Scottish Mountain Rescue is SWL’s chosen charity for 2024
Scottish Woodlands Ltd has chosen Scottish Mountain Rescue as its Charity of the Year for 2024.
It’s a good cause close to home as Arran Smith, a Senior Forest Manager with Scottish Woodlands, has been a member of Border Search and Rescue Unit for almost a decade.
Border Search and Rescue is one of 25 volunteer teams that make up Scottish Mountain Rescue across the length and breadth of the country, providing emergency response to incidents including injured hillwalkers, flooding and missing persons. All 850 team members are volunteers and they are ready to respond 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Although each team receives funding from the Scottish Government, this is usually only enough to cover approximately 50% of a team’s operating costs - so donations are vital.
Arran Smith, based in Scottish Woodlands’ Melrose office years, said: “Donations are vital to allow Scottish Mountain Rescue’s teams to provide the very best service to the public."
“Most Scottish Woodlands staff will spend time working in remote locations on a regular basis. Hopefully, none of them will require a call to the local team to help them - but if they do, any donation you make or fundraising you get involved with will go directly to providing the assistance they need.”
Arran Smith (far left) and other members of the Border Search and Rescue Unit, taking part in the winter skills training in the Northern Cairngorms in 2023
Arran has had personal experience of the need for organisations like Scottish Mountain Rescue. He explained: “I succumbed to hypothermia and exhaustion at an ultra-marathon event a couple of years ago. Although somewhat embarrassing, this experience made me realise how reassuring it is to have such dedicated volunteers available to provide the treatment I needed at the time.”
Border Search and Rescue Unit is in the final stages of building a new team base in Kelso - upgrading from a 3-bay breeze block garage with no heating or toilet! Arran said: “This has required significant funding from grants and donations. As well as major developments such as the base, general running costs are significant. We recently upgraded our stretchers to lighter, more compact models, which are much easier to carry uphill. These are over £2,000 each! Equipment like ropes and harnesses require renewal every 10 years to comply with safety regulations, and ropes can cost up to £400 each.
Bill Glennie, Chair of Scottish Mountain Rescue said: “Scottish Mountain Rescue thanks Arran Smith for his service to Border Search and Rescue Unit and welcomes the decision of his colleagues at Scottish Woodlands Ltd to make us its selected charity for 2024. This support is very much appreciated and any donations will be put to good use.”
Ian Robinson, Managing Director of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, said: “I’m delighted we have chosen Scottish Mountain Rescue as our charity for 2024. We had a very successful 2023 raising money for Lyme Disease, which poses a real threat to our staff - and everyone else who works and plays in rural areas - as it is commonly caused by the bite of a tick. Scottish Mountain Rescue continues our efforts to support those charities who play a vital role in keeping people safe across rural Scotland.”
Scottish Woodlands will be holding fundraising events throughout the year and has set up a Just Giving page to support Scottish Mountain Rescue which can be found here.
