'Busiest year ever' for Wiltshire search and rescue team saving vulnerable people
Search and rescue volunteers in Wiltshire had their busiest year on record, which they say was due partly to the impact of the pandemic on people's mental health.
Wiltshire Search and Rescue was called out 165 times in 2020, which was an increase of more than 100 on 2019.
The organisation said the increase in call-outs was "a combination of a tough year, with people's mental health affected by the global pandemic."
A spokesperson added: "It is also a result of continued close, highly-professional working relationships with the emergency services and a renewed focus for the volunteers on being adaptable to a variety of asks.
"During a difficult year for everyone, the team members were on-hand to find, rescue and treat vulnerable missing people."
In total, volunteers gave more than 16,000 hours of their time to help those most in need of help.
As well as responding to calls about missing people, they also supported local hospitals through what the group described as "their most demanding period since World War Two".
The group moved vital equipment such a ventilators to those who needed them during the first wave of the pandemic.
Wiltshire Search and Rescue is made up of 85 volunteers who give their time for free to help the emergency services save lives.
The charity relies solely on donations. With fundraising events affected in 2020, a spokesperson said it was a "particularly challenging" year.
Adrian Sawyer, chair of Wiltshire Search and Rescue, said: “This has been our busiest year ever. This is partly due to our increased close working relationship with the police, fire and ambulance services, as well as alongside Great Western Hospital, and our ability to quickly mobilise a number of our volunteers anywhere in Wiltshire with very little notice.
"The global pandemic has challenged everyone across the county and our volunteers have been able to support where needed, be on call for our searching tasks and our expertise has been used on a number of occasions.
"I’m proud of the efforts of every one of our volunteers and know that we will continue to be here when our community needs us most.”
Read more: