New chair of Mountain Resue England and Wales Mike France
The man who has been in charge of fundraising for volunteer mountain rescuers in England and Wales will take over as head of the organisation.
And Mike France, a veteran of 43 years’ service with mountain rescue, pledged to ensure the umbrella organisation maintains its independence from Government.
Mr France, of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team, will take over from David Allan as chair of Mountain Rescue England and Wales in May.
The 61-year-old joined his local team in the North of the Peak District as an 18-year-old.
He has served on the national body for 17 years, most recently as chair of national fundraising.
Mr France said he intends to continue his operational role with the Woodhead team, which covers the notorious navigational blackspot of Bleaklow, along with wide tracts of inhospitable moorland in the Peak and South Pennines.
“I intend to continue my local operational mountain rescue duties in parallel with the new role,” he said. “At the age of 61, I can’t beat a 25-year-old to the top of the hill but that doesn’t mean to say I can’t get there.
“Mind you, I do tend to be back at base as search manager or incident controller. I think it’s important to me and to the membership of MREW that I continue to be involved on the practical side and aware of the challenges and issues that arise for MREW day to day.”
Following intense lobbying of both the previous Government and the coalition Government, MREW now receives a grant of about £200,000 each year from Westminster. But the campaign to have teams’ VAT outlay reimbursed continues.
Mike France in action controlling an exercise with the Woodhead team
Mr France said: “Support from central government is welcome but that is no reason to become something others think we should be; we need to be in control of our own destiny.
“I joined a voluntary rescue service many years ago and, as chairman of MREW, I intend to continue this volunteering tradition.”
Mr France has worked with outgoing chair David Allan for several years. He said: “I have been fortunate to attend meetings with Government and our patron the Duke of Cambridge with David, and I have worked closely with the leaders of the prince’s other charities so I am looking forward to building on those relationships in my new role too.”
David Allan will hand over to Mike France at the national MREW meeting in Preston in May 2014, at which point Mr France hopes to announce his replacement as chairman of national fundraising.
