BMC Awards

When completing a form to nominate someone for a BMC Award there are a few points that you may wish to consider:

• The forms are assessed anonymously, i.e. the award panel isn’t provided with the names of the nominees. Therefore, don’t assume that the panel will know the individual/group and know what value they have provided to the BMC and the wider community.
• Include as much information about the nominee as you can, these awards are popular and you need to ensure that you have provided as much information as you can for the award panel to assess.
• Nominations will be decided based on your submission. It is therefore vital that you provide as much detail as possible about the individuals achievements and contributions, so they don’t miss out.
• If it's a group or community being nominated then this group should be doing things to support the mountaineering, climbing and hillwalking community aligned with the BMC’s “moving together.”

We would like to keep this open and give you the freedom to include anything you believe will be useful to the awards committee in making their decision. However, to give a few ideas, past applications have often detailed the following:

• What activities has the individual/group run or been involved with for the BMC? Provide details about any committees they have served on, events they have been involved in or projects they have worked on.
• What activities have they run or been involved with in service of the hillwalking, climbing, or mountaineering community more generally? (This could include conservation & access)
• What impact has their work had?
• How long have they been involved with these activities?
• Supporting statements from organisations/members/volunteers/groups their activities have affected.
• Behind the scenes work that may have gone unnoticed.
• If the nominee has worked closely with a member or members of BMC staff then include that within the nomination.
• Think about the achievements they have had in both their volunteering with the BMC and within the wider mountaineering community - remember that ACT (Access & Conservation Trust), MHT (Mountain Heritage Trust), and the National Huts are all part of the wider BMC family, and affiliated-clubs are also an integral part of the BMC community.
• How long have they been involved with volunteering, if its been across a variety of roles, be specific about the different roles and time committed.

Nominations will be shortlisted based on your submission. The shortlist will then go to a public vote. It is therefore vital that you provide as much detail as possible about their achievements, so they don’t miss out.

The Awards & Honours Committee will consider the following before the shortlist goes to a public vote.

• The Adventure/achievement must have taken place in Britain please include information about the location
• All Nationalities and ages are eligible so please think of everyone that has inspired adventure
• Include information about the level of Commitment required for their adventure/achievement
• The spirit of adventure
• Was there any skill/technical ability needed, provide details of this
• It is important that we respect the environment and protect it, in order that future generations can enjoy their own adventures, provide information of how you think this was achieved and provide specific information if they did anything exceptional to aid this.
• Why was this person/people/adventure/achievement inspiring, what makes it stand out from others

Inspiring Adventures Award is a prestigious award, celebrating inspirational achievements across the BMC’s activities across Britain. This award will recognise and celebrate individuals (or groups) who inspire others through their achievements in mountain-related activities across Britain.

The award was established in 2026 to align with the BMC’s goal of inspiring adventure and showcasing role models in the community

Inspiring Adventures Award Winners

The George Band Award for Exceptional Voluntary Contribution to Mountaineering recognises people who have played a significant role in the BMC’s work over an extended period of time.

The award was established in 2010, and named in honour of former BMC president George Band, who was the youngest member of the 1953 Everest expedition which saw Hillary and Tenzing make the historic first ascent of the world’s highest mountain.

George Band Award Winners

2025 | Mike Rosser

2023 | David Farrell

2022 | Barbara Jones and Ken Taylor

2021 | Alan Huyton and Bob Moulton

2020 | Peter Judd and Ron Kenyon

2019 | Andy Newton and Fiona Sanders

2018 | Dave Musgrove

2017 | Lynn Robinson and Ian Smith

2016 | Ben Lyon

2015 | Robert Pettigrew MBE

2014 | John Innerdale MBE

2013 | Gordon Adshead and Mark Alderson

2012 | Dave Bishop and Henry Folkard

2011 | Neville McMillan and George Steele

The Rehan Siddiqui Award for Exceptional Voluntary Contribution towards promoting Equality and Diversity in the BMC recognises those who have made a significant voluntary contribution to the BMC’s commitment to increasing opportunities for under-represented groups to participate in climbing, hill walking or mountaineering and the work of the BMC.

The award was established in 2018, and named in honour of former chair of the BMC Equity Steering Group Rehan Siddiqui, who was the first member of a minority ethnic community to be elected BMC president.

Rehan Siddiqui Award Winners

2024 | Rose Gare-Simmons & Jay Jackson

2023 | Robert Dufton

2022 | Mohammed Dhalech

2021 | Andrew Higson & Graeme Hill

2020 | Jesse Dufton

2019 | Molly-Thompson-Smith

2018 | Kamala Sen

The Young Volunteer of the Year Award was established in 2018 and was re-named in 2025 in Honour of Jessica Baker following her death in 2023, aged 15. The award recognises those young people (under 27 years of age) who have made a significant voluntary contribution and commitment to the BMC and its commitment to supporting climbers, hillwalkers and mountaineers, thereby acting as role models to other young people, to encourage volunteering in the BMC.

Young Volunteer of the Year Award Winners

2025 | Catrin Rose & Ella Brewes

2023 | Agustin Guardiola

2021 | Lewis Perris Williams and Rehna Yaseen

2020 | Kody Bradley

2019 | Ellie Fuller and Stuart McDowell

2018 | Dan Lane and Nina Stirrup

Following the death of BMC Patron, Lord Tony Greaves in March 2021, President at the time Lynn Robinson proposed a new volunteer award, the Lord Greaves Award for Voluntary Contribution to BMC Access and Conservation work, to recognise volunteers who work tirelessly to promote access to and protection for the countryside we all love.

Lord Greaves Award Winners

2025 | Iain Peters

2024 | Steve Charles

2022 | Mick Johnson & Steve Quinton

2021 | Louise Hawson

The Clubs and Communities Award was established in 2026 for volunteers who have given great service within a club or other group or community within the broader BMC.

The Clubs and communities Award Winners