Peak 4x4 Response group awarded for services to Derbyshire people during pandemic

For the past 14 years, Peak 4x4 Response has been helping the community in times of need – with volunteer drivers using their 4x4 vehicles to lend a helping hand.

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The group has now been given a Derbyshire Beacon of Hope award for its efforts throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

During the lockdowns over the last 18 months, Peak 4x4 Response has helped in many ways – including by distributing food parcels to families, delivering vital medication to people and transporting key staff to their places of work.

A spokesperson for Peak 4x4 Response said the group was ‘humbled and proud’ to win the award.

Peak 4x4 Response was nominated for the accolade by members of Derbyshire County Council's emergency planning team.

The spokesperson added: “We provide critical logistical support throughout the county of Derbyshire and, in more recent years, to our neighbours in north Staffordshire.

"All our responders are unpaid volunteers. They give, what has become so apparent to so many recently, the precious commodity of time.

“All our responders are people like you; they are dedicated and committed people who want to help their communities in times of need, whatever the weather. They all use their own personal vehicles to do so.

“Throughout the year our responders also put a lot of time and effort into different things to help people and organisations, and to help raise funds for the group

“We have always been a not-for-profit organisation, however we have recently applied for charitable status. We shall be keeping our grassroots remit of assisting our end users with logistics as a non-profit making organisation. The move to charity status will enable us to access grants and funding to help even more people during critical times.”

In previous years, Peak 4x4 Response has helped people in a variety of different ways.

In 2017, the group helped hundreds of festivalgoers to get back home after Pikehall’s YNot Festival was cancelled on the Sunday due to severe rain.

Volunteers have also helped many hundreds, if not thousands, of stranded motorists who have got themselves into unavoidable situations due to inclement weather catching them out.

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