I was delighted to welcome members of the fantastic Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team to Parliament yesterday to thank both them and their families for their work as a fourth emergency service, providing vital help to people who find themselves in difficulty or danger when exploring the beautiful countryside in our area.
It was great to hear first hand from the team about all that's involved in keeping this service running and saving lives. I have huge admiration for the commitment of this team of volunteers who are on call 24/7 and it was a privilege to have the chance to thank them in person. I hope everyone enjoyed the visit and am looking forward to accepting their invitation to visit their base.
I was also interested to hear a key message from the team about what to do if you find yourself in a situation where you need their help. In an emergency, the team advise calling 999, and asking for the police, who will then be able to put you in touch with mountain rescue. Do spread this message with everyone who enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, just in case they ever need to know!
Please also visit the Mountain Rescue Team's website to read their tips on staying safe when enjoying the great outdoors and find out more about their work and fundraising: in order to continue providing their service for our community, the team need to raise £25,000 every year. You can find out about their different fundraising events and ways you can get involved at www.clevelandmrt.org.uk.