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Q Are team members paid?

Categorically no. And we can't emphasise that enough. There's a perception out there that mountain rescue teams are just another department of the statutory emergency services and, as such, paid employees.

In fact, mountain rescue team members are all unpaid volunteers, giving their time freely to be on call 24/7, throughout the year, come rain, shine or snow. We are called out by the police through the 999 system, and work with police, fire and ambulance services as required.

All team members have full time employment, across a variety of professions, with family commitments and homes and lives to run. Apart from a few basic items of kit provided by the team – waterproof jacket and trousers, radio and pager – team members fund their interest in mountain rescue, often travelling some distance to incidents and training exercises in their own vehicles, and leaving their workplace to do so.

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Q How can I join the team?

You can apply to become an operational team member or a support member.

We aim to take on a new group of trainees every year. Anyone is welcome to apply to be a trainee, providing they can demonstrate they have the required commitment, a basic working knowledge of mountaincraft – and the necessary basic equipment – and are willing to learn new skills. More importantly, they must be a team player.

Support members join in non-operational activities such as fundraising, events and 'tin shakes' – anything where we need more manpower and welcome a fresh input of ideas. For further information on either, see 'Want to join us?'

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Q How do I donate to the team?

There are several ways you can help us raise funds. Besides putting cash in our collection boxes – either those displayed in various retail outlets, pubs and restaurants around the area, or on our regular 'tin shakes' – you can make a donation directly to the team, become a patron, provide a legacy in your will, enter any of our fundraising events, such as The Rossendale Way in a Day or choose to raise sponsorship for the team at an external event using our generic sponsor form.

As a patron, you would make regular donations through standing order to the Patrons Scheme. By making a legacy in your will, you could make a contribution to team funds to the benefit of future generations.

The Rossendale Way in a Day events and the  Mary Towneley Loop Mountain Bike Event are annual events, organised and run by team members. Besides covering the costs of administration, the entry fee includes a substantial donation to team funds – and there is always the option for entrants to seek sponsorship as an added extra!

Many of our donations come from individuals or groups who wish to support the work of the team, or adopt us as their chosen charity. Cheques should be made payable to 'Rossendale & Pendle MRT'.

And, of course, however, you choose to donate, the Gift Aid Scheme allows all charities to reclaim the income tax already paid by the donor on a donation – which represents a substantial bonus!

To find out more about any of the above, or if you would like to display a collection box on your premises, please contact treasurer@rpmrt.org.uk.

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Q Will team members come and talk to us about their work?

We are happy to come along and chat to groups about our work. After all, part of our remit is to raise public awareness of the mountain rescue service and educate the public about keeping safe in the outdoors.

Wherever possible a couple of team members can come along, armed with slide show style presentation and a ready stream of anecdote, wit and repartee. They might even bring along some kit and a vehicle.

That said, we should stress that team members are all unpaid volunteers, with regular day jobs and family commitments, so it may not always be easy to accommodate daytime talks, or even evening talks if they coincide with team training or family matters. And, should the pagers go off, operational demands will always take precedence – however long it's been in the diary. We hope you understand.

To find out more, or to book a talk or demonstration, contact secretary@rpmrt.org.uk

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Q Will the team provide rescue standby for our event?

Team members frequently provide rescue standby for local sporting events. Many of the organisers have long been supportive of the team's work and it means we can be immediately on hand should any accidents occur. And there have been cases where this has proven a valuable facility to the events in question, enabling speedier treatment and evacuation to hospital for the casualties involved.

Team members, of course, give their time freely but, as a charity, we would expect a minimum donation in return for providing safety cover, by way of acknowledgement of the valuable service provided and the costs incurred.

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Q How much would it cost to fully kit out a team member?

Tough question! In an ideal world, we'd be able to kit each team member out from team funds. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world but it's a useful exercise. Most team members wear and carry a combination of essentials supplied by the team supplemented by their own gear. Bear in mind that each time a team member sets foot on an incident, they must be prepared to be out there for many hours, often in dreadful conditions.

So, let's start from the outside and work inwards. Thanks to Whalley Warm and Dry, in Whalley, Lancashire who have sponsored our new team clothing, we are now kitted out in Páramo outer gear. Obviously personal choice means we sport a variety of boots, accessories (and undergarments!) on the hill so, alongside the team issue Páramo garments, for the purposes of this exercise we've chosen the sort of gear the average team member might turn out in.

Outer layer: Aspira Jacket £225 + Fuera Windproof Smock £50 + Cascada Trousers £100 = £375.

Next layer: Mountain Pull On £49.50 + at least one item of spare clothing £50 = £99.50.

Base layer: Cambia Long Johns £22.50 + Cambia Short Sleeved T shirt £22.50 + Cambia Briefs £13.50 (plus, let's say, M&S Sports Bra for the ladies £20) = £78.50.

Footwear: Three Season Walking Boot £130 + All Terrain Walking Socks £25 + Gaiters £25 = £180.

Headgear: Beanie Hat £20 + Neck Warmer £20 + Petzl Head Torch £55 = £95.

Hands: Technical Gloves £40 + Inners £15 + Hand Torch £39.95 = £94.95.

Accessories: 40L Rucksack: £50 + OS Maps £27 + A–Z Maps £20 + Compass £25 + Personal First Aid Kit £25 + Notepad and Pen £2.50 + Two Man Bothy Shelter £25 = £174.50.

Comms Equipment: Radio £500 + Pager £72 (£6 per month) = £572.

Grand Total: (and counting) £1,669.45

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