logo

The History of Penrith Mountain Rescue

1959

1960

1967

1972

1979

1990

2020

2023

It was on a March Sunday night in 1959, following a talk given by one Harry Appleyard on his fell walking experiences, that the decision was taken to form a fell walking and rock-climbing club associated with the YMCA in the town. The following month, at a club meet, the idea of forming a rescue group was discussed, and subsequently a letter suggesting this was sent to Brian Stilling, then sec. of the LDMAA. Various meetings followed with the likes of Rusty Westmoreland and George Fisher, and in October of 1959, a letter was posted in the Penrith Herald stating that the Penrith Rambling club had decided to from a rescue team to cover the local area and all interested persons were invited to a meeting at the YMCA. 21 people attended this meeting, the outcome of which was The Penrith Search, Rescue and Emergency Team was born with Joe Corry elected as team leader, Ron Boyle as Chairman, and Harry Appleyard, secretary.
//images.ctfassets.net/saknav0170m6/1UcuhkCIMKlunrttSwARfK/938aa1d33bfdf9f3141981386c170ca9/Screenshot_2024-05-28_at_18.54.02.png

Left to right-Joe Corry, John Robinson, Ron Boyle, Harry Appleyard, Ron Wilkinson, John Taylor, and R. Kingston posing in front of “Nancy” the jeep

Some of the information has been sighted from Bob Bennett's book - A history of mountain search and rescue in the Lake District

Past Team Leaders

user Tom Middleton

Team Leader

Tom Middleton

  • (2025 - Present)
user Peter King

Peter King

  • (2021 - 2025)
user Rob Holden

Rob Holden

  • (2019 - 2021)
user Karen Fith

Karen Fith

  • (2017 - 2019)
user Mike Hill

Mike Hill

  • (2012 - 2017)
user Ian Clemmett

Ian Clemmett

  • (2009 - 2012)
user Ged Feeney

Ged Feeney

  • (1984 - 2009)
user Richard Robinson

Richard Robinson

  • (1981 - 1984)
user Gordon Collinson

Gordon Collinson

  • (1968 - 1981)
user Colin Griffiths

Colin Griffiths

  • (1966 - 1968)
user Harry Appleyard

Harry Appleyard

  • (1964 - 1966)
user Joe Corry

Joe Corry

  • (1959 - 1964)

The team's recruits by year

2025

Andy Readman

(Active)

Duncan Sibbald

(Active)

Kath Bareham

(Active)

2023

Ben Crisford

(Active)

Francis Boundy

(Active)

2022

Ali Atkinson

(Active)

Brad Dodd

(Resigned 2024)

Marc Lelliott

(Active)

Richard Gordon

(Resigned 2025)

Rupert Bennett

(Active)

2020

Chris Wright

(Resigned 2024)

Karen Roberts

(Resigned 2021)

Keith Hill

(Active)

Korrin Mai

(Resigned 2022)

Paul Marginson

(Active)

Paul Reardon

(Active)

Peter Sowerby

(Resigned 2021)

Rick Salter

(Active)

Tim Sanders

(Active)

2019

Andy Burridge

(Active)

Chris Clarke

(Active)

Dale Longson

(Active)

Gavin Stewart

(Resigned 2025)

2018

Chris Seymour

(Resigned 2024)

Stephen Crowsley

(Resigned 2024)

2017

Ceri Bicknell

(Active)

David Houldridge

(Resigned 2024)

James Bicknell

(Resigned 2022)

Joe Fraser

(Active)

Matt Pearson

(Resigned 2025)

Rob Hunter

(Resigned 2024)

Sandy Dalton

(Resigned 2018)

Sarah Copperthwaite

(Resigned 2019)

Sharon Kennedy

(Active)

Stuart Senior

(Resigned 2022)

Tess Witheridge

(Active)

Tom Middleton

(Active)

2016

Danny Barnes

(Active)

Luke Armitage

(Active)

Russell Willet

(Resigned 2021)

2014

Mike Evans

(Active)

2010

Gerry Rushbridge

(Active)

Vic Seed

(Active)

2006

Matt Nightingale

(Active)

2005

Ian Soulsby

(Active)

1999

Rob Holden

(Resigned 2023)

1998

Trevor Milton

(Resigned 2024)

1996

Harry Harrison

(Active)

Peter King

(Active)

1995

Alasdair Brock

(Active)

1990

Paul Witheridge

(Active)