Since September last year I’ve been training to run one of the UKs toughest ultra marathons, the Lakeland 100. At the end of July I’ll be standing in the start line, ready to run 105 miles around the Lake District.

By taking on this challenge I’m aiming to raise as much money as possible for Midshires Search and Rescue. MSAR was formed back in 1999 as a small but dedicated group of volunteers available to assist the police 24/7, 365 days per year. In the time since the team has grown and now has around 40 on call professionally trained volunteers, 2 specialist vehicles and have remained free of charge to our police forces andemergency service partners across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. 

MSAR is a member unit of the UK’s Lowland Rescue service. Alongside Mountain Rescue, Cave Rescue, the RNLI and Volunteer Coastguard, they form the backbone of specialist help for the Emergency Services when anyone is in need of finding or rescuing. We are called out by the Police, other search teams and County Emergency Planning Officers to search for missing and vulnerable people and to assist in civilemergency situations such as flooding.​Based on the last few years on average the team will respond to 1.5calls per week, this doesn't mean it is always the case, we may attend 4 or 5 a week then have nothing for a number of weeks or more.

All volunteers come from a range of working backgrounds whether it is working within the Emergency services, Education or Business they all share the same goal and ambition of brining missing people home to their families as quickly as possible.