Lowland Rescue Visit North Wales Police

North Wales Police welcomed representatives from Lowland Rescue at Police Headquarters recently. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Lowland Rescue have recently re-organised their management structure and used the opportunity to discuss the new arrangements with Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard, the National Police Chiefs Council lead on Search and Rescue. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) is made up of 36 affiliated teams from all of the lowland areas within the United Kingdom. Last year over 1,500 volunteers contributed more than 96,722 hours to search and rescue operations, finding over 340 people. As a registered charity, the organisation is reliant on voluntary donations and is staffed entirely by volunteers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Chairman of Lowland Rescue, Paul Lewis met with the Deputy Chief Constable to discuss the re-structure and the organisation’s objectives and aspirations for the future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard said: “I am pleased to welcome representatives from Lowland Rescue to North Wales Police. I am only too aware of the high levels of commitment, drive and enthusiasm displayed by the organisation and its member teams which is exceptional. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am delighted to see Lowland Rescue strive for improvement within the Search and Rescue community by modernising their structure to better place them, and their abilities to face any challenges which lie ahead” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Representatives from Môn Search and Rescue, the only Lowland Rescue team in North Wales also attended during the day to discuss progress, and any support required to achieve their aim to become operational in the summer of 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​