PGL opened the doors to its Little Canada site in Wootton back in September to help with the training of new volunteer recruits for WightSAR – the Isle of Wight’s volunteer search and rescue service.
After undertaking a period of training, the new volunteers spent their final training weekend at the activity centre, including taking part in a night search to sign off their formal assessments.
For Dean Terrett, Chairman & Founder of WightSAR, the support of Little Canada is invaluable as it allows them to focus funds on their valuable search and rescue resources. He says:
“For years we were needing volunteers to travel to the mainland to complete their training, and self-fund their accommodation and travel which we appreciate will be difficult for some people to do. By having a training venue on the Island we are able to reduce costs as well as give practical experience in local terrain.”
Little Canada’s vast space means it provides the group with a wide open area for skills training as well as a wooded area to provide evacuation training and a team on hand to support as well as food and accommodation.
Deans adds:
“The team at PGL are so supportive, so friendly, they really value the work that we do. It feels like a second home and we do massively value what they are able to offer. We are able to plough our funds directly into operational resources which is invaluable.”
With no government funding and completely volunteer-run, WightSAR depends hugely on grants and fundraising.
Chloe Tiley, General Manager at Little Canada sees the support to WightSAR as integral to being part of Island life:
“We know directly what work the WightSAR team do and with lots of visitors across the whole of the Isle of Wight each year, we want to ensure we can provide some help and support to the valuable work that they do”.
