Richard Warren, of Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team (WMRT) has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List with the honour of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Mountain Rescue in Cumbria and the Lake District.
Richard is one of the longest standing operational team members of Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team with 40 years voluntary service in August of this year. In his time, he has been Buildings Officer, Secretary, Press Officer, Drones Officer as well as Chair of the team for many years. Richard has devoted most of his spare time to mountain rescue in his unsparing service to our team, in addition to his activities at a regional level and beyond. As well as that he was Secretary and then Chair of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association & Mountain Rescue Association (LDSAMRA) from 1998 to 2024.
Throughout his service, Richard has been totally committed in his roles as WMRT and LDSAMRA press officers delivering regular interviews with local and national radio, television, and newspapers, asking visitors to be mindful and consider the additional pressures placed on the emergency services and local mountain rescue teams especially during covid. In particular, he has been instrumental in getting the message across to reduce the number of what he terms as avoidable accidents, by raising issues such as preparedness whenever he can.
John Bamforth, WMRT Chair said “Richard is a trusted and conscientious member of our team, who will go out on rescues at any time of day or night. His contribution to the running of our team and the regional association in his nearly 40 years to date has been very significant and he has left a legacy of achievements as well as demonstrating how to behave as a mountain rescue volunteer in an exemplary and professional manner. On behalf of the team, please accept our heartfelt congratulations on this deserving achievement.”
Richard is truly humbled in receiving his OBE and would like to say “It is an immense honour to be receiving this award which I would like to dedicate to my family and friends who have supported me throughout the last 40 years. It is a privilege to play a small part in my local Wasdale mountain rescue team, as well as the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, and the wider Mountain Rescue community. I value the fact that we remain a voluntary organisation, and I am extremely proud of the service we provide.”
Richard’s family, friends and colleagues in the Wasdale team, along with rescue colleagues across Cumbria and beyond pass on their congratulations and wish him well in his continuing mountain rescue activities.
