PEOPLE needing emergency medical treatment in Upper Eden will soon be able to rely on a new first responder force.

The Upper Eden area is further away from an accident and emergency hospital than any other area in England. Residents are concerned that they are vulnerable and the Upper Eden Community Plan group decided to launch a first responder team to address this.

The team of trained volunteers will react to emergency calls the same time as ambulances, but their local knowledge means they are likely to reach victims first.

Mollie Young, secretary of Upper Eden Responders, said: “The role of the responder is to provide emergency first aid and reassurance to victims in the time lag between an ambulance being triggered and the ambulance arrival.”

The team, which hopes to be operational from early next year, is to raise funds for three defibrillator machines to be based in Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen and Brough.

More information is available by emailing admin@upperedenresponders.co.uk