Wiltshire Search and Rescue have given a grant to buy vital equipment by The Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon.

The team has been awarded £4,700 for equipment, clothing, van upkeep and day-to-day running costs.

The Grassroots Grants Fund benefits community groups and projects within Wiltshire and Swindon who are able to use the grants to make a real difference to their local communities.

Having won a government competition in July of this year, The Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon will be able to distribute £744,776 of such grants over the next three years.

WILSAR chairman Steve Upton said: “wW are absolutely delighted with this grant as it will go a long way in helping to keep the search control van running over the winter and will provide us with much-needed equipment.

"We would like to thank The Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon for their support. We desperately need to replace our ageing search control vehicle so to have much of the day-to-day costs covered by this grant will allow us to concentrate on trying to fundraise for a new van.

"Special thanks must also go to Sue from Chippenham who is helping WILSAR in a non-operational capacity through applying for funding from such trusts and foundations. Thank you Sue.”

Sue herself added: “I am delighted to be of assistance to WILSAR. I met them at the Emergency Services Show and whilst I was extremely interested in the team I didn’t think I would be a good searcher –dark, cold nights are not my forte.

"I felt that people who were willing to volunteer their time to do something I wasn’t deserved respect and whatever support I could give.

"Fortunately for me I have been able to do this by searching and applying for grants - they won't all be successful but some will be and ultimately that not only supports the search team but also the people who need them.”

She added: “To do what WILSAR do, in the conditions they have to face, and the outcomes they may have to deal with takes a lot of compassion and a lot of courage.

"I didn't even know we had a search team in Wiltshire - I knew about the RNLI or mountain rescue but it didn't occur to me that we'd need one inland - so it is a service people should be proud of, be aware of and supportive in any way that they can.

"After all we may need them some day ourselves."

"Unfortunately it's not a glamorous charity but it faces reality and helps people who need it whatever their colour, creed or circumstances . I get the satisfaction of knowing that the money I help find is put to good use.”

Mr Upton added: “We are always looking for non-operational members such as Sue who can help with fundraising, marketing, public relations and other such tasks.

"The team receives no statutory funding and so a lot of time and energy is needed to keep the team running.

"We welcome non-operational members who are interested in WILSAR but who do not want to go out searching themselves – this allows our highly trained and dedicated Searchers to concentrate on what they do best – training and searching.”

Wilshire Search and Rescue exists to search for missing, vulnerable people primarily in the county of Wiltshire.

It is called to assist with searches by Wiltshire Police and also help other county’s Lowland Search Teams where resources allow. Primarily a foot search team they also have a specialised kayak search team and a mountain bike search team.

Anyone interested in joining the team as a Searcher or helping out in a non-operational capacity should call Ali on 07795 035110 or log on to the website. The link is on the right.