We had the privilege of recently welcoming a group of volunteer heroes to INOV8 HQ.
Members of the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation (PDMRO) toured our Lake District hub and told us more about the challenges they face when saving lives in the hills.
The team were joined by Mike Park, CEO of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, and spent time with INOV8 Founder Wayne Edy getting a behind-the-scenes look at our brand and operations.
Established in 1964, the PDMRO carry out search and rescue missions for walkers, runners, climbers and missing persons within the Peak District National Park.
Its formation followed the death of two climbers caused by an avalanche in Wilderness Gully in the Chew Valley in 1963 and the deaths of three young scouts during the Four Inns Walk in 1964.
The charitable organisation has eight rescue teams containing a total of approximately 400 volunteers, who are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The eight teams within the PDMRO are Buxton MRT, Derby MRT, Edale MRT, Glossop MRT, Kinder MRT, Oldham MRT, Woodhead MRT and the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation.
Last year saw the eight teams receive 539 callouts, totalling 26,633 hours – this excludes all training exercises.
Members of the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation and Mike Park, CEO of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, meet Wayne Edy, INOV8 Founder and CEO
Rescues varied from helping lost / benighted walkers and those inspired by social media to go out to beauty spots like Mam Tor or the B29 wreck on Bleaklow, to aiding injured mountain bikers and climbers from the Gritstone edges.
The partnership between us and the PDMRO was first forged in 2024 and has grown in strength since then. PDMRO training officer Toby Green was instrumental in setting it up and is now an INOV8 brand ambassador too.
Thanks to the partnership, we're helping the volunteers find footwear that crucially lets them move fast – and comfortably – over demanding terrain.
Matt Dooley, PDMRO Chairman, said: “The Partnership with INOV8 is great for the PDMRO. The brand is trusted by lots of team members who already chose INOV8 for their own use, whether they are fell runners or hikers.
“Great grip and reliable footwear are key to our work in Mountain Rescue in the Peak District. I look forward to a long and successful partnership.”
Toby Green added: “Guardians of the mountains, powered by performance: Mountain Rescue and INOV8 – a partnership rooted in respect for the wild.”
