Hillingdon Community Information

01/10/2026

💗 A little bit of exciting news from me…

I’m incredibly proud to be featured in the November 2026 issue of Woman & Home, which is also their very special 100th Anniversary Collector’s Edition.

They’ve given me a full-page feature, with the headline:

“I’m an ordinary person who refuses to walk past a problem.”

And actually, that probably sums up quite a lot of my life. ❤️

Long before SOS, I’ve always been involved in my community alongside working full-time and raising my family. Over the years I’ve been a school governor, Rotary President, Vice-Chair of Thamesbank Credit Union and a trustee of Hounslow Community FoodBox. I also helped establish Project 90/10, initially serving as its Co-Founder and Vice-Chair and now sitting on its Advisory Board. Alongside this I also served as a volunteer Army Cadet Instructor, joining in 2003 and received the Queens Commission (TA class B - Army Officer in 2013).

When COVID happened in April 2020, I became a vaccine Marshall then a volunteer vaccinator, I was a Covid care caller, checking on vulnerable people in the community and I also became a H4ALL community Champion (which I still do) and I run a community page.

In April 2020 what would become Serving Our Superheroes began around our kitchen table. We started by making washable drawstring bags for NHS staff so they could safely take their uniforms home.

One small idea led to another.

As needs changed, we changed with them. SOS went on to support hospitals, families, refugees, people experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic abuse and many others who needed a helping hand.

I also founded the Helping West London Group in 2021, bringing charities and community organisations together to share donations, referrals, transport and resources rather than working in isolation.

Since then, I’ve founded Well-being for All, and CHEF (The community food education project), I have continued my involvement with Project 90/10 and, alongside my day job, have continued working on projects around inclusion, neurodiversity and improving people’s lives. I’m a trustee for my local scout unit and I’m setting up the Maison de Serenne Foundation.

There have been some extraordinary moments along the way and recognition I never expected including being awarded the British Citizen Award medal in 2021, the British Empire Medal and League of Mercy medal in 2022. I also have a cadet long service medal.

As well as working full time and undertaking charity work I’m researching and writing about cognitive security, working to make AI safety a priority.

Throughout everything I do, it’s all about the people I help and the positive impact on society. Serving my community and beyond…

That’s why one of my favourite lines in the Woman & Home article is:

“A wash kit tells a person that somebody cares.”

Because that’s exactly it.

Whether it’s toiletries, clothing, a handmade baby bundle, a dementia care pack or something else entirely, the item itself is only part of it. It tells somebody:

You matter. Someone thought about you. You haven’t been forgotten.

Although it’s my photograph and name on the page, none of this has ever been a one-person story.

My family have spent countless hours sorting, packing and delivering. Volunteers have made thousands of beautiful handmade items. Individuals and businesses have donated, funded and transported goods. And an incredible network of charities, hospitals and community organisations has helped us get support to the people who need it.

We run SOS from home, around full-time jobs, and none of us takes a salary from the charity. Sometimes it’s exhausting, frequently my house looks more like a warehouse than a home 😂, but then you remember why you’re doing it.

When we started around that kitchen table in 2020, I certainly didn’t imagine that six years later I’d open a national magazine and find our story in a full-page feature in Woman & Home‘s 100th Anniversary Collector’s Edition.

So I’m allowing myself to be a little bit proud of this one. 🥰

But mostly, I’m grateful.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey. ❤️

13/09/2026

📍 MASTER BREWER REDEVELOPMENT — RESIDENTS, PLEASE HAVE YOUR SAY

The former Master Brewer site on Freezeland Way, near Hillingdon station, is the subject of redevelopment proposals for up to 818 homes and buildings reaching 13 storeys.

This scale of development deserves careful scrutiny of traffic, parking, healthcare, schools, SEND provision, local character and green space.

The council’s official screening record confirms these figures. It records an environmental screening decision issued on 24 July 2026—not planning permission for the development.

Official record:
https://planning.hillingdon.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?from=planningSearch&reference=4266%2FAPP%2F2026%2F1646

Ickenham Residents’ Association’s September update describes two 13-storey, two 11-storey and three nine-storey blocks, alongside lower buildings.

https://ickenhamresidents.co.uk/2026/09/08/master-brewer-development-update/

📣 PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLD RESPONSE

Our residents’ associations provide valuable collective representation, but their response does not replace yours.

