MOUNTAIN rescue team volunteers stripped off all so that they can fundraise for the bare essentials this year.

In a bid to raise money to go towards upgrading their current vehicles the Penrith Mountain Rescue team braved the elements in a new way to create a calendar with a difference.

Luke Armitage, Probationary Penrith MRT member explains: “We are not one of the richest teams in the Lake District and the vehicles we use are a really important part of what we do, we need to upgrade our current vehicles to keep moving especially given the size of our patch.”

Alan Conway, Mountain Rescue Team continued to say: “This is why we have created the calendar; we bared all of our natural beauty so we can raise money for the bare essentials! I was really apprehensive about the theme of the calendar at first and being photographed, but I ended up getting into it and found myself suggesting different shots! I am proud of what we have produced as a team”

Luke agreed, saying: “The team were all very brave, some found it harder than others but it was great fun and got everyone together. The calendar covers the range of environments in our patch in all of their beauty”.

Emma Johnston from the Penrith MRT also said: ‘I felt it was important that I got involved in the calendar photos to ensure that everyone can see that women are very much a part of the frontline of the Penrith MRT.’

The theme remained under wraps until the calendars big 'reveal' on Friday 14thth October via social media, Penrith MRT are all excited to share their work with the public and hope that it can raise the vital funds they need. The calendar is now available to purchase from Booths and Go Outdoors in Penrith as well as Cotswold Outdoors and Eden Rock in Carlisle. It will also be available to purchase on eBay in the coming days.

The team have organised a launch event for the calendar at Rheged, Penrith from 10am on Saturday 29th October. Stars of the calendar will be at the event, where members of the public can see examples of the kit the team use and children can get involved in a fun interactive experience on the day.

Penrith Mountain Rescue played a huge role in the recent floods across Cumbria and the team will be holding a stall in Carlisle City Centre to raise awareness on the 3rd December for the floods anniversary weekend, where the calendars will also be available to purchase.

Alan would like to thank those who helped in the creation of the calendar: “Thank you from all of us at the Penrith MRT to the friends of Penrith MRT, this wouldn’t have happened without you and to the brilliant designer Rachel Benn”.

Penrith MRT is on hand 24/7, all year round and team is made up of unpaid volunteers whose activities are purely funded through donations. They cover the largest geographic area of any of the Lakes District MRT’s, and often work alongside neighbouring MRT’s to support them which further extends the patch they cover.