Outline and History
It is interesting to note many of the procedures learned and adopted in the early days still serve the team well today. Fund raising then was a lower priority but still essential, donations tended to be in the order of 10 shillings (50p). Shortly after we started Andy Newlands took over the role of treasurer (Andy retired from the post in 2005). Andy recalls taking over the team books with a balance of £105. Andy's dedicated stewardship of the team funds has helped the bank balance and annual expenditure reach significantly greater value.
The team is now a registered charity and owns equipment worth in excess of £100000. Virtually all of the equipment is purchased through voluntary donations.
Training exercises in the early days were great fun, the team was like a group of friends learning and practising new and exciting skills.
Perhaps it's fair to say the team hadn't really grasped the reality of what it was taking on.
All that changed with the first call out, an accident at the Grey Mares Tail, a popular waterfall nearto Moffat.
A young lad of 17 had fallen and suffered fatal injuries, the evacuation of his body from the foot of the falls that day taught the team much. This accident was closely followed by a number of fatal accidents at the 'Tail' and proved to be a somewhat depressing time for the team.
However recognition as a mountain rescue team and affiliation to the Scottish Mountain Rescue Organisation consolidated the teams position. The late Tommy Murray, a member of the team from its inception in 1969 till his untimely death in 1998,a shepherd at Caplegill,was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to mountain rescue.
During its time the team have attended in excess of 500 incidents.
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The team (some!) at the Grey Mare's Tail
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