Roger Jones, the 'Voice of Ogwen'

A mountain rescue stalwart has been appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Roger Jones, who for many years was leader of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, is still an active member of the team, which has the Glyderau, Carneddau and Tryfan among peaks in its area.

Mr Jones, 65, who lives in Bethesda, has been a team member for 38 years. He received the honour for voluntary service to mountain rescue in north Wales.

Chris Lloyd of the OVMRO said: “Roger was born in Penmaenmawr on the coast, north of the Carneddau range.

“He became involved with the Scout movement in his teens and especially with the Scout hut at Hafod in the Ogwen Valley. He was one of the first Scouts to qualify for the Scouts’ mountain leader qualification, which preceded the Mountain Leader Training award by 20 years or so.

“Whilst spending so much time at Hafod, he was often called by the instructors at Ogwen Cottage Outdoors Pursuits Centre to help with their Ogwen Cottage Mountain Rescue Team. When the Og Cottage team was replaced by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, Roger joined OVMRO right at the beginning. He has been equipment officer, chairman; he’s currently transport officer and has served on the committee in one way or another for about 45 years.

“Similarly, he served as team leader for that duration, only stepping down in March of this year.

“Roger continues to take a great interest locally, nationally – always attending the mountain rescue Conference – and internationally, attending the IKAR European Mountain rescue conference, in mountain rescue.

“The ‘Voice of Ogwen’ is held in high esteem by his fellows who live in the Ogwen Valley and by his team colleagues.

“We are all thrilled by this well deserved recognition for hours of hard work at the front end of mountain rescue on the mountain, at the base running the organisation and often at the aftermath of fatal incidents where he has taken great care to assist friends and family not only at the time, but for weeks, months and years after.”

Sir Chris Bonington

Everest summiteer Sir Chris Bonington was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in recognition of his services to the royal family. Sir Chris is deputy patron of the Outward Bound Trust; the Duke of Edinburgh is its patron.

And a keen walker and former chair of the Dartmoor National Park Authority was made an OBE. Nigel Hoskin of Yelverton, Devon, headed the authority between 2005 and 2009, when he retired. His honour was for service to Dartmoor national park.