In the news

Becky and Iain Ashcroft, who live near Mold, have both been awarded an MBE for their services
to the community as mountain rescue volunteers.
The couple met as volunteers for North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR), when Iain
interviewed Becky for the role – “I got the impression she didn’t like me!” Iain says of their first
meeting. Mountain rescue volunteering has been a huge part of their lives, and their wedding
day saw them conveyed from Mold Registry Office to the reception just outside Ruthin in a
mountain rescue liveried vehicle. NEWSAR is one of nine teams under the umbrella of North
Wales Mountain Rescue Association (NWMRA) providing mountain rescue services across the
hills and mountains of North Wales but also including recovery from water and in caves. All team
members are volunteers, and train regularly and rigorously to maintain their skills, as well as
being on call for those in need 24/7. The majority of mountain rescue volunteers juggle their role
with a full-time job and career.
Between them, Becky and Iain have over 60 years of volunteering across all terrains, in all
weathers, at all times of the day and night. While they will often respond to a call out together,
they have different strengths and skills, and may find themselves heading in different directions
dealing with different call outs, or different elements of the same call out.
Both Becky and Iain say the role of a mountain rescue responder is challenging but extremely
rewarding. They comment:
“The rewards for volunteering are immeasurable – to be able to help someone in difficult
circumstances, to be part of a team that returns a person back to their loved ones or gets a
casualty to much needed hospital care, to see the smile and relief on the face of someone
freezing cold and stuck alone for hours as we approach – all of this makes the night time calls,
the darkness, wind and rain all worthwhile.”
Asked if they ever worry when one of them is out on a call, they replied:
“If one of us is responding to a call out on difficult terrain, in extreme weather or at night, it’s
natural to feel concern, and not fully relax until both are safely home. With the magnificence of
the North Wales landscape come risks that must be respected – but being prepared is key. We
work hard to train and maintain our skills, we always set out prepared with the equipment and
supplies right for the circumstances, and it’s very much about teamwork – we know that we can
trust and rely on our mountain rescue team members.”

