Mountain rescue volunteers receive awards at Chillingham Castle garden party

The event helped to raise funds and awareness of the work done by the volunteers of Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team.

“This was our first ever garden party and it went fantastically well,” said Ninette Edwards, team member and organiser.

“We had a host of exciting displays and activities including technical rope rescue displays, search activities that members of the public took part in, and a chance to meet our search dogs and see them work. We also had afternoon tea on the lawn.”

Ninette added: “It’s a chance for us to show the public just what we do and for people to gain an insight into how we carry out our work. Our team is entirely funded through public donations and our running costs last year were £65,000.”

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Winton Keenen attended as guest of honour and presented five of the team members with long service awards and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for services to mountain rescue.

Iain Nixon, one of those receiving an award for 30 years’ service, said: “So many of our volunteers give up so much of their team willingly and without hesitation, it was nice for them and their families to have that commitment recognised."

Twenty-nine of its operational volunteers also received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for giving a minimum five years’ operational service.

Included in that are father and son pair Ray and Chris Hobbs who between them have over 40 years’ service.

In addition to these awards, one member was awarded his casualty care certificate and another new probationary member became a fully operational member of the team.

Among the supporters in attendance were brothers Ewan and Henry Mair-Chapman who climbed Mount Snowdon in Wales raising money for the team and Poppy Holden.

Poppy was assisted in January on the Northumberland Coastal Path near Howick having fallen and suffered anaphylaxis as a consequence. As a thank you, she raised over £700 which was used to purchase new sets of first responder first aid kits.

The team plan to hold an event again in the future.