Cave rescue heroes awarded Platinum Jubilee Medals
HONOURED: Bartek Biela, left, and Mike Clayton, right, of Arco Professional Safety Services, with Simon Hardiman, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
By Simon Bristow
Three colleagues from Arco Professional Safety Services are being awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for their dedicated, safety-critical, voluntary work within search and rescue organisations in the UK.
Mike Clayton, Bartek Biela, and Rob Messenger, are being recognised for their life-saving voluntary work with Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation, and the Staffordshire Search & Rescue Team of Lowland Search & Rescue, respectively.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal is a recognition of exemplary service by members in frontline emergency roles, prison services and the Armed Forces. Recipients are required to have at least five full calendar years of voluntary service.
DELIGHTED: Mike Clayton, left, of Arco Professional Safety Services, receiving his medal from Simon Hardiman, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
All three Arco recipents have utilised their expertise in the safety sector to support emergency services in life-threatening situations in some of the country’s most inhospitable environments, including Mike and Bartek’s role in the longest cave rescue in Welsh history last year.
The rescue occurred in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system in the Brecon Beacons, where one caver, George Linnane from Bristol, was trapped for over 54 hours.
Regarding his medal honours, Mike said: “I am proud to receive this medal as recognition for all the voluntary work undertaken over the past five years. No one volunteers for cave rescue for reward or honours but to be there to help others in difficulty. I am thrilled though; the medal is a real bonus.”
Bartek said: “It is a privilege and a great honour to receive the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. When joining the organisation, I never expected any recognition or reward as we are only there to help when this help is most needed.”
‘WE’RE ONLY THERE TO HELP’: Bartek Biela, left, of Arco Professional Safety Services, receives his medal from Simon Hardiman, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
On his nomination, Rob said: “I feel honoured to be recognised amongst the men and women of the emergency services. People don’t volunteer because they have the time, they volunteer because they care.”
Arco managing director David Evison said: “We’re incredibly proud that Mike, Bartek, and Rob have been recognised for their incredible voluntary work over the last five years. They have each made a difference in their commitment to help keep people safe in inhospitable environments.
“As experts in safety, Arco as a business encourages its colleagues to share their knowledge and expertise in the communities we serve, including through volunteer work.”