Arthur Littlefair and his wife Vivienne

Two mountain rescue team members received awards in the New Year Honours.

Arthur Littlefair, of Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team in Cumbria was appointed an MBE and David Wilkins of the Holme Valley team received the British Empire Medal.

And doctors Mike Greene of St Bees, who is team medic with Wasdale MRT, was made an MBE, along with Theo Weston medical officer with the Patterdale team for services to health and the community and services to victims of trauma respectively.

John Innerdale, former chairman of the Mountain Heritage Trust, was also appointed an MBE for services to preserving and promoting mountain heritage.

Mr Littlefair, who has been a member of the Kirkby Stephen team for more than 40 years, 23 as leader, was honoured for services to the community and to the Kirby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team.

He and his wife Vivienne were earlier this year invited to Westminster Abbey to join a gathering to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

Mr Wilkins received his honour for services to the community, particularly to Scouting and the Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team in West Yorkshire.

He has been a team member since 1977 and is also a group Scout leader.

Dr Weston is a GP based in Penrith and also a pre-hospital emergency care doctor and air ambulance doctor with the Great Northern Air Ambulance Service.

Dr Greene is Wasdale’s team doctor, medical officer and secretary. He joined the team in August 1992 and is an emergency medicine consultant at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Mr Innerdale was a founder trustee of the Mountain Heritage Trust, its vice chairman under Sir Chris Bonington and chairman of the trust from 2005 to 2008.

Current MHT chair Julie Summers said: “I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award than John Innerdale.

“He has been a tower of strength and a power-house of energy on behalf of MHT. We congratulate him and his family with all our hearts and hope he enjoys this award.”

An MHT spokesperson said: “John’s passion for the rich heritage of mountaineering and climbing was translated into the highly praised and successful National Mountaineering Exhibition that ran at Rheged in Cumbria from 2001 to 2007.

“Under John’s chairmanship MHT grew and established itself, with its own archivist. He succeeded, from a standing start, in catapulting MHT to the forefront of mountaineering heritage in less than a decade and vitally important collections that might otherwise have been sold or disbanded are being preserved for future generations.

“His determination to share with as wide a public as possible the extraordinary richness of British mountaineering heritage is bearing fruit.

“Since 2010 he has been negotiating with the National Trust to form a relationship between the two organisations and bring mountaineering’s rich history to a wider audience.

“John has been a member of mountain rescue, he has fundraised on behalf of his local yacht club and with local volunteers in Sockbridge and Tirril to build a community play area.

“He is also a keen apiarist, giving freely of his time to advise and mentor beginner bee-keepers.”