Scottish Mountain Rescue elects new board, including first female Chair
Scottish Mountain Rescue elects new board, including first female Chair
Scottish Mountain Rescue has elected a new board, including both its first female Chair and, for the first time, independent trustees from outwith its member teams.
Moira Weatherstone has been elected as Chair, becoming the first woman to hold the role in the organisation’s history and across the UK’s national mountain rescue organisations. She was elected by member teams at the Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) General Meeting in Stirling in March.
Moira brings more than three decades of experience in mountain rescue and has served as SMR Treasurer for the past 16 years. A member of Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) since 1990, she has held several roles within the team, including Training Coordinator and Treasurer, while remaining an active rescuer.
Image: Moira (left) with Arrochar MRT. Photographed by Nadir Khan for Helly Hansen.
Following her election, Moira said:
“This is a historic moment for Scottish Mountain Rescue, and I am honoured to serve as Chair. With rising demand and growing pressures on our volunteers, it is more important than ever that we work together to meet the challenges ahead.”
Alongside her role with both Arrochar MRT and SMR, Moira has also been involved with the Search and Rescue Dog Association (Scotland) since 1992, working as a search dog handler and supporting the training and development of new dog teams.
Moira is joined by two Vice Chairs: Paul Russell of Tayside MRT and Richard Morris of Killin MRT.
Paul Russell brings extensive operational experience from his previous roles – as Scottish Mountain Rescue Training Officer and Team Leader of one of Scotland’s busiest teams. He is focused on strengthening national training, supporting teams and maintaining high operational standards.
Richard Morris is an experienced board member and strategic adviser, as well as a serving member and former trustee of Killin MRT, with expertise in governance, strategy and organisational development.
For the first time, independent trustees have also been welcomed onto the board – with Susan Brook and Mark MacDonald bringing additional skills, experience and independent perspective to the charity.
The new board will continue to stand firmly behind the volunteers who give so much of their time and expertise, ensuring teams across Scotland are supported to protect and serve the mountain-going public for generations to come.
Image: Arrochar MRT call out, September 2025