Climbers take part in the Seven Summits event at Huddersfield. Photo: Owen Phillips
A mountain rescue team facing being made homeless under fire service cuts received a boost to its funds for a new base thanks to local climbers.
The Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team is currently based at Marsden fire station in West Yorkshire, but budget cuts mean the building is likely to close.
Neighbouring mountain rescue team members joined Holme Valley members and other climbers at the Huddersfield Sports Centre’s climbing wall to tackle the Seven Summits Challenge.
The aim was to scale the equivalent heights of various peaks around the world.
A Holme Valley MRT spokesperson said: “At the end of the day, six of the seven challenge peaks were ‘summited’, with the total height climbed by all participants on the day being 23,500m.
Team member Kevin Robinson, who came up with the idea of the challenge and rallied local climbers to the cause, said: “The Seven Summits Challenge has been a great success thanks to the many people climbing, organising, donating and supporting the team.
“When the event was first envisioned, a great day like today was the pinnacle what we thought we could achieve: so many people working so hard and having so much fun to raise money for a very important cause.
“I’m immensely proud of the official figure of 23,500m climbed on the day. Thank you to everybody involved and all of our families and friends for such wonderful support.”
Climbers from the Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team completed two peaks during the course of the day, before moving on the help contribute to other team’s target peaks.
The scene at the Seven Summits event. Photo: Owen Phillips
Members of the ROKT Junior Climbing Team also completed two peaks. Mr Robinson praised their efforts, saying: “The ROKT junior climbing team were an absolute inspiration; they were the first to reach the top of their mountains, and also gained the highest personal number of meters climbed.”
Members of neighbouring Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team also competed, along with Calderdale Mountaineering Club who presented a cheque to the Holme Valley team to help with the appeal.
The Mayor of Kirklees also visited the event to offer support and have a taste of climbing.
Early estimates show the event has raised about £3,500 for the Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team.
