There is an overall
4x4 response group, who basically act as a council for all the groups spread around the country, so that eventually we will all conform to the same policies, public liability insurance and practices etc. You can't actually join "4x4 response", you join your local group, and membership of that group, provided they are a member their selves, will by default make you a member of "4x4Response".
One of the things they want to do is get rid of any specific references to a marque in the name, and get all the groups into the areas shown in the map above. This is still in the early stages yet, so you will often find groups that over lap, and some that as mentioned above specifically say they are a "Rover" group.
Currently there is the rather confusing list on the following page.
http://www.4x4response.info/?pid=groupregister
The other problem is, working out which is the best for you, so make sure you ask about them, and what sort of events they have assisted in, I know some groups admit they have not had a "Shout" in over 3 years!!!
I would think "Hampshire & Berkshire 4x4 Response"
http://www.hampshire4x4response.co.uk would be your nearest.
Maybe
Hertfordshire 4x4 Response
http://www.hertfordshire4x4response.org
Just as a word of warning, you will find some groups are a bit "snobby" about the cars they will use (apart from the obvious "Rover" groups), and for a lot of the work, which involves getting careers and emergency workers to and from work in bad weather, will tend to prefer SUV 4x4 style cars, as they think these are more acceptable to the general public. After that, quantity of seats becomes a deciding factor, as they want to get as many people as possible into each vehicle, when doing evacuations....
Also, you will need to attend about 3 training sessions, plus pass an appraisal on your driving ability, plus knowing how to use the features of your car, before you can be involved on any "shouts", so you will need to get your a$$ into gear if you want to be involved with anything this winter!!!
This is the web site of the overall group. You will need to look at the map on this site and then contact the person in charge of your area. Their emails are all listed on the site.
In Essex, it is called the Essex Rover Rescue and guess what - they all have L-rs. I will be contacting them soon to see if I can widen their horizons. :naughty
Ian
They were talking about this on the forum, and basically, most groups have realised that the future is not LandRover, and opening up their borders to the likes of "us"....:bow:lol
