In the news

We are pleased and honoured to announce that the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the Sheffield Hallam University.

 ‘For its outstanding, sustained contribution to public safety and wellbeing through the service of selfless, dedicated volunteers’.

The award was collected on behalf of the PDMRO by Matt Dooley, Chairman; Keith Montgomery, Treasurer and Ian Bunting, Operations Officer.

The PDMRO consists of seven mountain rescue teams, Buxton, Derby, Edale, Glossop, Kinder, Oldham and Woodhead, as well as Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation and Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England.  

The PDMRO was founded in 1964 after the 4 Inns tragedy where three Scouts lost their lives. Since that time the teams have provided a search and rescue service for the Peak District National Park and its surrounding areas 24hrs a day, 365 days per year. In recent times this has also included assisting the police in searches for missing vulnerable people in more semi-rural locations as well as being part of the emergency service response to major incidents, including flooding and snow events. The teams were also present at the Toddbrook Reservoir incident in 2019.  

The teams consist of more than 350 volunteers who give their time freely to assist others.  In 2021 teams responded to 464 requests for assistance from the whole-time emergency services and spent over 20,000 person hours dealing with the incidents.  

This award is not only dedicated to the current members of the teams but also the many hundreds of people who have served with the PDMRO teams over the last 58 years and laid the foundations for what the organisation is today.