Hamish MacInnes legacy will boost mountain grant scheme

The Trustees of The Scottish Mountaineering Trust (SMT) is delighted to announce that they are the sole beneficiary of the £446,000 estate of Hamish MacInnes, one of the greatest Scottish mountaineers and innovators of our time. This significant donation will enable the SMT to expand its grant support for organisations that encourage individuals and groups to experience life-enhancing mountain activities.

Hamish MacInnes, ‘The Fox of Glencoe’, was confident, ambitious, determined, pragmatic, and adventurous, and the Trust is keen to see these admirable qualities being developed in more people through a broadening of their grant-funded projects.

In addition to the projects SMT have traditionally supported that include mountain access, skills training and mountain rescue, the broadening support means that the Trustees would like to see more applications from bodies that open up the mountains to young people and those from socially disadvantaged communities. The SMT will still promote safe participation for all in mountaineering and will continue to welcome applications for education and training projects in the hills.

Since 1990 SMT has donated £1,982,000 to a wide variety of organisations and individuals that support and promote physical and mental health and empowerment, education and training, and public recreation through hillwalking, rock climbing, winter mountaineering and ski touring in Scotland’s mountains.

Projects have included upland footpath repair schemes, mountain rescue equipment and facilities, mountain hut renovation, life-enhancing mountain experiences for disadvantaged communities, training in mountain safety and skills, publishing guides and information about the mountains, and expeditions with clear scientific or educational objectives.

SMT Chairman, David Broadhead, explained: “We are delighted that the MacInnes trustees have decided to pass Hamish’s legacy to the SMT. We recognise that this is a big responsibility, as Hamish was a complete individual steering his own course through life, and the SMT will ensure that his values and memory will live on through the projects we support.”

Kevin Lelland from The John Muir Trust, an SMT Grant beneficiary, said: “We have nothing but praise for the SMT. We have enjoyed a relationship for almost 25 years and received about £200k that has enabled us to make the mountains accessible to everybody.”

For more details on Scottish Mountaineering Trust Grants and to apply go to https://thesmt.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant-new-form-and-guidance/. Submission for the next SMT Grants meeting should be made by Friday 21 March 2025.

ENDS

Images:

A selection of pictures of recent SMT Grant beneficiary projects and Hamish MacInnes can be downloaded from Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ga1ge44ugq899oy4zslyj/AAMqHBhzxJ0D1RbLbhoP3gg?rlkey=n7o2aqnj7ejbfkgbf86qtnx17&st=dinp7jmv&dl=0

Notes to Editors:

Further quotes from recent SMT Grant beneficiaries:

Jon Garside from The Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust commented: “The £20,000 in grants we have received from the SMT has enabled over 700 young people to attend winter skills courses that they could not otherwise access.”

Rachel May from Mhór Outdoor said: “Nothing but positive words for the SMT. They are easy to work with and give lots of help to open up the outdoors to the wider mountain community”

Hamish MacInnes

Hamish MacInnes (1930-2020) was one of the greatest mountaineers of our time. In addition to being an exceptionally skilled climber who pioneered new routes in the UK, the Alps and greater ranges that still have fearsome reputations, Hamish was an award-winning innovator of pioneering mountaineering equipment and the father of modern-day mountain rescue and mountain safety.

Hamish MacInnes made Scotland’s outdoor playground a safer place to discover and explore. He was the author of at least 26 books ranging from climbing guides, including the International Mountain Rescue Handbook, widely regarded as the industry standard reference work, and descriptions of mountain rescues to crime thrillers. Hamish was also a prolific filmmaker, film safety adviser and stunt man.

Hamish was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1962 and the Order of the British Empire in 1979 for services in mountaineering and mountain rescue.

His life and achievements are chronicled in the recent book ‘The Fox of Glencoe’, published by the SMT’s publishing company, the Scottish Mountaineering Press.

Links to Hamish MacInnes obituaries

Scottish Mountaineering Trust (SMT) Grants

SMT Grants are given twice a year, in April and October.

Applications for the spring 2025 grant meeting should be submitted by Friday 21 March 2025.

The SMT makes grants to organisations and individuals for projects that meet their main objective:

To promote and support (physical and mental) health, education and training, and public recreation – principally recreational hillwalking, rock climbing, winter mountaineering and ski touring in the mountains of Scotland – providing opportunities for the public to enjoy the mountains and appreciate their beauty safely.

Any grants made by the Trust must be for charitable purposes.

Applicants are required to complete an application form (word or PDF options) and return it with the appropriate supporting documentation (specified in the Application and Guidance Notes on the website – https://thesmt.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant-new-form-and-guidance/) by email or post to the Secretary of the Trust – [email protected].

Donations received by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust in 2024 include:

MacInnes Alpine Trust – £446,000
KPMG/Marty Stephens fund – £29,000 (a sponsored hill walk in memory of one of their colleagues – 2nd year)
The Hamilton Charitable Trust – £21,000
Mr N Frazer of Lossiemouth – £7500.

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