Happy belated New Year to one and all this is the first newsletter to be produced by the member's reps if you have anything that you wish to be included in the newsletter in the future please e mail the member's reps who can be accessed through the web page.

Donations: We have seen a busy quarter, with a number of fund-raising events taking place. Recent donations:

Weardale Motor Club £550.00
Middleton in Teesdale carnival £100.00
Stanhope Cricket and Sports Club £453.08
S G Carter, good to see you again, Tommy £20.00
Taylor Woodrow £80.00
Pheonix Walking Club £80.00
Gainford Women's institute £99.00
We would also like to thank three individuals who gave generous amounts but wished to remain anonymous.

Without such donations, we simply could not exist. Even though Team members receive no payment, the Team still has to find funds to purchase the vast majority of its equipment. Last year this drained £25,000 from funds. People do not believe us when we say that no money comes from central government for our services. Mountain Rescue is a truly voluntary organisation, funded by the public's generosity, thank you to our donors, supporters and members.

SARDA: Congratulations to Paul Renwick and Skye who passed their assessments in January after 3 days and 6 assessment area's and well done to their first find since becoming a graded dog team this took place in whiteout conditions looking for people trapped in their cars WELL DONE
Reminder: All team business must be recorded on the team planner BEFORE the event in order to be covered for insurance.

Fundraising: There will be a street collection in Darlington on Saturday 31st March 1000hrs - 1600hrs and a collection at Sedgefield Race course on 23rd May an evening race help is required at both and associate members are very welcome further info from Anthony Tubbs.

2007 Training Schedule

Sunday exercises are in bold type
Wednesday evening training will continue on alternate Wednesdays as above. Team members are reminded that they are expected to attend 5 exercises during the year and 5 Wednesday Night training sessions.
Website
The Team are still looking for an assistant webmaster. Technical knowledge would be an advantage but a healthy dose of enthusiasm will go a long way - any Team member interested in the role please speak to John Little.

Equipment
Following numerous requests for help with storing kit, a new process has been introduced similar to the 'set-up' procedure for control. Please ensure that the procedures are carried out it's your team so help maintain its preparedness at all times. Your co-operation in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Crag Training Schedule

All crag training will start and finish at the base with all team members assisting in sorting out the equipment before finishing the exercise.

Roundup of Team activities:
Following the recruitment night we now welcome 13 new C list members to the team don't forget if you require any assistance please contact your mentor or any of the member's reps.
The next round of talks to police search teams starts next week these will start at eleven and lunch is provided but you do need to led the Team Leader know you are attending. There are also general talks ongoing the details of which can be found in the planner.

Aconcagua 6962m - HIGH!
Congratulations to one of our Group Leaders: Stephen Marrs for successfully reaching the Summit of Aconcagua (6962m) at 1615hrs on 25th Jan 2007.
If someone had said to me prior to the start of the expedition the below comments then would you have taken on the challenge?
- 27 days away from home.
- 34 hours flying, that's after 6 hours cramped in a mini bus.
- 23 days of eating boil in the bag meals
- 23 days of having to crap in a bag
- 15 days living above 5000 meters
- 22 nights of no-sleep or disturbed sleep due to Periodic Breathing.
Well what's your answer?
The expedition team have successfully completed the summit of Cerro Aconcagua (6,962 m) in Argentina. Despite losing 8 tents to very strong winds and enduring heavy snow falls and frost bite. 15 out of 18 team members made it to the summit on the 24th & 25th Jan 2007.


Taken at High Camp 2 (5800m)

The Summit of Aconcagua (6962m)
Stephen will be hosting a presentation at the Rescue Centre on Wednesday 18th April 2007. All welcome

Bikes and Beer!!!
You up for a challenge?
The challenge is to cycle on mountain bikes from the East Coast of England to the West Coast - A total of 187 miles over three days. The challenge will begin at Tynemouth and end at Whitehaven on the North West Coast. Each day cyclists will ride approximately 60 miles. There will be a support van to shadow cyclists along the route and carry equipment - this means less to carry whilst riding
This is a sponsorship challenge is to raise funds which will be split between Teesdale & Weardale Search & Mountain Rescue Team, The Fire Service National Benevolent Fund and Willow Burn Hospice.
Participants are asked for a £60 non returnable deposit as soon as possible. This will be used to pay for the accommodation for two nights and to hire a minibus and a van for transport during the event and back from Whitehaven at the end of the event on the Sunday.
The dates are now confirmed as Saturday 26th - Monday 28th May 2007.
Anyone interested in taking part in the event should contact:
Stephen Marrs
www.twsmrt.org.uk/seaandmud/

Callout Information
In our busiest Rescue year on record of 2004/2005 we had a total of 58 call-outs. This year 2006/2007 we have only had 3 less call-outs over a similar period in time.
2006/2007 13
2005/2006 7
2004/2005 16
2003/2004 10
A full breakdown of all this years call-outs are listed below and can be viewed on our website: http://www.twsmrt.org.uk/callouts.php

Descriptions
Team member gave immediate care to a person who collapsed whilst on a train journey
10/03/07 09.15 hrs - brief Standby in relation to missing teenager in Durham. Turned up safe and well.
10/02/2007 19.30 hrs request by Police to locate several drivers reporting as snowbound on a moorland road in NW Durham. Team members located 9 persons including an 8 week old baby, caught in drifting snow. Team SARDA dog Skye located two of the vehicles. Baby and mother evacuated by Team, before rest of vehicles dug out by road clearing equipment.
10/02/2007 08.00 hrs two Team members en route to Team training came across a car and driver stuck in white out conditions. Assistance given and escorted off hills to clear roads.
06/02/2007 Team member attended a First Responder call to an 82yrs female with chest pains. Monitored condition until arrival of NEAS ambulance. Patient was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.
03/02/2007 15.30 hrs standby and consultation with Police in relation to a missing person. Team stood down after two hours following further information.
31/01/2007 03.15 hrs request to assist Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team in search for missing vulnerable elderly male in Yorkshire Dales. Team search group and search dog Holly attended at first light. Missing person found by member of the public outside immediate search area.

27/01/2007 55 Year old climber, whilst descending from the summit of Aconcague to Basecamp slipped and fell off the ice bridge into a crevasse. Team member assisted to recover the uninjured climber before the situation worsened.
12/01/2007 52 Year old climber, after descending from the summit of Aconcagua became exhausted and hypothermic whilst trying to recover outside of a tent at Basecamp. Fluids, food and warmth administered until the climber was cared for by friends.
05/01/2007 Team members recovered sheep from crag-fast location on river Tees near Barnard Castle. Request from Fire Service.
13/12/2006 06.30 hrs request by Police to assist in search for missing vulnerable 14 year old girl in the Chilton area of County Durham. Search of woodland by Team and two SARDA dogs proved negative. Assisted by Police helicopter. Girl later turned up safe well outside of search area.

Cas-Care Exam
Congratulations to Mark Kelley, Donna Stewart, Izzy Barnes, Will Barker, Steve Owers and Russell Warne who successfully passed their exam on in March.

Five year plan has been approved by the committee both it and the one year plans are now available to view on the website.

Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team 40th Birthday:
Next year will see this birthday taking place there are already discussions ongoing regarding how to celebrate this occasion if you have any ideas then please speak to a committee member.

On a sad note one of our deputy president and former treasurer Bert Patchett has sadly died he will be remembered for battling to keep the team running when money was tight and some satisfaction can be gained by stating we wouldn't be where we are now without early guidance from people like Bert.