West Cornwall Search & Rescue Team Awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service

Published On: 14 November 2025Last Updated: 14 November 2025By CornishStuff

📷 Some of our volunteers training their remote medical skills

West Cornwall Search & Rescue Team has been recognised with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2025, the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK. The honour is equivalent to an MBE and was announced today, 14th November, The King’s Birthday.

A Team on Call Around the Clock

West Cornwall Search & Rescue Team, known as WCSAR, is made up entirely of unpaid volunteers who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They support the emergency services in searches for lost, missing or injured people across West Cornwall.

Volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds, including paramedics, teachers, brewers and engineers. All give their time freely to help their community. The team is affiliated with Mountain Rescue England & Wales and the British Cave Rescue Council, and works alongside the police, ambulance, coastguard and fire and rescue services.

Their main role is to coordinate searches for vulnerable missing individuals. They also provide medical treatment and transport casualties to safety.

📷Four of our volunteer team members and Search Dog Merryn

Responding to Major Incidents

Although based in West Cornwall, volunteers have been called to assist at large-scale incidents across the South West. This includes the Beast from the East blizzards and the Plymouth WW2 bomb evacuation.

WCSAR was founded in 2019, following the work of the Cornwall Rescue Group which began in 2002 and previously covered the whole county.

📷Volunteer underground rescue team member

Specialists Giving Their Time for Free

Every member of the team is a volunteer. WCSAR has no paid staff and receives no government or emergency-service funding. It costs around £15,000 a year to keep the team operational.

Their volunteers bring a broad mix of specialist skills such as search technicians, remote rescue medics, search controllers, swift-water and rope rescue experts, mine rescuers, search-and-rescue dog handlers, 4×4 drivers and team members who support fundraising and public relations.

📷Search Dog Merryn, and her handler, Matt

One of 231 Groups Recognised in 2025

WCSAR is one of 231 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive this year’s award. The King’s Award for Voluntary Service was created in 2002 to mark Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and continues under His Majesty The King. This is the third year of the award in its current form.

Award recipients this year include groups ranging from dog walkers cleaning up local areas in Kincardineshire to volunteers providing flying experiences for people with disabilities in Hampshire.

Representatives of WCSAR will receive the award crystal and certificate from Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho KCVO OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall in the coming months. Two volunteers will also attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026.

📷Team members training with the Coastguard helicopter

Team Reactions

WCSAR Chairman Andy Brelsford said: “We’re incredibly proud and humbled to receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This honour belongs to every single volunteer who has given their time, energy and compassion to help those in need across Cornwall. Our work is only possible because of the dedication of our team, the support of our families, and the kindness of our community. This award is a wonderful recognition of the spirit of teamwork and service that keeps us going.”

WCSAR Team Leader Chris Mayer said: “Our volunteers train year-round and are ready to respond at any hour, often in difficult and unpredictable conditions. Being recognised with this award means so much to us all. It reflects not only the commitment of our team but also the trust that the people of Cornwall place in us when they need help the most. We’re truly honoured.”