I know it says autumn but it seems winter is upon us already.
Drygarn Fawr 645m
The Strata team have been very busy over the last few months, hence the lack of posts on the blog. After the epic that was the Trans Wales Robin and Claire have worked closely with Sports Care Services on several events.
The first challenge was the World Bog Snorkelling championships held in Llanwrtyd Wells. The day was as wet and blustery as the Trans Wales but luckily the First Aid tent stayed up and provided the team with a small amount of shelter for the day. A fantastic event for all the family, even if it’s just for the comedy value of watching 150 crazy people snorkel two lengths of a channel cut into a peat bog.
The Kona Mash up was next. Held at Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike centre and involving approximately 300 riders mashing it up on the single track trails in the area. Several of the trails had timed sections and the riders attacked these with gusto. Fortunately we had a pretty uneventful day but did manage to rack up an impresive number of minor injuries. The best injury of the day was awarded a prize by Mountain Biking UK magazine and Robin managed to be captured doing his bit by the magazine’s photographer. (see the current edition for a very small photo)
The next event was the Landrover World Sheepdog trials held at Dinefwr park in Llandeilo. 6 members of staff for five days in yet another very muddy field. Thanks here goes to the Berkshire contingent for their support over the course of the event even though they were officially on holiday! We did try and get Landrover to donate us some new vehicles but they seemed a little unimpressed.
First aid tent and vehicles at the Landrover World Sheepdog Trials
First Aid tent and vehicles
The next big event was the Autumn Epic cyclo sportive that was held in Knighton at the begining of October. Yet again the weather played it’s part in proceedings. Out of the expected 1000 riders booked onto the event only about 700 turned up on the day due to the torrential rain that was pushing in across Wales. Robin was again driving the first response Landrover Freelander with Chris Brown, a long standing member of Sports Care Services, with Claire and Janet Bidgood crewing the paitent transport unit. Within the first hour another 20 or so riders had decided that the conditions were too bad and either made their own way back to the venue or were waiting beside the road for someone to rescue them. Most of the medical team’s work this day consited of treating mildly hypothermic casualties and co-ordinating pick ups for as many as possible.
The rest of Strata’s time has been occupied by First Aid courses for several organisations including the National Trust and the Forestry Commission. The staff have travelled to Essex, Bolton, Pembrokeshire and as far afield as Tirabad (about four miles). So far in 2008 Strata Medical have taught first aid to over 200 people and travelled over 25,000 miles just for courses.
Robin and Claire have managed to take a small amount of time off over the last couple of weeks. This time was spent up in Scotland where they spent a little time walking in the cairngorms before heading back to work, this time in Fort William.
Robin, Claire and Taz just below Cairn Lochan - Cairngorm National Park
Taz
Part of the Aonach Eagach Ridge taken from Glen Coe
In Fort William Robin and Claire were working for Outdoor UK Ltd with a team that was providing support to a Breast Cancer Care charity challenge aiming to get 102 people to the summit of Ben Nevis on the first day and 60 on the second day. After monitoring the weather during the week the decision had been made that an attempt on the summit was out of the question, much to the disappointment of the participants. An alternative route that went up the tourist path, past halfway Lochan and over into the valley on the north side below Tower ridge and finished at the north face carpark was agreed on. On the day the group made it up into the gully below the lochan and watched in amazement as waterfalls started to flow uphill! It was estimated that the gusts were blowing through at about 100 miles an hour at 650 metres. The group were turned round and escorted back down the tourist path to the relative calm of the valley floor. Needless to say that the participants and staff alike were grateful to reach the warmth of the hotel by lunchtime. The following day the group of 60 managed to complete the alternative route in fine form even though during the afternoon the snow started falling and the wind picked up again bringing the widchill down to around minus five. The participants managed to raise somewhere in the region of £100,000 for the charity. I personally believe that they earned every penny, it was a hard couple of days on the hill.
All in all a pretty busy few months, the next couple of months sees Robin and Claire moving house, some exciting new courses and another trip to Scotland in the pipeline.
If you would like any information on any of the events mentioned in this blog please contact one of the team at info@strata-medical.co.uk
