PIcture – Kinder Mountain Rescue Team
A dedicated Peak District mountain rescuer who has spent more than five decades helping keep visitors safe has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List.
John Mottram, from Buxworth near Chinley, has been awarded an MBE for his outstanding contribution to mountain rescue and community service.
Now aged 80, Mr Mottram was among the first volunteers to join Kinder Mountain Rescue Team when it was established in 1971. Despite more than 55 years of service, he remains an active member of the team, helping out at the rescue base and supporting operations behind the scenes.
Speaking after learning of the honour, Mr Mottram said he was “very surprised” to receive the award and felt his efforts were no more significant than those of his fellow volunteers.
Over the years, he has witnessed mountain rescue operations change dramatically. When he first joined the team, call-outs were relatively rare, with only a handful each year. Today, the team can attend as many as 70 incidents annually as visitor numbers to the Peak District continue to grow.
As well as responding to emergencies as a 24-hour on-call volunteer, Mr Mottram has played a key role in developing communication systems used by mountain rescue teams. Since 2006, he has also supported Derbyshire Cave Rescue and has helped raise more than £62,000 through fundraising and community collections.
Among the major incidents he has been involved in were the emergency response during the Whaley Bridge dam crisis in 2019 and the search operations following the Lockerbie bombing in 1988.
Mr Mottram is one of several Derbyshire residents recognised in this year’s honours list.
Among those receiving an OBE are Glossop arts leader Helen Bowder for services to culture, Chesterfield-based Mental Health Motorbike founder Paul Oxborough, and Bakewell solicitor Adrian Budgen for his work supporting victims of asbestos-related diseases.
David Radford, from Chesterfield, has been awarded an MBE for services to epilepsy care, while Dronfield’s Lucille Windle has been recognised for her work improving education for children with special educational needs.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the honours recognised people whose contributions help make Britain a stronger and more hopeful country.
For Mr Mottram, the award represents recognition for a lifetime dedicated to helping others and protecting those who visit the Peak District.
