Grassroots response as smoke hangs over Mossley
A Mossley sports club has turned its pavilion into a bustling relief point for frontline crews battling the moorland fires above the Tame Valley. With smoke drifting across the Richmond Hill ground in recent days, Micklehurst Cricket Club has coordinated a sustained push to keep firefighters supplied as they work prolonged shifts near Dove Stone Reservoir and Tintwistle.
Rather than focus solely on its own fixtures and facilities, the club has opened its doors to donations and organised daily drops to the fire lines. The effort is being led by members and volunteers who have watched the situation escalate over the hills that flank Mossley.
“We’ve got three lads who play cricket for us, who are actually up there firefighting right this minute. I’ve been up there myself, and it’s just horrific when you get up there.”
Gary Kippax, who has been helping to marshal the response at the club, said the location between the two main incident areas has made Micklehurst a practical staging point for supplies. Inside the clubhouse, he described a scene of stacked boxes and a kitchen working at full tilt to meet requests from teams operating on exposed terrain.
Daily runs to meet long shifts on the moors
The club’s routine has settled into a rhythm built around the demands of crews who are typically in place by 08:00 and often not finished until 21:00–22:00. Kippax said the volume of support from the public has exceeded expectations since the club first called for donations on Sunday 12 July.
“It’s been a hectic week for us, a hectic week,” Gary added. “We’ve been doing three runs a day. Once in the morning with all the breakfast butties; once at lunchtime with the sandwiches and then a hot meal at night.”
What started as a simple drop-off point has quickly evolved into a well-drilled operation. The function room has been overtaken by crates of snacks and drinks, while volunteers prepare batches of food to match the tempo of the response.
| Support run | Typical provision | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Breakfast items | Set crews up before long shifts begin |
| Lunchtime | Sandwiches | Keep teams fuelled through peak heat |
| Evening | Hot meal | Recovery after extended deployment |
What crews are asking for
Amid high temperatures and arduous ground conditions, the focus has been on hydration and protection from the elements, alongside quick, calorie-dense foods that can be eaten on the move.
- Water and electrolyte drinks to replace fluids and salts lost during long hours on the hills
- Energy drinks to sustain alertness across extended shifts
- Sun cream to guard against exposure on open moorland
- Snack items such as crisps and biscuits to supplement meals between runs
Kippax said the club was “completely overwhelmed” by the number of people arriving with supplies in the first few days. In the kitchen, volunteers have been preparing bread rolls in bulk as part of the rolling deliveries.
Community effort bridging the gap
The initiative underlines how quickly community groups can pivot to support public services when pressure mounts. With the club positioned on the hillside above Mossley, close to routes up to the moors, members have been able to respond swiftly to requests and ensure that what goes up is what is most needed.
While the fires continue to test crews across the region, the local response in Mossley shows the breadth of civic action that can materialise within hours: from drop-off points and kitchen shifts to coordinated delivery runs up to the fireground.
Residents who have already contributed have helped maintain a steady flow of essentials through the day. As Kippax put it, the priority is keeping firefighters equipped to do their jobs safely and for as long as is required.
Long days, sustained backing
According to the club, crews have been working for stretches that routinely run from early morning until late evening, with little slack in the system. The three daily deliveries are designed to meet that exact pattern, and the cricket club’s vantage point between the two moorland fronts has proved crucial in moving supplies without delay.
Inside Micklehurst’s pavilion, the sight of stacked crates, chilled drinks and prepared food is now a feature of everyday life as the fires persist. With more hot weather forecast, the emphasis remains on hydration, shade and basic sustenance for those holding the line on the hills.
