A MOUNTAIN Rescue member from Menston has been given the rare honour of Life Membership by the Grassington-based Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue team. In its 70 year history only 14 such awards have been made.

David Dennis, 77, of Croft Rise has been a member for over 41 years and whilst no longer on the rescue call outs, having a background in public relations he readily took on the role of publicity officer. As well as regular articles in the media and specialist outdoor publications he writes a monthly column across six regional papers.

"The honour came as a complete surprise,’’ said David. "I am most humbled when I think of all those members past and present who have given so much to the team in our life saving operations.

"So much has changed over the years. When I joined the average call outs each year was about a dozen and mainly at weekends and bank holidays. We didn’t have mobile phones or satnavs or even the internet. So often we couldn’t get a signal from the heavy duty ex Army and RAF radio sets we humped around. Call outs were set up via the Skipton Telephone Exchange, we would get a call from a telephonist to ’ hold the line’. On a major call out this could take up to an hour for our controller to explain to each member the details and to ascertain which members were available. We even had the phone numbers of all the Dales pubs to ring round if needed. Setting off from Menston I could sometimes miss the initial search party departure and needed to shine my torch through a window at our headquarters to seek instructions on a blackboard. My wife never knew how long I would be or where I was and had the task of stating this when she rang in to my boss the following morning.

"Today we can create a call out team in minutes by using text proformas on mobile phones. Our controller simply fills in the boxes sends to who he feels he needs and all we have to do is fill in our reply proformas. He then knows who is attending where they are setting off them how long to get to the meeting points and so on.

"Call outs have increased dramatically over the years and currently this year the team have been called out 33 times with the likelihood that the record of 57 set a couple of years will again be broken. Today’s team consists of some 65 men and women all volunteers who not only give their time day or night on actual rescues and in all weathers but put in many more hours training and keeping the equipment in top condition. All members have to be highly trained in every aspect of the rescues.

"It now costs the team £50,000 a year to keep going. They don’t get any formal fundraising and their own survival depends on the generosity and fundraising of the public. Last year they rescued their 1,500 person. Other call outs can be cows, dogs, sheep, goats, horses all get the same care and treatment."

Adds David: "Whilst the equipment, training and techniques have changed dramatically over the years through new technology, the members don’t change the determination, professionalism and the camaraderie are just the same.’’

David joins another local man on the honours list. Retired Ilkley Grammar School teacher Des Birch, a caving legend received the honour some years ago and still lives in the town.