Most of the traditional fundraising activities and events planned by the Team for 2020 have been severely curtailed due to the COVID-19 restrictions and it seems very likely that such opportunities will continue to be disrupted well into 2021. We remain extremely grateful for the continuing support of the public together with local businesses and organisations for their donations.

Earlier this year, when the scale of the fundraising cancellations became apparent, it was estimated that we needed to raise £30,000 to make up a projected shortfall in funding of our core annual running costs (on average approximately £42,000 each year). As previously reported, a number of local bodies have already very generously contributed to this target via cash grants.

We are now very pleased to announce that the Team has recently been awarded the amazing sum of £20,000 the National Lottery Community Fund!

This hugely significant contribution has bridged our funding gap and stabilised the Team’s finances, putting us in a good financial position to cope with the challenges of a ‘COVID-19 winter’ and whatever 2021 brings.

Mike Gallagher, the Team’s Base Manager who put the funding application together, said:

‘We would like to thank the National Lottery and the many people who play it for this very generous grant. It will help cover our core running costs and enable Team members to focus on our emergency Search and Rescue Call-Outs together with our Community work. The people benefiting from this grant will be local people living in the communities of the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire and the many visitors who travel to the area for recreation and holidays. We offer everyone a 24 / 7 emergency search and rescue service and a community support service which is free at the point of contact’.

The National Lottery grant will be used to help cover core running costs from September 2020 until March 2021 – such as vehicle fuel & maintenance, IT and communications costs, medical supplies, equipment replacement & maintenance, PPE, insurance and essential training costs. Despite this grant, our members (all volunteers) remain concerned that traditional fundraising activities and events will continue to be disrupted during 2021 and we are already planning on how to cover the charity’s running costs throughout next year.

Once again – many, many thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund!