SLROC Forum

IAM test is not a requirement for the Lothian 4x4 Response Team, there is training involved mainly to enhance the skills most people already have. Theres nothing onerous in what the team trains in and certainly the general feedback is that its most enjoyable.

Also the feed back locally has been most positive, in fact the team recently one an award at the Falkirk CVS Awards for "Outstanding Acievement in Health and Wellbeing" for the work that they did in the bad weather. http://www.bmpf.co.uk/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=58714

that's good, I don't think my sanity could endure the IAM again.

I'm just about to move to Livingston, but I'm still very interested in getting involved Colin

Just a reminder about the team's August meeting, it's this Wednesday Evening in Falkirk. Its a good opportunity to come along and find out more about what we do and whats involved. At the moment we have 35 volunteer members, were looking to recruit the same again over the next year. We know many will help when circumstances dictate, but were asking you to get involved and do it in a coordinated way, so that more peole get the benefit.

Come along and find out more, you will be made most welcome.

Hi Everyone,

A few of you who live in the Falkirk, Clackmananshire and Stirling Council Areas have expressed an interest in getting involved helping with your 4x4's in bad weather etc. Well the teams next meeting takes place on Wednesday the 3rd of August and is being held in the Red Cross Building in Falkirk, starting 7.30. As well as the teams normal business, Falkirks Councils Emergency Planning team will also be doing a presentation on the work they do and where Lothian 4x4 Response fit into their emergency plans.

So certainly a good opportunity to come and find out more about how you can help. An important point to note is that although many people when theres an incident will happily off to help out with their vehicles, many public service agencies can not actually accept this help as you wont have been vetted and checks to check insurance etc. So although you want to help you cannot, by getting involved in a 4x4 Response Team all these checks and issues will have been addressed beforehand.

You don't also need to have a 4x4 to help out, there are many roles within the team that a non 4x4 owner or non driver can do. If you want to help get in touch.

Our team has grown to 35 members since we formed in January 2010 and the current members want to continue building the team to be able to best serve the communities that we live in.

Although we are called Lothian 4x4 Response we cover the following council areas Falkirk, Clackmananshire, Stirling, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian, Edinburgh City and Parts of Borders Council Area's. When active the team will generally cover your fuel expenses when out assisting in the community.

The meeting venue: British RedCross, Bradbury House, Grangemouth Road, Falkirk, FK2 9AA

Start time: 19.30hrs

One thing we would ask is that if would like to attend you let us know in advance, so that we can organise the seating for the numbers expected and most importantly the catering requirements.

So if interested get in touch colin.rodger@virgin.net or mobile 07767726075

A press release issued earlier today, a copy can be downloaded here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/74397179/L4x4R-Press-Release-FC-01-12-2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Working Together Volunteer?s Strengthen Falkirk?s Severe Weather Plan?s.

1st December 2011.

Following the assistance provided by Lothian 4x4 Response last winter to Falkirk Council in providing 4x4 Support, thus ensuring that vital home carers were able to visit their clients at home and meals on wheels continued to be delivered. This support helped to minimise any unnecessary suffering due to the severe weather. Falkirk Council has taken the initiative to bolster their severe weather plans by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the team volunteer?s. This MOU sets out what each organisation expects when working together and the conditions of deployment. The team would only be expected to deploy in times of severe need when Falkirk Council?s existing resources are at full stretch.

The Memorandum of Understanding is a significant step forward for Lothian 4x4 Response Team in its development. The team, not even two years old, have worked hard to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge that allows them to offer a professional 4x4 transport and logistics service. To this end Falkirk Council assisted the team to achieve ?Train the Trainer? Off Road 4x4 Driver Training. The team?s volunteers recognise the benefit in being able to provide this training within their own group, allowing them to build their own capacity and equally important to help other organisations within the Central Scotland Strategic Coordinating Group to benefit.

The Teams Volunteers have organised the first ?4x4 Familiarisation Driver Training? event for the 7th December. This will see some key staff from Falkirk Council who do not normally have access to 4x4 vehicles get to share the knowledge and experience of some of the teams Volunteers. This first course will see drivers take the vehicles that they would normally use to carry out there day to day business off road with the team?s volunteers to enhance and strengthen the driving skills already gained.

This partnership in sharing the learning between Falkirk Council and Lothian 4x4 Response Team is seen as an example of how the third sector and statutory bodies can come together in times of need to help the community.

Malcolm Wilson, Civil Contingencies Coordinator, Falkirk Council Said:
?We are very pleased that this partnership approach between the Council and local volunteers is being taken forward in such a practical and useful manner. Lothian 4x4 Response team provided excellent support during the last bad weather and since then we have worked with them to build their voluntary efforts into not only our emergency planning arrangements but also into the plans agreed across Forth Valley, with our Emergency service partners, the Red Cross and other local volunteers?

Colin Rodger, Team Leader, Lothian 4x4 Response Said:
?This is a big step forward for the team who have been working hard to ensure that the team?s volunteers have all the necessary skills to be able to help in our communities in a safe and efficient manner in times of local need. Falkirk Council have consistently provided encouragement and support to the teams volunteers, we are delighted that we have been able to formalise the arrangements with this new Memorandum of Understanding. We look forward to building on the relationship with Falkirk Council and our Emergency Partners in the Forth Valley Area?
 
Ends.

For further information or to attend the 4x4 Familiarisation Training please contact:

Lothian 4x4 Response:
Colin Rodger Chairperson/Team Leader colin.rodger@virgin.net or 07767-726075 www.lothian4x4response.org

Falkirk Council:
Emergency Planning Department 01324-501000   http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/

Editors notes:
?   Lothian 4x4 Response is a Scottish Registered Charity, formed in January 2010.
?   The Teams Volunteers provide 4x4 Transport and Logistics in times of need.
?   The Team covers the following Council area?s Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian, City of Edinburgh and parts of Scottish Borders.
?   In the severe weather at the end of 2010/201 twenty four of the teams volunteers completed 11,000 miles over 20 days assisting in the community.
?   The Teams Volunteers all donate their time and vehicles to the charity.
?   The Team currently numbers 35 Volunteers.

why do you always have these things when I'm offshore lol

I'm still really interested in getting involved

Well done to Lothian 4x4 Response. Should help with swelling the numbers in your team, hopefully we can catch up with you soon

Tommy

Sorry to drag this back up again, but are there any plans for future members drives before next winter?

I ask as I now have another Defender, this time a proper relaible one with 5 seats!

Hi Ross,

The members do a lot over the period of a year, generally these are closed events so only publicised to the membership. There was a training driving/navigation excercise last night which took place instead of a room based team meeting.

Send me an email colin.rodger@virgin.net and I will give you some more details of what the team is up to.

Regards, Colin.