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Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team has received a boost to its funds with a donation from Citrus-Lime.
The company, which supplies end-to-end point of sale solutions to independent cycle retailers, has donated £5,000 in recognition of the value of mountain rescue to the local community and outdoor enthusiasts.
Neil McQuillan, CEO of Citrus-Lime, said: “The service Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team provides is vital to anyone taking to the outdoors. As a voluntary service, mountain rescue can be a thankless task and it’s one that carries a huge amount of personal risk to every member of the team.
“Many of us at Citrus-Lime, myself included, are passionate mountain bikers. We understand all too well how easy it is to come off your bike on rough ground and when you suffer an injury that renders you unable to ride, the help of mountain rescue can’t be underestimated.
“As a consequence, it gives me great pleasure in making a donation to help keep the service running for the benefit of everyone in the Cumbrian community as well as those who visit the Lake District.”
Over the last 12 months, Citrus-Lime has processed £462 million worth of clients’ business through its End-to-End Cloud Retail Solution and is projected to smash the £600 million mark in 2021-2022. In the cycle sector, 60% of all high-value bikes in the UK are processed through Citrus-Lime’s platform. In particular, Click & Collect has been a huge influence in the increase in bike purchases.
The 35 strong Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team provides a variety of search and rescue assistance. The team, which is run by volunteers from across the area, operates under the control of the Police and also supports the Ambulance, Coast Guard and Fire and Rescue Services. It covers situations throughout the area where the other services have restricted access – from a high rock face to a rural field. Their main tasks are search, medical care and evacuation, including swift water rescue and flood assistance.
Martin Cooper, with 17 years membership of the Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team, including 250 call-outs, added: “The support of the local community and firms such as Citrus-Lime is highly valued, both financially and in terms of recognition of the work that we do.
“It is a most timely donation as we try to raise funds for a purpose-built base to replace our current unheated industrial units, when COVID-19 has had a great impact on fundraising. We rely on modest donations from all walks of life and gain great satisfaction from knowing that we are highly regarded throughout the community.”
Based at Foxfield, near Broughton in Furness, Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team is a registered charity. The annual running costs of the service is around £40,000 so donations to help keep Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team operating are always welcome.
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