A teenager rescued from the River Eden as a child was reunited with one of the firefighters who helped save his life at a charity concert featuring performers from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.
Rheged Rocks II Lifeline was held at Rheged and raised money for the Fire Fighters Charity and the Great North Air Ambulance. The event featured six bands, along with a visit from Great North Air Ambulance crew members and a special appearance by Kacper Krauze.
A reunion after the River Eden rescue
In 2019, Kacper was 13 when he went into shock while paddling in the freezing waters of the River Eden. He spent 40 minutes submerged before Appleby firefighters rescued him. Paramedics then restarted his heart in the air ambulance during the journey to hospital.
At Rheged, Kacper was greeted by Stephen Wharton, one of the firefighters involved in his rescue. Mr Wharton received the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery for his part in the operation.
The pair received a standing ovation from the audience. The moment was followed by a reminder of the emergency work carried out by the air ambulance crew, who were called away from the concert to attend an emergency.
Darren Elliott, a watch manager at Penrith Community Fire Station, said: “This was the perfect night with a great crowd that blew all my expectations out of the water. It was something special that will stay with me forever.”
He added: “It was an emotional night with Kacper’s appearance and the talent that was displayed on stage from our very own staff and friends. I couldn’t have wished for more.”
How Rheged Rocks II grew
The concert was organised by Darren Elliott and Lisa Carr. Their original idea for Rheged Rocks II was a small performance in a local pub involving a few fire service musicians. It expanded as more talented personnel became involved, eventually moving to Screen 1 at Rheged.
The performers came from both frontline and back-office roles at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service. Some were experienced musicians, while others were new to performing in front of an audience.
The show opened with Rory Conner, a retained firefighter at Alston who also runs Moorlands Candles and performs regularly across Cumbria. He has released an album, Falling From Trees, and received a standing ovation after his set.
DJ and compere Simon Rodger then introduced the Felltones, a duo linked to Kendal and Barrow fire stations. The group featured vocalist and guitarist Ross Spruce, with Simon playing cajon drum.
Six bands perform for the fundraiser
M2 followed, featuring guitarist Mark Eastwood and vocalist Martin Woodhall from Whitehaven Fire Station. The pair had rehearsed only twice before the show and said their name had been chosen by Whitehaven Red Watch because both performers had names beginning with M.
Martin said: “We were volunteered for the concert, but finding time to rehearse was complicated as I was detached to Workington and we live an hour-and-a-half apart.”
He said they had tested themselves at an open-mic event at the Pocket in Keswick before performing at Rheged. The duo was nervous, he said, but the show went well and they had since been offered bookings for weddings and parties.
Two-metre Man & The Minors, a six-piece from Carlisle West Station, performed next. The line-up included Dan Bulman, Charlie Hunter, Roy Glendinning, Flutey Ali and police officer PC Laurie, with Simon also joining on cajon. The band had been formed especially for the concert, while Charlie had only first picked up her ukulele in March.
Band From The Pubs then brought 1970s and 1980s punk rock to the stage. Darren, now the guitarist, and bassist Alan Sowerby came from the fire service headquarters at Penrith, alongside Nathan Swainbank on drums and Matt Dowding on vocals and guitar.
The final act was the Shaking Bones, a five-piece featuring Lisa Carr and colleagues from the fire service administration team at headquarters.
Ticket sales, a well-supported raffle and a donation from former Carlisle United players made the concert a positive fundraiser for both charities. Lisa said: “It’s been a huge privilege to be part of the team organising the event.”
She added: “From the forefront of fighting fires to performing in front of a huge audience these firefighters deserve huge recognition for their talents and their achievements.”