An association’s letter is a collective submission; it does not automatically register an individual objection from every household it represents.

Please submit a response from your household, explaining your own concerns and experiences. Planning decisions are based on relevant evidence and planning considerations—not simply a vote or the number of objections.

🤝 LOCAL INFORMATION: OFRA AND HILLINGDON UB10

Oak Farm Residents’ Association—OFRA—is listed in the council’s residents’ association directory.

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07389 165216

OFRA page:
https://www.facebook.com/OakFarmRA/

Council residents’ association directory:
https://pre.hillingdon.gov.uk/say/residents-associations

Hillingdon UB10 Facebook community group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/25888716064065979/

Please use these channels to share information and keep neighbours informed. Posting or commenting in a Facebook group does not register a formal planning objection.

🚗 TRAFFIC: MONITOR THE CONDITIONS RESIDENTS FACE

Traffic congestion on Long Lane and surrounding roads is already a serious concern.

Ask for representative traffic monitoring covering:

• Long Lane, Hillingdon Circus, Freezeland Way and surrounding junctions.
• Morning and evening commuting periods.
• School arrival and collection times during term time.
• Queue lengths and delays leaving side roads.
• Bus journey times and emergency access.
• Diversions and traffic displaced onto residential streets.
• Construction vehicles, deliveries and servicing.

Survey dates, methods and results should be published. A short survey during a quiet period would not adequately establish peak conditions.

The developer’s screening report itself identifies cumulative transport, noise and air-quality issues associated with nearby infrastructure projects. Residents should ask whether the assessment extends far enough to capture the routes and junctions actually affected.

Screening report:
https://w10.hillingdon.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/viewDocument?file=dv_pl_files%5C4266_APP_2026_1646%5CP6779J3269+-+Master+Brewer+site+Freezeland+Way+Hillingdon+-+EIA+Screening+Report.pdf&module=pl

🚧 HS2 AND HILLINGDON HOSPITAL: ASSESS THE COMBINED IMPACT

HS2’s Breakspear Road area notice, updated on 7 September 2026, identifies continuing works with an estimated end in December 2026.

https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/main-site-activities-in-the-breakspear-road-area/

Hillingdon Hospital’s redevelopment contract was announced on 30 July 2026.

https://www.laingorourke.com/company/news/2026/laing-o-rourke-signs-contract-to-deliver-hillingdon-hospital-redevelopment/

Ask for the actual construction programmes, approved vehicle routes, diversion arrangements and cumulative junction assessments.

We should not assume every hospital construction vehicle will use Long Lane. Equally, potential overlap and displaced traffic should not be ignored simply because projects are assessed separately.

🚘 PARKING: REQUIRE REALISTIC EVIDENCE

The developer’s June screening report identifies up to 234 parking spaces for up to 818 homes—approximately 0.29 spaces per home.

That is a proposal-stage figure, not a final approved parking schedule. Residents should ask how the provision will meet demand and prevent overspill.

Being near a station does not mean every household can manage without a car. Disability, shift work, caring responsibilities and journeys towards Buckinghamshire or less accessible healthcare services all matter.

Ask for assessments of:

• Resident and visitor parking.
• Accessible spaces and carers.
• Deliveries, tradespeople and servicing.
• Evening and weekend parking occupancy nearby.
• Overspill prevention and enforceable management arrangements.

Ruislip Residents’ Association’s explanation:
https://www.ruislipresidents.org.uk/800-flats-master-brewer-plans/

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A FLAT DOES NOT EQUAL ONE RESIDENT

Population estimates must reflect the actual dwelling mix and realistic household sizes.

Studios and one-bedroom flats can have more than one occupant. Ask for higher-occupancy sensitivity testing across transport, healthcare, schools, water and sewerage assessments.

There is an official Ombudsman case documenting a family of seven living in a one-bedroom flat in Bromley. That demonstrates such occupancy can happen; it does not establish how common it is in Hillingdon or prove a local connection to poverty.

https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/news/2022/may/family-of-seven-left-to-live-in-one-bedroom-flat-by-bromley-council

🏥 HEALTHCARE: STAFFED CAPACITY, NOT JUST CONTRIBUTIONS

Council scrutiny minutes dated 22 July 2025 record concerns that planned GP provision at St Andrew’s Park had not materialised, with patients joining an Uxbridge practice and increasing pressure.

