Grubs supplies Bolton Mountain Rescue Team with footwear
Grubs Footwear recently handed over footwear to all the members of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.
Grubs felt its footwear would be of great benefit in rescue situations where members are out in all weathers, battling unforgiving terrain.
Bolton Mountain Rescue Team has over 50 volunteers on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In a typical month, the team will provide over 500 hours of volunteering – all in their own time.
Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh said: “On behalf of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, I would like to thank Grubs for their very generous donation of a pair of lightweight boots or walking trainers for every member of operational volunteers. Good quality footwear is one of the most important pieces of equipment used by Mountain Rescue personnel, contributing to team member safety and comfort whilst out on the hill, enduring different types of terrain in all weather conditions. This new footwear should see team members through many rescues, training exercises and a whole host of other team activities which are undertaken by our volunteers every week. Team members have over our 56 years always bought their own boots, so it is amazing to be supported in this way by a Bolton-based business, hopefully this will lead to a long-standing relationship with Grubs.”
David Foster, Chief Executive Officer – Grubs, added: “Our family have been an integral part of Bolton life for over 200 years, my Great Grandfather was a founding member of Bolton Harriers (the local running club). My grandfather was involved in starting Bolton lads club. It’s an amazing honour for my daughters and I to be able to support Bolton Mountain Rescue. Our footwear is ideally suited to their needs and it’s a large cost for the volunteers, so for us to be able to support them is a privilege. The work they undertake daily, saves lives, and allows us all to enjoy the wild places of Lancashire knowing that they are here should we get into difficulty.”
The team responds on average to 100 calls for its assistance per year and supports the police in Greater Manchester and Lancashire with search operations for missing people. It also assists the Northwest Ambulance Service with calls to casualties in difficult-to-access or remote locations as well as providing support to Greater Manchester and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services with wildfire incidents on the moors with rope and water rescue operations. Grubs can trace its history back to 1776 when Joseph Foster first founded his shoemaking business and today GRUBS & MUDDIES (9th generation of Fosters) are household names and sold in over 25 countries as far apart as Canada and New Zealand.
The Foster family can trace its history back to 1776 making shoes for the local community specialising in the new sports springing up in Victorian and Edwardian Britain – this was the springboard to a global brand.
Samuel Foster developed the world’s first ‘Spike Cricket Boot’ for bowling in 1863. His grandson Joseph Foster developed the spike into a lighter version and invented the ‘Running Pump’ and supplied local runners from his shop in Bolton.
Harold Abrahams & Eric Liddell immortalised in the film ‘Chariots of Fire’ wore Foster’s running pumps. Jeffery & Joseph Foster then go on to develop ‘Reebok’ after seeing Adidas and Puma shoes during the war in Germany – using lighter materials.
These become iconic and legendary with shoes such as the Gold Range Aztec, Inca, and Midas trainers. Reebok takes off in 1979 and Reebok USA Incorporated is created.
The company goes from strength-to-strength sales of the Aztec go into triple growth and Reeboks first aerobic shoe is developed in 1982 selling 4 million in the first month.
In 1984 Joe Foster sells Reebok to Reebok USA but the family now operating from Bolton are still heavily involved in design and research which includes developing new ranges of fell running, cricket, formula one and soccer shoes – all made in the UK factory.
In 1993 David Foster leaves Rockport and the Reebok organisation and moves from designing for Clarks to Karrimor (tripling sales with the KSB footwear range) to setting up his own design consultancy with his wife Jan. David then worked with Muck boot developing the range outside North America and eventually distributing in the UK as well as designing for Barbour.
Today GRUBS & MUDDIES are household names and sold in over 25 countries as far apart as Canada and New Zealand and 2025 is the company’s 25th Anniversary – with the welcome addition of daughters – Abi and Beth making them the 9th Generation of Fosters and who are now an essential part of this highly successful and rapidly growing family business –quite a rarity in a world where businesses are bought, sold and acquired losing identity and credibility along the way.