Neither Becky nor Iain had any inkling they had been nominated for the award. Becky says, “I
was at home by myself on the day the letter arrived, and when I opened it, I simply could not
believe my eyes! I cried and then I was stunned for a long time. I still find myself reeling at the
unexpectedness of it all. I saw Iain had a similar letter, but I did not tell him about mine until he
came home and opened his. I could see his reaction was similar – disbelief, shock, and emotion.”
It’s not the first time the husband and wife team have received recognition at the same time. In
2008, they each received a Divisional Commander’s Commendation for dedication, personal
commitment and professionalism in providing assistance in locating vulnerable and missing
persons from North Wales Police. However, NEWSAR believe that this may be the first time a
husband and wife team within North Wales have been recognised jointly with an MBE for their
services to mountain rescue.
As well as deeply surprised at being awarded an MBE, both Becky and Iain are honoured and
humbled at being put forward. Iain says, “We feel very honoured and immensely proud that
someone has recognised the contributions we have made to mountain rescue over the years and
has taken the time to submit a nomination. The fact that both of us have been recognised at the
same time is amazing.”
“We are also delighted that the work that North East Wales Search and Rescue does is
recognised. We could not do what we do alone – there is a huge and committed team of
volunteers behind and alongside us – and we know that our award is also a reflection of their
dedication and professionalism.”
Becky and Iain’s advice to anyone thinking of volunteering for mountain rescue is simple – if you
have the necessary skills and time, then go for it! Becky says, “The time commitment is really
important – training and call outs make up the bulk of this, but there is also equipment to maintain
and other duties such as supporting fundraising work as mountain rescue is funded by donations.
You also need the support of your family – call outs do bite into family time – and often your
employer too. All of this needs to be balanced. Most of our volunteers have full time jobs in
addition to the hours they spend volunteering.”
“However, the rewards for that commitment are many – you will get to meet and work with some
great people, face and overcome challenges, and do some real good helping others.”
Iain estimates that during his 27 years as a volunteer for mountain rescue, he has undertaken
close to 1000 call outs. While each can be challenging to different degrees in its own way, he
says, “It’s also important to remember that we don’t just help people off mountains – we also
assist in searches for vulnerable or missing people, as well as deploying to bad weather events.
A particularly challenging time I recall were the heavy snows in 2013, which saw 24 callouts in 48
hours with teams working around the clock as ambulances were unable to move due to the deep
snow. It fell to mountain rescue volunteers to reach many people stranded and in need. It was cold, exhausting, but immensely satisfying to be able to contribute our skills to keeping people
safe.”
As well as being a responder for NEWSAR, which covers Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham, and
parts of Conwy and Powys, Iain is involved in supporting mountain rescue across the North
Wales region and was appointed Operations Officer for North Wales Mountain Rescue
Association (NWMRA) in 2016. During his tenure he introduced a Major Incident Plan and
assisted North Wales Police in establishing a Land Search and Rescue Group which brings
together various blue light and voluntary agencies. Last year he was elected as Co-Chair of the
group and continues to work closely with police and partners. Iain also supports mountain rescue
nationally – he is part of the national operations group for Mountain Rescue England and Wales
(MREW).
Becky says there is not one specific call out which stands out in her mind particularly, but that the
occasions when she needs to speak to families during a difficult time in their life, to gather the
information needed to find their loved one, can be challenging, and remain with you, as can the
fast pace of multiple responses undertaken simultaneously.
She describes a recent call out which illustrates this: “I took over the management of a search for
a missing person one evening after the team and other agencies had been out for hours looking
for them. In the midst of that callout, we had a second call to assist an injured person down from
a mountain. Whilst attending the second callout, the missing person from the first call out was
located and taken to hospital, but we also took a third call out to assist in the recovery of a body.
Sadly, not all three callouts had a successful outcome, but at least we were able to get all three
casualties back to their loved ones. It’s important to recognise that not all our work has the
conclusion we would want, and as volunteers, you must be prepared to face grief and loss
firsthand on occasions.”
Both Becky and Iain say one of the hardest things about being nominated was not being able to
tell anyone straight away – particularly family, friends and colleagues. Thankfully, that moment
has passed, and both have been overwhelmed by the pride, support, and congratulations they
have received as the news spread.
Commenting on behalf of NEWSAR, Team Leader Chris Griffiths, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to hear about Becky and Iain’s well-deserved recognition in the
King’s Birthday Honours. While they may have been surprised, their teammates are not — their
kindness, dedication, professionalism, and wealth of experience in mountain rescue have been
evident to their colleagues for many years.
They have dedicated countless hours to training, attending call outs, fund-raising, and fulfilling
many other mountain rescue duties over the years. It is wonderful to see their hard work acknowledged in this way. We are incredibly proud of them and the positive impact they make in
our community. We look forward to celebrating this special honour with them soon.”

Chair of NWMRA, Andy Harbach, said:
“Mountain rescue volunteers balance careers and family life commitments to help people, lost,
alone and sometimes despondent and get them back from some of the most challenging terrain
and through often extreme weather conditions to their loved ones. To do this, they must not only
volunteer their time to respond to a call out anywhere at anytime, but also commit to a rigorous
and regular training schedule to maintain their skills. This often means that while most people are
relaxing at home in the warm after a long shift at work, mountain rescue volunteers are putting on
their boots and heading out for a training session.
“As we continue to see an upward trend in the number of callouts, the demands on mountain
rescue volunteers continues to increase, and the requirement to balance work, career, and
volunteering becomes more complex. To do this you need commitment, resilience, and a strong
sense of purpose.
“Becky and Iain have over 60 years of demonstrating this commitment to helping others, and the
recognition of their services is well deserved. The difference they have made cannot be
measured. Their colleagues across North Wales are hugely proud of them, and they embody the
very best of the spirit of volunteering. Well done both of you!”