The same meeting recorded that approximately 25% of GPs were nearing or beyond retirement, alongside increases in appointment provision. These are dated findings: residents should request the current position.

https://modgov.hillingdon.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=48256

The St Andrew’s Park developer separately reports approximately £625,000 paid towards healthcare upgrades.

https://www.standrewsuxbridge.com/

Ask what that contribution delivered, whether the planned surgery position has changed, and what lessons apply to further development.

For Master Brewer, require clear answers:

• Which GP practices will accommodate additional residents?
• How many additional appointments and clinical staff are needed?
• Is additional space required?
• Who will fund premises and ongoing staffing?
• When will services be operational?

A financial contribution alone does not establish that appointments will be available.

Specified Hillingdon Hospital outpatient physiotherapy services temporarily moved to Mount Vernon from August 2026. This highlights the importance of assessing patient travel and accessibility.

https://thh.nhs.uk/news-events/temporary-changes-to-hillingdon-hospital-outpatient-physiotherapy-services-website-3175/

Ask the NHS to confirm current Mount Vernon minor-injuries provision and replacement pathways. Mount Vernon Hospital itself has not simply closed, and not every physiotherapy service moved.

🎒 EDUCATION AND SEND: PUBLISH CURRENT CAPACITY

The joint Ofsted/CQC inspection in spring 2024 found inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND requiring improvement.

It recorded average neurodisability assessment waits of 18 months at the time, while also identifying strengths. That is not a verified current waiting-time figure.

https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50252397

Residents should ask for updated progress and capacity evidence covering:

• Early-years provision.
• Primary and secondary school places.
• Specialist SEND places.
• Assessment, therapy and support services.
• Demand from other committed developments.
• Funding and delivery dates for necessary expansion.

Council SEND improvement plan:
https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/13685/Local-Area-Partnership-SEND-Inspection-Report—Improvement-Plan

📊 OUR OUTER-LONDON CONTEXT MATTERS

Census 2021 recorded approximately 305,900 Hillingdon residents, up around 32,000—or 11.7%—since 2011. London’s increase was 7.7%.

Approximately 20.9% of residents were under 16 and 13.4% were aged 65 or over. Hillingdon was London’s third least densely populated authority.

These borough-wide figures do not prove spare capacity at particular roads or services. They show why housing and infrastructure should respond to this outer-London borough’s actual population and character.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E09000017/

The council’s HMO evidence pack also records 109,229 Census households, including 40,245 with dependent children—approximately 37%.

https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/media/17567/Additional-Licensing-of-HMOs-Consultation—Evidence-Pack/pdf/79Additional_Licensing_of_HMOs_Consultation_-_Evidence_Pack.pdf?m=1761920145607

🏠 HMOS AND EXISTING ACCOMMODATION PRESSURES

That evidence pack estimated 2,537 HMOs overall, including 666 licensed HMOs at its modelling date.

These are dated figures and estimates, not a current count of proven unlawful properties.

Ask for current accommodation, overcrowding and enforcement evidence. No reliable current total of occupied “beds in sheds” has been established here.

The relevant planning issue is total demand and the capacity to support residents—not their nationality or background.

📈 WHAT DOES “2.5 YEARS’ HOUSING SUPPLY” MEAN?

The council’s assessment identifies 5,498 deliverable homes against a five-year requirement, including buffer, of 10,919.

Its anticipated supply includes:

• 3,073 homes under construction.
• 850 with unimplemented permission.
• 590 approved subject to Section 106 agreements.
• 120 completed during the first financial year.
• 865 anticipated from smaller “windfall” schemes.

The requirement uses 1,083 homes for 2025/26, followed by 2,329 annually for four years, plus a 5% buffer.

This produces approximately 2.5 years’ supply. It does not mean the borough runs out of land in 2.5 years.

https://pre.hillingdon.gov.uk/downloads/file/2777/5-year-supply-of-deliverable-housing-sites-2025-26

The national standard method uses housing stock and affordability, rather than directly extrapolating recent refugee arrivals.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/housing-and-economic-development-needs-assessments

Nevertheless, residents can ask whether separate population and infrastructure forecasts reflect current trends. ONS’s April 2026 national projections reduced long-term migration and fertility assumptions.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationprojections/bulletins/nationalpopulationprojections/2024based

Ask for updated household forecasts and lower, central and higher-growth scenarios. Lower births or fewer arrivals do not automatically remove existing housing need.

