Burghead Coastguard Rescue Team's longstanding Station Officer Graeme Gordon has picked up a hat trick of accolades at the Moray and Banffshire Heroes Awards.
The esteemed event celebrates local community champions and volunteers across the Northeast and saw Graham nominated in three categories: Volunteer, Emergency Services and Hero of Heroes.
Graeme, who joined HM Coastguard in 1985, was recognised for his longstanding work to save lives across the region at an exclusive ceremony, held on Friday 25 April at The Banff Springs Hotel.
For 38 years, Rope Technician Graeme has headed up the Burghead Coastguard Rescue Team as Station Officer, effectively leading and managing the team’s training and emergency response. Over the past two years, the team has attended over 110 incidents, from rope rescues and assisting missing person searches, to rescuing casualties from the water.
In the early 2000s, Graeme became one of the members of the Moray Flood Response Team and is still deployed across Scotland to assist partner services, most recently for Storm Babet in October 2023 where he took part in rescues in Brechin, Angus.
Graeme said: “Winning these awards was a total surprise to me – I’m so chuffed. But to be quite honest, when I spoke to my fellow nominees, I said that I’d be so happy if they’d won! I’ve had congratulations in local shops and cards through my door, but really I’m just a working-class lad from Burghead doing the best that I can.
“What’s important is our work as a team as emergency responders – and that includes my wife, who’s seen me miss many important family events over the last 40 years. It’s just a great team and I’m proud to be part of it.”
The veteran volunteer has seen a huge amount of change over the course of his time with the Burghead team, including improvements in training, skills, and equipment.
He says: “I joined the service because my boss at work had been involved, and I’d seen breeches buoy being used for training off the headland. I began my career by training as a joiner before working for Diageo distillers, up until about three years ago when I retired.
“I’m still fit and healthy, and I enjoy being outside all the time – either Coastguarding or paddleboarding. I’ll carry on working for the service until I can’t any longer, so here’s to the next five years!”
Colin Wood, Senior Coastal Operations Officer for Area 3, nominated Graeme for one of the awards. He said: "Graeme was nominated as he exemplifies the qualities of a good Coastguard Rescue Officer. He’s reliable, honest, hardworking and motivates those around him to perform at their best.
“Our Coastguard Rescue Teams are part of the communities that they operate in, and Graeme is a very important part of his local community, both within and outside of HM Coastguard.
“Our volunteers are the backbone of our service, providing an invaluable Search and Rescue response to their local area.”
