
Yet the Brecon Mountain rescue team doesn’t receive a penny of government funding.
“We’re entirely volunteer-run and completely self-funding but we’ve now reached te critical position where we desperately need to build a new headquarters to cope with the growing demand,” explained team spokesman Rob Powell.
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“Our final target is £1.1m and our incredible fundraisers have already raised 75 per cent of the costs with the various fund raising initiatives they've carried out over the past ten years, but we now need that extra £99k to push us forwards.”
Yesterday (Saturday,June 11) the team was joined by tv presenter and neighbouring farmer Kate Humble who helped them launch their public fundraising appeal.
“The work these guys are doing for the whole community around us and the visitors who come here is vital and invaluable,” said Kate, who is the official ambassador for the campaign.
“I’m delighted to give them and their fundraising campaign my wholehearted support and I'm confident the community will join me and helping them reach their final target.”
The new headquarters will be designed to enable the crews to respond quicker to emergency calls and will have extra space to carry out additional training exercises to help continue saving lives. It will also have extra space to store life-saving equipment.
Meanwhile mountain rescue team leader Dr Rob Powell confirmed that as well as saving lives on the mountains, the volunteers regularly attend emergencies in towns, rivers and lakes across a very wide area.
“We’ve never been busier,” he said. “We provide specialist search, medical and rescue services and work closely with the police, ambulance and fires services particularly if they’re unable to find or reach those people who are in need. We can access places no other service can reach.”
As well as finding walkers, mountain bikers and kayakers, the team also assist the more vulnerable members of society including those living with dementia, people who are depressed or suicidal, flood victims and missing adults and children.
If you wish to donate to this essential service you can do so via : http://www.breconmrt.co.uk/brecon-mountain-rescue-team-launch-fundraising-appeal-to-build-new-headquarters?platform=hootsuite&utm_campaign=HSCampaign
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