🏘️ EMPTY HOMES: DEMAND A PROPER AUDIT

Official figures record 2,799 vacant dwellings in Hillingdon in October 2025, including 1,050 long-term vacancies.

For comparison, the October 2024 figures were 1,899 vacant dwellings, including 392 long-term vacancies.

Long-term vacancies are included in the total—not additional homes.

These figures do not establish how many properties are habitable, affordable, new builds or available for occupation. They justify asking for a proper audit and measures to return suitable homes to use.

Official statistics—Table 615:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants

Ask for St Andrew’s Park and other major developments to be reported separately: completed, occupied, vacant and unfinished homes; vacancy duration; tenure; and barriers to occupation.

No verified current count has been established here for empty St Andrew’s Park new builds or shops. Homes advertised for sale are not necessarily empty.

🌳 HEIGHT, GREEN BELT AND LOCAL CHARACTER

Ask how the proposed heights comply with Hillingdon’s high-building policy DMHB 10 and how they relate to neighbouring streets.

Require verified views and assessments of overlooking, daylight, sunlight, wind, noise and usable outdoor space.

The screening report identifies a small eastern portion of the site within Green Belt, with landscaping and biodiversity enhancements proposed there. It also identifies nearby nature-conservation land.

Residents should request the exact boundaries and enforceable protection arrangements, including construction access, lighting, drainage and long-term management.

The main former hotel area and protected eastern land should not be treated as interchangeable.

Hillingdon adopted development policies:
https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/media/3084/Hillingdon-Local-Plan-Part-2-Development-Management-Policies/pdf/LPP2_Development_Management_Policies_-_ADOPTED_VERSION_JAN_2020_1.pdf?m=1598370641570

🌬️ AIR QUALITY AND AVIATION

The screening report identifies the site within an Air Quality Management Area and flags road-related nitrogen dioxide.

Ask for construction and operational air-quality assessments, considering cumulative traffic and exposure of neighbouring residents and future occupants.

Relevant aviation safeguarding checks should address RAF Northolt and Heathrow, and Denham where applicable, including building and crane heights, lighting and aircraft noise.

Airport proximity alone does not prove a breach, but relevant technical assessments and consultee responses should be published.

💷 WHERE IS THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLAN?

The council’s infrastructure webpage lists a borough Strategic Infrastructure Plan dated May 2017.

https://pre.hillingdon.gov.uk/planning-policy/infrastructure-planning

Importantly, a government procurement notice shows the council sought an updated Infrastructure Delivery Plan and delivery schedule in 2024.

Residents should therefore ask: has that work been completed, where is it published, and how does it inform this proposal?

The notice concerns commissioning a study—not proof that infrastructure construction is funded.

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/d8dbd69e-63eb-4247-99a7-dae2e53f5be9

For every necessary improvement, request:

• Existing and projected capacity.
• Costs and secured funding.
• Funding gaps.
• Delivery responsibilities.
• Staffing where relevant.
• Completion dates.
• Measures that must be operational before occupation.

📣 HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY

1️⃣ Respond to the developer’s consultation:
https://masterbrewer.communityuk.site/

2️⃣ Check the council register for the full planning application:
https://planning.hillingdon.gov.uk/

Open the correct application, read the documents and select “Enter comment”.

Council instructions:
https://pre.hillingdon.gov.uk/planning-info/planning-search-guide/2

Related environmental screening reference:
4266/APP/2026/1646

That screening record is not permission and does not provide a full-application consultation deadline. Confirm the correct application reference and deadline with:

[email protected]

Developer feedback and formal council representations are separate processes. You may need to respond to both.

FACEBOOK COMMENTS DO NOT REGISTER AN OBJECTION.

If you object, explain which impacts concern you and what evidence, changes or mitigation you seek. You can request a substantially smaller, lower-rise scheme with appropriate parking, or refusal where significant planning harms cannot be satisfactorily addressed.

🤝 Please share with neighbours, support OFRA and encourage each household to respond individually.

Help anyone who is not online to access the proposals and submit their views. Collective representation is valuable, but your household’s own experience matters too.

Find out how to view information on a planning application.

13/09/2026

📣 MASTER BREWER SITE — LOCAL RESIDENTS, HAVE YOUR SAY

Proposals for the former Master Brewer site on Freezeland Way, near Hillingdon station, deserve close attention from everyone living nearby.

