Cash boost for 4x4 volunteers who helped snowbound NHS staff

Charity 4x4 Response Wales are upgrading critical communications equipment and training more members after receiving a £2,000 grant from The Police and Community Trust North Wales (PACT).

The voluntary organisation assists police, emergency planners and other blue light responders by offering their 4x4 vehicles in a crisis.

Volunteers from the 4x4 Response Wales recently supported North Wales Police during the Bangor-on-Dee flood emergency in January.

They also covered more than 2,000 miles while driving 52 NHS workers from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) through snowy weather at the start of the year so they could get to work safely when their own vehicles could not cope with the conditions.

Police charity PACT and 4X4 Response Wales. Pictured (Front L/R) Ashley Rogers of North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT). Chief Inspector Jon Aspinall and Tom Davies, Ian Marlow and Vernon Turnbull of 4x4 response. Picture Mandy Jones

Vernon Turnbull, 4x4 Response Wales’ Planning Officer for Wales, said: “We have 50 members of which around 35 are active. Without the PACT funding, each member would have to put their own hand in their pocket to buy the kit we need. That probably wouldn’t happen as they already have to pay towards their own vehicles, on-board equipment, training and diesel.

“We are so very grateful, especially to North Wales Police who thought enough of the job we do and the support we provide to see us as bona fide applicants.

"That meant a tremendous amount to us.

“Money doesn’t gravitate towards us like it might for some of the bigger response organisations. We are in a different league to those organisations and that’s ok as we enjoy providing a community service.

“We were very effective during the Bangor-on-Dee floods because we had already managed to get 14 responders flood awareness trained with the Defra 1 certificate. That meant we knew how to keep safe because we were following training given and not creating further problems for the emergency services.

“It makes a massive difference that we can now put more of our people through the training and that we can do it this year rather than in two years when we have fundraised.”

The charity is one of more than 2,500 projects supported by PACT who have invested more than £1.6 million in grassroots community projects designed to combat crime and build “resilient communities” – often funded by cash seized from criminals.