Map Reading, Registration and Feeding Exercise
with
WRVS, LOADERS, RAYNET
and County Hall Emergency Team

As with many local WRVS exercises , this was both a serious training exercise and a fun outing.

It was the first time LOADERS have joined in with WRVS and RAYNET on a map reading exercise. I was surprised how much easier it is to read road signs and see landmarks when perched up high in a range rover than in my normal position at the wheel of a mini. I can see how co-operation between these three voluntary organisations could be extremely advantageous in a major catastrophe.

As part of the map reading exercise we enjoyed a competitive treasure hunt round the Cottesmore area. Congratulations to the winning team, Jean Dawes, Auriel Chandler and Joy Colman, all part of the Rutland team and their LOADER driver Mr Philip Trow.

When the map readers arrived at the final destination, a beautiful farm near Cottesmore, Glynis Williamson, the WRVS area recovery and resilience organiser had set up a registration exercise. We were lucky, the wind and rain held off so the papers stayed put but we would have had difficulty registering in bad weather as could easily happen in a real emergency.

Once they had participated in the registration exercise, tiger pots and the urn provided treasure hunt participants with welcome cups of tea and coffee, while Jane Hall and Shirley Muggleton organised the feeding exercise. After the feeding exercise aka enjoyable picnic (See photos)Jane read out treasure hunt results and the hostess Ann Forryan provided us all with the most delicious cake. Everyone I spoke to enjoyed the exercise and thought it well organised. We are all grateful to Ann and Warwick Forryan for providing such a wonderful venue and making us so welcome