Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team marks 40th anniversary of HQ

A Snowdonia mountain rescue team is considering its future funding as it marks 40 years at its rescue post.

The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, which is run by volunteers and funded by donations, says a day will come when it may need government help.

Anniversary celebrations are being held at the team's newly refurbished headquarters at Nant Peris.

The improvement work and two new Land Rover vehicles cost the team around £100,000.

This year the team has already attended 150 incidents on Snowdon and the surrounding areas, more than the total number of call outs in 2012.

Danger warning

Chairman John Grisdale said the increasing workload was putting pressure on the team.

"We are completely dependent on donations, and we appreciated what we receive," he said.

"But in the future we will have to look at asking the Welsh government - and discussions have already begun - to see if there is a way for us to receive money for major projects, or even a project to educate the public about the dangers in the mountains."

The team began operations in 1968 and its one-room base in a building shared with the Snowdonia National Park at Nant Peris was officially recognised as a mountain rescue post in August 1973.

From Saturday they will take over tenancy of the whole building, and volunteers spent Friday putting the finishing touches in place.

The team has recently invested in two new vehicles

During a training exercise team members said the facilities were essential to their work.

"What you see here isn't a game because of the environment we work in," said rescuer Barry Davies.

"Team members can be called to any rock in Snowdonia, anywhere in these mountains, at any time.

"It's due to exceptional leadership, and good training, that it performs so excellently."

Saturday's celebrations will begin with a service in St Peris church, which adjoins and owns the team's headquarters.

The revamped base houses a new operations room, an equipment store, a kitchen and toilet and a multipurpose hall.

Past members are also joining in the celebrations as the team looks to ways of marking its half century in 2018.