Tonight, during our Annual Team Dinner and Presentation Awards Evening our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE had the honour of presenting to very experienced Call Out list member Mike Marsh, aged 45 of Horwich, Bolton, a Mountain Rescue England and Wales Long Service Award Certificate, issued by our national mountain rescue body, recognising twenty five years of service to Mountain Rescue.
Mike Marsh joined the team in June 1985, and has served the Bolton MRT and the wider mountain rescue community for twenty five years of unbroken service ever since, a remarkable period.
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Over his time in the team Mike has served the Team Council with commendable diligence in the elected positions of Equipment Officer with responsibilities for our vehicles and as our Training Officer.

Mike Marsh accepting his certificate
For a considerable number of years he has assisted on Regional Foundation and Party Leadership courses in mountain rescue, our own Foundation Course in Mountain Rescue (Which he continues to be associated with very actively) and over recent years as the organiser and co-ordinator of the National Mountain Rescue England and Wales Party Leadership Training Course.
Mike has also assisted in the past as a guest helper and lecturer with the Irish Mountain Rescue Association training courses.
Mike remains a active hill walker and mountaineer, both here and abroad, with a lot of hill walking experience in the North West of Scotland.
In presenting the Certificate to Mike, Garry our Team Leader commented to all present ; “His commitment to the team is as strong as ever, as is his dedication to the mountain rescue service as a whole.
Over the twenty five years I’ve known Mike both as a friend and as a colleague team member, I’ve shared many days on the hill with him, I’ve shared many call outs with him, indeed I’ve shared many fall outs with him! I’ve shared exercises and the fun times as well as the sad times with Mike, as have a great many other team members. Mike personally and on behalf of everyone present here tonight, congratulations on your twenty five years in this team, and here’s to the next twenty five years, well done.”