The most common incidents tend to be call-outs to deal with people who have fallen resulting in lower leg fractures, wrist fractures and back injuries. The more serious injuries can include neck and pelvis fractures from falls from mountain bikes and horses. We spend time looking for walkers who have become disorientated, perhaps in poor weather conditions, and looking for high-risk or vulnerable people including those suffering with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Sadly, sometimes we are called open to recover the bodies of people who have died.
In addition to our traditional mountain rescue activities we have been increasingly asked to respond to water and flood rescue incidents in our area and further afield. The team spent three days helping with the 2015 floods in York where we rescued over one hundred people and animals during the first night as the water levels rose. More recently we have supported local residents cope with tidal surges on the North Yorkshire coast, have assisted the Police to recover bodies from local rivers and we are always on standby to assist with local and regional flooding events. In recent years we have been on standby at various times to assist with flooding locally and across the region and to assist motorists stranded due to snow.
A call-out is only recorded when Team members are en route to the scene or to our Base to collect vehicles. If we are stood-down before anyone leaves their home or workplace etc we do not class that as a ‘call-out’.
FRIDAY 30th January 1340hrs Yorkshire Ambulance service requested the team's assistance to extract a casualty, who had suffered a medical condition, from a woodland area between Boltby and Sutton Bank. As the team were deploying, we were informed that the casualty had sadly deceased. The body was recovered by the team to a waiting ambulance We send our sincere condolences…
Applications can be made to join the team in a support role (Operational Support) or as a hill going (Search and Rescue) member.
Applications for either role are advertised when recruitment is required.
Generally, there is an annual intake for Search and Rescue members with the process starting in Feb/March leading to starting as a Prospective member in September.
Intake for Operational Support members occurs less frequently. This process usually starts in Feb/March leading to Probationary member status around June.
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SUPPORT MEMBER RECRUITMENT 2026
There are many aspects to the smooth running of a Mountain Rescue Team, and many of them do not involve being on call or directly involved in search and rescue. Our Support Team plays a vital role in helping Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team operate effectively.
As a charity, fundraising is a major part of what we do, but there are many different ways you can get involved and support the team.
What Does the Support Team Do?
Support Team members can help with a wide variety of activities, including:
Setting up and staffing charity stalls at fundraising events, fetes, and shows
Collecting donations at events, on the street, and in supermarkets
Organising fundraising events and donation collections
Representing the team at community events
Raising awareness of the team at PR events
Driving non-operational vehicles to events
Helping to deliver talks to community groups and schools
Supporting team training, for example by acting as a casualty
Base maintenance
Maintaining and checking vehicles and equipment
Administration, IT, accountancy/bookkeeping, and PR support
Undertaking key roles within the team, including becoming a trustee
Escorting Father Christmas on his annual tour of Great Ayton!!!
Events mainly take place at weekends and can involve long hours and all types of weather.
This is a voluntary, non-operational role. You will not be on call or expected to respond to incidents.
What Do You Need to Become a Support Team Member?
Have a passion for supporting a fantastic Mountain Rescue Team
Be friendly, approachable, and enjoy meeting new people
Have good interpersonal and teamwork skills
Be able to commit time to the role
Be aged 18 or over
Live within our operational area
Have access to your own transport
Be comfortable using basic IT, such as responding to emails and viewing documents
Interested in Joining?
Please email your full name, contact details, and postcode (so we can check that you live within our operational area) to: fundraisers@clevelandmrt.org.uk
Deadline: 13 February 2026
Please note that we are all volunteers, so replies may take a day or two.
You must email to book your place on the open session, please do not just turn up.
What Happens Next?
The Support & Fundraising Team will invite you to an informal Open Session at the Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team base near Great Ayton. This is an opportunity to:
Meet current Support Team members
Learn more about the activities you can get involved in
Find out more about the application process
Open Sessions (you must attend one):
Monday 23 February 2026 – 19:30 to 21:00
Saturday 7 March 2026 – 13:00 to 14:30
After attending an Open Session, if you decide you would like to join the Support Team, you will be sent a link to an online application form.
Application deadline: 31 March 2026
Please visit our website for further information on the application process and training.
clevelandmrt.org.uk/support-recruitment/
We look forward to hearing from you.
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