By: Blonde Two

On Saturday, I told you that was off to do something that was making me very nervous. Well now I can reveal that I attended the Ashburton Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team’s trainee selection day. They hold this day once a year and choose a few people to take on as trainees. These trainees then typically take twelve to fourteen months to complete their logbooks, and be invited to become full team members.

I am pondering the question, “Why?” as I type. Always good to decide why you did something after the event! Words like ‘bit for society’, ‘adventure’, ‘give something back’, ‘next challenge’ spring to mind; but the most important word for me was ‘belonging’ – you don’t come across teams as committed to each other as these guys every day.

I would love to tell you all about my day, and what I got up to; so sit down comfortably and we will begin:

————————————————————————————-

There you go … that is just about all I can tell you. You see these things are very closely guarded secrets; I know because I spent a lot of time trying to find more out before I went. I can tell you that I met some very lovely people (other candidates and team members). I can tell you that we did some fun, some brain-teasing and some physically challenging things. I can say that we found a lot out about how a Search and Rescue team operates. I am allowed to mention Dartmoor and navigation and water and tussocks (which were, literally as it turns out) my downfall. But I am afraid that is all I can say.

I like to think I acquitted myself well (I did at least find the Rescue Centre, which is more than I did the second time I tried to go there). Sadly I didn’t make the selection; a fair decision made and delivered with very encouraging feedback. I am, of course gut-wrenchingly disappointed; but on the bright side, there are only 362 days to go until I get a chance to try again!”

The Ashburton Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team are all volunteers who would turn out at any time, on any day and in any weather to help you if you needed them. They are nearly 100% self-funded; which means that everybody, who enjoys Dartmoor, should be clicking here and making a donation.