A developing fixture on the Highland Perthshire summer events calendar has this year been dedicated to the Tayside Mountain Rescue team and its vital life-saving work.
Highland Safari’s annual Go Wild Day will be held on Thursday, August 4 with its variety of events supporting the charity.
It will provide a unique opportunity for visitors and locals to engage with the dedicated volunteers who help keep people safe on the region’s hills and mountains 365 days a year.
As well as a mountain rescue demonstration by TMR, the volunteers will also give bushcraft workshops to highlight survival techniques.
Also incorporated into Go Wild Day are regular features including the award-winning safari experiences and the seventh annual Perthshire Gold and Gem Panning Championships, which attracts competition from treasure hunters of all ages.
“We are very excited about this year’s Go Wild Day,” said Donald Riddell of Highland Safaris.
“Helping our guests engage with our stunning mountain environment is a large part of what we do at Highland Safaris and so the Tayside Mountain Rescue are a very worthy charity to help indeed.”
The team’s 25-30 rescue volunteers need around £30,000 a year to operate and Donald said they rely heavily on donations to carry out their vital, life saving work.
“As well as raising money, our support at Go Wild Day will hopefully raise greater awareness of just who is helped by this service,” he added.
“People assume it is always the ill prepared and inexperienced who can run into trouble in the mountains but as the TMR will tell you over 70% of all people rescued are experienced hillwalkers with the correct equipment.
“You always assume it will not happen to you but conditions can change or walkers can become ill or injure themselves.”
Donald was involved with a mountain rescue last year when he lent some Highland Safari vehicles as well as his extensive knowledge of the area to search for a missing man.
“It really brings it home to you what a great job these volunteers do and how much they would be missed if the service was scaled back,” he said.
Go Wild Day promises to offer something for all the family with other attractions including an interactive falconry display, a Highland warriors display, a red deer encounter, barbecue, bouncy castle, face painting, and quizzes and competitions organised by the RSPB.
Businesses are being asked to sponsor some of the attractions and help boost the amount raised for TMR.
For further details on the Go Wild Day, which takes place at the Safari Lodge, Dull, Aberfeldy, between 10am and 4pm, call 01887 820071.