Northamptonshire Search and Rescue team to run half marathon in September

Volunteers for Northamptonshire Search and Rescue have begun their training for September’s Northampton half marathon.

The charity will send three runners to the race in full search and rescue kit and one dressed as the charity mascot, Sammy the search dog.

Search manager, Neil Balderson, 42, says the organisation relies on donations from the public and operates without any government funding.

He said: “We use it (sponsorship / donations) to pay running costs, such as insurances, fuels, petrol, diesel. Or we put it towards investment projects which would be something like a recently purchased new vehicle.

“I know for example we are looking at buying a new titanium collapsible stretcher. We are also looking at some kayaks for the water rescue team.”

The half marathon will take place on September 17 and starts at the town’s Market Square, continuing along the river past Northampton’s major sports grounds.

Neil advised the runners: “Keep your chin up and keep running, you’re doing something I can’t do!”

He added: “They are all keen runners… I would imagine for them a half marathon is quite normal.”

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue does vital work helping find missing people in difficult environments. They have volunteers specialising in foot search, dog search, drone search, swift water rescue, bank search and kayak qualified searchers.

The charity received 92 calls last year, an average of one every four days.

Neil said: “There’s a lot of searches that stick with us… We were searching for a missing child that had gone missing down Milton Keynes way, we were supporting the neighbouring team. We started searching at 7pm and we found them at 2.30am, they were still alive. That was a wonderful moment seeing them brought back to the family.”

62 people volunteer with Northamptonshire Search and Rescue and the organisation is always keen for more volunteers.

Neil added: “You know that you are going to help someone, you know you are going to go and make a difference. It is something that gives you real value. It's community based support and you see a positive at the end of it and it's really heart warming when you do it.”

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue is currently seeking local businesses and facilities that would like to have cash collection tins and clothes collection points on their premises for the charity.