Iain was a pupil at St David’s from the summer of 1975 until 1981 and was in Snowdon House.As a staff member Iain worked with Mr Keith Lennard in our DT Department, as a workshop technician. He also taught technical drawing with Mr John Evans, and then in the afternoons was an outdoor instructor assistant teaching orienteering and sailing with Rev. Tim Hall.
He met his Becky as both volunteer for North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR).
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.
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.
Ian said: “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.”
Commenting on behalf of NEWSAR, Team Leader Chris Griffiths, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to hear about Iain and Becky’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.”
A huge congratulations to you both Iain and Becky, from us all at St David’s!