Warwickshire Search and Rescue is an operational Lowland Rescue team (one of 36 teams in the UK), set up to assist the Police with searches for vulnerable missing persons within Warwickshire and beyond. They are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Warwickshire Search and Rescue is a registered charity and receive no funding from the government. All their members are unpaid volunteers, who finance their own personal kit and travel expenses. However, they rely completely on donations to keep the team operational, purchase essential team equipment and to be able to provide the best professional training for their members.
Midlands Truck & Van Coventry Salesman, Joe Connor has recently helped Ian Malins, Chairman for WarkSAR, find the perfect van for their operation, with a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter L3, handing it over in November. The vehicle has since been in Victory Conversions, where it has been adapted to the specific requirements needed to enable WarkSAR effectively whilst out helping the community.
The volunteers have worked hard over the past 2 years to raise enough money to purchase a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter from Midlands Truck & Van, the New Van has proven to be the tool they needed to enhance their charity work and are now looking to raise enough to money purchase a second van, the vans are crucial pieces of equipment and without them they would not be able to efficiently carry out Search and Rescue missions.
The conversion includes a carefully thought out layout, to include space for the equipment to hang correctly, cupboards and cargo net to store smaller items, and a heater tor the volunteers, after they have completed colder missions in water. .
Pic 1, Joe Conner with Tess Lukehurst, with the newly converted van outside their new premises at Stoneleigh Park.
The team have also recently acquired a new premises, within Stoneleigh Park, and volunteers have built a secure garage, for their van and equipment completely renovated the interior to suit their needs. Along with exterior renovations, the members have created a training room, offices and stores where their vital lifesaving equipment can be stored, and training needs met.
They have recently hosted an open day, where they received an award for The King's Award for Voluntary Service, presented by HM the King’s representative in Warwickshire, Lord Lieutenant Tim Cox. Mr Cox will also cut the ribbon and open the new headquarters.
On their open day the team demonstrated their capabilities and equipment to a host of VIP guests invited from Warwickshire and West Midlands Police, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Resilience Forum, High Sheriffs past and present, as well as Trustees from Lowland Rescue and members from neighbouring Lowland Rescue teams and of course the people of Warwickshire who make all this possible.
