Tanky's trog

[Graham Breeze]

It's not cheap running a mountain rescue team - just look at any of their annual reports - and they never charge a penny for the work they do. When you look at the great races in the Peak District (Edale Skyline, Downfall, Kinder Trog etc) and see the cover that gets provided by the local rescue teams (cave rescue too if you count Great Hucklow as a great race) you begin to realise what a fantastic service we get from these guys. We should all try to support races like Cracken Edge and the Trigger which specifically aim to raise funds for these teams - otherwise contributions, donations and "tin rattling" are their only source of income.

And when things go pear shaped on an event like Tanky's, and the moors need searching or somebody needs carrying down, it will still be teams like Woodhead who will do this (for absolutely nothing, and with a smile) even if they have "withdrawn their support", as has been suggested here. Because, for these teams, there is a level of support which will always be there.

Indeed Alan. And lest we forget:

2^nd October Body Recovery 09:45 Hrs Saddle Fell, Bowland. Late on Saturday 1^st October the body of a fell walker was discovered in a peat bog on Saddle Fell. Team was paged the following day by Lancashire Police to see if we could assist with the recovery operation. Team Leader met with senior officers from the Police and the Fire & Rescue Service at Saddle End Farm. The police helicopter was then used to transport the Team Leader and a senior fire officer to the scene and determine a plan for the recovery. It was decide that Mountain Rescue would handle the recovery and the Team was deployed to the hill in our 4 x 4 Landrovers with other police officers arriving by helicopter. Once the body had been removed from the peat bog the Team paused for a few moments thought & respect for a fellow hill walker. The body was then loaded on to the Police Helicopter to be flown off the hill. The Teams thoughts and sympathies are expressed to the gentleman’s family and friends at this sad time. (70 Rescue Person Hours)

[MarkL]

I used to live just over the hill from Marsden and Tanky's was my first proper fell race. I did it a couple of times in the 90s and it felt like a big, scary, epic undertaking to me then. I used to run it with a mate who used to beast me mercilessly every time we went out for a run "together" and I was always really proud to leave him flagging on the final climb up Kinder. Only, I never used to reccy the five minute crossing of the plateau and so it was always touch and go whether I beat him to the finish. Once I was almost in tears climbing over fences and sprinting across farm fields to regain the path to Edale, to beat him in by seconds!

Ah, the memories, the nostalgia. I moved away and never did the race again - I had a long layoff (about twelve years!) and because of the logistics of getting between the finish and start. It would be sad to see the race go though, although I suppose things do change and 39 years isn't a bad run. If it did come back for a fortieth, I may just make the effort.

It's very easy to fault find and bitch, as any five minute perusal of any thread on this forum will demonstrate. A lot of people on this forum have never organised a race, but I would imagine it takes quite a bit of effort. To organise a point to point route over some of the bleakest terrain at the most dangerous time of year for 39 years isn't a bad record.

I've never met Tanky, but I wish him and his family all the best.

[PlumBum]

I suspect that there is far more to this than you or I will ever know.

It wasn't an easy decision for me to withdraw my personal help this year as I have raced the Trog 18 times and one of these times started at Edale at 01:15 to get to Marsden to return with the race, The Trog has been a big part of my fell running life and I do not want to see its demise. I have tremendous respect for Brian.
I hope Clare does get things together for next year.
I have been accused of "Throwing my Dummy out of the cot" which is something I do not do.
I have also been accused of influencing Woodhead Team to "withdraw" their support which I should take as a compliment but, alas, I do not have that amount of clout. Rescue teams are manned by individuals with strong beliefs, a team leader is the one that rises above all others. I do not have, and would not use if I had, the level of influence to dictate operational decisions.
The Triggers race is nothing to do with why Tanky's is not happening this year, but it is a good excuse.

[IanDarkpeak]

It's not cheap running a mountain rescue team - just look at any of their annual reports - and they never charge a penny for the work they do. When you look at the great races in the Peak District (Edale Skyline, Downfall, Kinder Trog etc) and see the cover that gets provided by the local rescue teams (cave rescue too if you count Great Hucklow as a great race) you begin to realise what a fantastic service we get from these guys. We should all try to support races like Cracken Edge and the Trigger which specifically aim to raise funds for these teams - otherwise contributions, donations and "tin rattling" are their only source of income.

