Perfect tale of unsung heroism

The incredible role played by charities and volunteers in saving people’s lives is regularly featured in these pages. Rarely though does one tale so perfectly highlight the dedicated efforts of quite so many as that of Kenneth Cooper. That he has lived to tell the tale at all is directly attributable to the work not of one, or even two, but three such organisations. First the Cairngorms National Park, whose programme of teaching its volunteer rangers first aid meant he got rapid assistance. These are individuals who might sign up to help build paths or plant trees but do not hesitate to spring into action when faced with an emergency. They were in turn helped by the Sandpiper Trust’s recognition, born out of tragedy, of the need to have life-saving equipment in remote areas. And then there was the reassuring sound of the rotors of the charity air ambulance – an incredible service whose expansion we stand firmly behind.