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January 2010
COTAG has been praised by the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead MSP. COTAG has been providing volunteer support to the WRVS to help deliver Meals on Wheels to the elderly and infirm as well as rescuing dozens of motorists whose vehicles became stuck in the treacherous blizzards that swept the region. One of the vehicles pulled out of a drift was a council gritter.
Richard Lochhead MSP said:
As Scotland is in grip of the harshest winter weather conditions in decades, we are all faced with the daily challenge of
going about our usual business. Across the country this is affecting transport links and travel conditions when it is more
important than ever to keep our vital services working and deliver essential supplies to our most vulnerable citizens.
I am hugely impressed with the community off-road action group volunteers, who are giving up their time to work in extreme
and often dangerous conditions, to support the work of local emergency, healthcare and other vital services.
All these efforts by our snow heroes are helping to tackle the problems created by this unusually bad weather and keep
Scotland's vital services on the move.
Grampian Police have also commented on COTAG's role. Chief Inspector Hugh Mackie, Deputy Divisional Commander for Moray Division commented
Grampian Police work in close partnership with a vast number of voluntary groups and we recognise the vital role they
have within our communities. The recent challenges of the adverse weather conditions demonstrates the strength of these
partnerships and this was evident when we have worked along with COTAG under the auspices of the Memorandum of Understanding
we have with the group.
While they are not an emergency or rescue service, COTAG are an extremely willing and receptive group
of volunteers who work particularly well with the Police, providing us with excellent logistical support. I look forward to the
continuation of our positive relationship with COTAG and will have no hesitation calling upon them when the need arises.
COTAG-Moray, the founding COTAG team, is to change its name to 'COTAG 4x4 Response'. In parallel with this COTAG-Aberdeenshire will merge with the former Moray team. This will result in a single team initially concentrated upon the Moray and northern Aberdeenshire areas of Grampian Region.
Sue Rodwell, Team Leader of COTAG-Moray said<
This is something that has been in the planning stages for a long time and we have now reached the point where the timing is right. The Moray and Aberdeenshire teams have been growing in number and merging them under a single consolidated name makes sense. COTAG has spread from Moray where it started and now has volunteers throughout much of Aberdeenshire. It also fits to change the name to one we have actually been using unofficially for some time. COTAG 4x4 Response is a name many people now know and it also helps convey more clearly what we are about.
Tony Tipping, Team Leader of COTAG-Aberdeenshire added
This is the right thing for COTAG at exactly the right time. Numbers have been swelling and COTAG's reach has extended far south of its original operational area. It makes sense to merge the teams now.
