Norwich Beer Festival donations help NORLSAR buy new equipment

Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue (NORLSAR) attended the Norwich & Norfolk branch of CAMRA’s monthly meeting in January to show off some of the equipment purchased from the donations made during the 2012 Norwich Beer Festival.

A total of £3,500 was given to the voluntary organisation from unused tokens and cash donated during  the Beer Festival.   

The new items purchased have boosted the stock of equipment available for use in emergency  situations, as well as during search & rescue training exercises. They bought four radios, a  repeater to boast communication signals, rescue ropes, dry suits and search & rescue buoyancy aids for the team which were shown to the branch members, as well as half an  inflatable boat (the top section, which stayed in the Land Rover!).

The members present  agreed it was a fascinating talk and very rewarding to find out in more detail how the monies  raised in 2012 have been spent.

The group heard of the variety of situations NORLSAR get  involved in, how searches are organised and the importance of the new equipment.  

Paul Chamberlain of NORLSAR said that since being selected as Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA  branch’s charity in 2012, awareness of NORLSAR has noticeably risen which has been an  important factor in boosting funds, attracting more volunteers, enabling them to undertake more training and as a result, increase their expertise in lowland rescue work.

As a result, they have recently been involved in flood rescue training in Surrey and Ireland and they are now the only UK lowland rescue team recognised by DEFRA.

The organisation get minimal  costs covered (mainly just accommodation if required further afield) when they are called out  or put on standby, as they have been a number of times in the last few months alone due to  stormy weather and missing persons.

Visit the NORLSAR website for more information about the charity.