And when things go pear shaped on an event like Tanky's, and the moors need searching or somebody needs carrying down, it will still be teams like Woodhead who will do this (for absolutely nothing, and with a smile) even if they have "withdrawn their support", as has been suggested here. Because, for these teams, there is a level of support which will always be there.

All quite correct Alan and I agree,

I was trying to avoid commenting on the Rescue team front but as you have brought it up yes it does cost alot of money to keep the teams going both in financial terms and in man power terms, in this instance 35+ Volunteers for 10 hours each and having to move those people about to get them in the right place. I dislike the words "withdrawn" and "retracted" mentioned in earlier posts as it implies the team offered their services first.

Our team has undertaken a major organisational shift, we are now a PLC(the same route the FRA are going down and for the same reasons) and we have a new team leader/management committee. When the request came in Late Sept we were already overstretched, we did pass on contacts for other local teams to help Clare out, I suspect that at such short notice the other teams had similar problems, We are now sorting the team diary out for next Summer/Autumn.

Although we were unable to provde the support this year WMRT are still available to respond to emergencies in the area along with neighbouring teams through who's areas this race passes, these teams being Oldham, Glossop and Edale MRT's.

Personally speaking I'd planned to be in Scotland running with Shaunetto which we organised late summer.

I'd rather not comment on the team any more as I think it's all been said.

However if I see inaccuracies in posts I will correct them.

[BLUEBIKE]

It wasn't an easy decision for me to withdraw my personal help this year as I have raced the Trog 18 times and one of these times started at Edale at 01:15 to get to Marsden to return with the race, The Trog has been a big part of my fell running life and I do not want to see its demise. I have tremendous respect for Brian.
I hope Clare does get things together for next year.
I have been accused of "Throwing my Dummy out of the cot" which is something I do not do.
I have also been accused of influencing Woodhead Team to "withdraw" their support which I should take as a compliment but, alas, I do not have that amount of clout. Rescue teams are manned by individuals with strong beliefs, a team leader is the one that rises above all others. I do not have, and would not use if I had, the level of influence to dictate operational decisions.
The Triggers race is nothing to do with why Tanky's is not happening this year, but it is a good excuse.

...Well said, and that ought to be the FINAL word on this!

[shughoppy]

Has anyone else who entered Tankys not yet got their money back from Clair Stokes?

I rather foolishly, in hindsight, made an electronic transfer to Clair's account when I entered. I have e-mailed Clair since for a refund but no reply. The money is not so much the issue but I can't help starting to suspect this was a scam from start to finish and hope Clair will prove me wrong by contacting me and refunding my money asap. My irritation around this is such that I will be taking formal action to resolve this if I do not receive a timely response following this post.

[Charmian]

Has anyone else who entered Tankys not yet got their money back from Clair Stokes?

I received a message from Clair yesterday asking if she could destroy me cheque which has not been cashed. She also said that she has been away and is only just getting round to sorting out the finances so fingers crossed you will get a refund soon along with several of my mates who also paid by BACS. Let's hope so.

[soreeneater]

Has anyone else who entered Tankys not yet got their money back from Clair Stokes?

I rather foolishly, in hindsight, made an electronic transfer to Clair's account when I entered. I have e-mailed Clair since for a refund but no reply. The money is not so much the issue but I can't help starting to suspect this was a scam from start to finish and hope Clair will prove me wrong by contacting me and refunding my money asap. My irritation around this is such that I will be taking formal action to resolve this if I do not receive a timely response following this post.

God, you sound like a tight SOUTHERNER! I doubt if the lady in question is going to run away with your precious money. Why don't you ask her to donate it to the Woodhead Mountain Rescue! Irritation? Formal action? Does one have one's own solicitor?

[shughoppy]

God, you sound like a tight SOUTHERNER!

I suggest that you take a little longer to read posts more carefully before responding. Had you just rolled in from the pub?

[soreeneater]

Can't afford it!