Oldham Mountain Rescue hold their annual 'Oldham Weekend' 2022 training event

Date published: 05 May 2022


This year’s weekend training event held between 29 April and 1 May was the latest variation of an event that started in 1985 and then held annually - except for the years when foot and mouth disease or, more recently, COVID intervened.  The weekend was conceived as a forum to share newly developed equipment for technical rescue designed by team member Dave Allport with Dr Andrew Taylor.  The success of the first weekend generated lots of requests for a repeat performance the following year.  Since then hundreds of people from rescue teams, police, ambulance fire service and military units from all over the world have attended an ‘Oldham Weekend’.

In recent years it has evolved into an in house intensive training opportunity for our team members.  All rescue work is a team activity, and close working with your colleagues is vital for everyone’s safety and, ultimately, the safety and welfare of our casualties.  Any rescue scenario needs a wide range of skills, medical, rescue, evacuation, local knowledge and communication all co-ordinate for the benefit of the casualty.  The weekend allows the team to practice the techniques under controlled conditions without the pressure that real incidents inevitably bring.

Team members are all volunteers and have all the usual commitments outside mountain rescue therefore can’t attend every incident or training opportunity throughout the year.  The Weekend is an opportunity to get the majority of the team members working together on a range of scenarios where they can consolidate skills and build trust in their colleagues.  Over the weekend any new team members get an insight into what it means to be involved with a rescue team and start to learn some of the basic skills.

Running the team is much more than dramatic rescues and training.  They all need to play some part in the mundane jobs, administration, fundraising, equipment maintenance, looking after the vehicles and keeping the headquarters clean and tidy.  Joining a team is a big commitment and all members of a mountain rescue team need the support and understanding of their families.  When a call out message arrives in the middle of the night it is likely the whole household will be disturbed and understanding may be in short supply.  At times like this families effectively become a part of the team.  In an effort to mitigate such difficulties the Oldham Weekend ends with a family get-together, an evening to socialise for everyone.


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