Hero firefighters to take on Kinver charity challenge for earthquake victims
GUTSY fire service search and rescue heroes will be taking on a charity challenge at Kinver Edge this weekend to raise funds to help survivors of the Turkey/Syria earthquake.
Kinver-based West Midlands Fire Service firefighter Jim McParland, a key member of the UK International Search and Rescue team, has been organising the charity event, for the Disasters Emergency Committee, which will take place on Sunday March 26.
But he has been called out to help rescue victims of Cyclone Freddy in Malawi.
The challenge, however, is still set to go ahead and will see West Midlands Fire Service firefighters who are members of UKISAR walking the distance from the UK to Turkey – around 1,350 miles – around the beauty spot.
They will be doing three-mile laps of Kinver Edge during a 12-hour period – from 7am to 7pm – a total of 450 laps.
The location is where UKISAR runs its selection days and where the West Midlands team do their training exercises.
Jim said: “The National Trust have very kindly said once again we can use the Edge to help raise funds.”
Members of the public can also join in and do laps, on their own or as part of a relay, or virtually to help raise funds.
To find out about the Kinver Edge Trek to Turkey route and how to join in, download the PDF by clicking here:
To donate, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ukisar
Jim, aged 50, who was part of the UK search and rescue effort in Turkey, added: “One lap, two laps, however many you can make to raise much-needed financial aid which will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal.”
The team managed to rescue eight people trapped underneath collapsed buildings in Haytay province, south west Turkey, following the 7.8-quake on February 6 which has killed more than 50,000 people.