St Austell open day gives East Cornwall’s rescuers a rare spotlight

A row of paper pasty bags and a search and rescue van parked outside a fire station sum up East Cornwall Search & Rescue Team’s weekend rather well. Hard training on one side, the community turning out to help keep it going on the other.

A field skills course to sharpen the basics

Since Friday (4 September), volunteers from East Cornwall Search & Rescue Team have been working through a Mountain Rescue England and Wales field search skills course, with training continuing into tomorrow, Monday 7 September. The team says it has been a chance to build confidence, strengthen teamwork, and stay ready for whatever the next callout brings.

East Cornwall SRT provides an inland search and rescue service for lost, missing and injured people across East Cornwall and further afield when required. It is entirely voluntary, and relies on public support to keep going.

📷Credit: East Cornwall Search & Rescue Team

Fuelled by Cornish pasties

Long hours out training call for proper food, and the team had plenty of praise for The Cornish Oven, thanked for keeping volunteers fuelled with pasties throughout the weekend. Proper job, as the team put it, and very much appreciated.

📷Credit: East Cornwall Search & Rescue Team

An open day at St Austell fire station

The team also spent time at the St Austell Community Fire Station open day, setting out what they do and talking to the public about how their volunteers support searches, emergencies and resilience work across East Cornwall. The team said meeting so many supportive people was a reminder of why they do what they do, and thanked everyone who stopped to chat, ask questions or show an interest in joining.

In an emergency, dial 999 and ask Devon and Cornwall Police for Mountain Rescue.

How to help

East Cornwall SRT is a local charity, 100% voluntary, and relies on public support to stay operational. People can shop through easyfundraising.org.uk/eastcornwallsrt for free donations from online shops, or donate and set up a fundraising event through Givey.com/eastcornwallsrt.

📷Credit: East Cornwall Search & Rescue Team