The council’s environmental screening record refers to up to 818 homes. Ickenham Residents’ Association’s September update describes proposed buildings reaching 13 storeys.

That is a substantial development, with potential implications for traffic, healthcare, schools, drainage and the character of our neighbourhood.

What does the planning stage mean?

Environmental screening considers whether a proposal needs an Environmental Impact Assessment. It does not itself grant planning permission.

Residents can give feedback on the emerging proposals now, while checking the council register for any subsequent planning application and formal consultation.

🚗 Traffic and road safety

Many residents already experience congestion on Long Lane and around Hillingdon Circus, Freezeland Way and the station.

Before a development of this scale is approved, we need a credible assessment of:

• Additional traffic at peak times, including school journeys.
• The combined impact of other nearby developments.
• Parking demand and overspill into residential streets.
• Pedestrian and cyclist safety, junction capacity and emergency access.
• Construction traffic, delivery routes and disruption.

Being near a station does not remove the need to assess these impacts.

🏥 Healthcare and local services

We need clear evidence that local services can support the additional population.

Residents’ concerns about access to GPs and pressure on Hillingdon Hospital should be addressed through consultation with NHS commissioners and providers.

Hillingdon also serves an airport area with substantial visitor accommodation and a changing population. Infrastructure planning should assess actual demand from residents, workers and temporary populations together.

What additional GP appointments, clinical space, staff and hospital capacity will be needed—and how will they be funded and delivered?

New buildings alone will not solve healthcare pressures without the staff and services to operate them.

🏫 Infrastructure must accompany growth

We should also ask about:

• School places, including SEND provision.
• Water supply, sewer capacity and surface-water drainage.
• Public transport capacity and accessible walking routes.
• Green space, play areas and community facilities.
• Building height, overlooking, daylight and effects on neighbouring homes.

These are questions requiring evidence, rather than assumptions that every impact will occur.

📝 Suggested wording for your response

“I am concerned that the proposed scale of development could place additional pressure on roads and local services. Long Lane and the surrounding junctions already experience congestion, and I request a robust assessment of cumulative traffic, parking and road-safety impacts.

The proposals should demonstrate, through consultation with relevant providers, how additional healthcare, school, water, sewerage and community-service needs will be met. Any necessary mitigation should have clear funding, delivery dates and appropriate links to occupation of the development.

I also request detailed assessment of building height, daylight, overlooking, drainage and usable green space. I would object to a scheme that leaves significant impacts inadequately assessed or addressed.”

Adapt this to your own experience. Give specific locations, times and examples, and explain which parts of the published plans concern you.

📣 TAKE ACTION

1. Read the proposals and submit developer feedback:
https://masterbrewer.communityuk.site/

2. Check the council planning register:
https://planning.hillingdon.gov.uk/

Existing environmental screening reference: 4266/APP/2026/1646.

Check whether a subsequent application has a different reference and an open comment deadline. Developer feedback and formal council representations are separate processes.

3. Keep informed through your local residents’ association:
https://ickenhamresidents.co.uk/

4. Share this with neighbours and help anyone who cannot access the information online.

Facebook comments alone do not submit a planning objection. Please put your views into the relevant consultation so they can be considered.

Our community needs a clear, funded infrastructure plan alongside any major new development.

Working for you to keep Ickenham a green and pleasant village in which to live

13/09/2026

🍂 September safety check — getting ready for autumn

As the evenings draw in across Hillingdon, now is a good time to give your home and car a few simple checks.

🏠 Around the house

• Put suitable indoor lamps on timers so your home looks occupied when you’re out after dark. Use timers with lamps, never portable heaters.
• Check outside lights and keep entrances well lit.
• Lock doors, windows, sheds and side gates. Keep keys and valuables away from windows and letterboxes.
• Clear slippery leaves from paths and arrange safe gutter maintenance before heavier rain arrives.
• Test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, and keep escape routes clear.
• Keep heaters away from curtains, furniture and washing; never cover them.
• Have a torch somewhere easy to find, with spare batteries and a charged phone power bank.

🚗 Give your car an autumn check

Check tyres, lights, wipers, screenwash and your battery’s condition. Clear windows fully before setting off, allow more time in poor weather and slow down around wet leaves and standing water.

Keep a small kit in the car:

✅ Warm blanket, waterproof coat and gloves
✅ Torch and spare batteries
✅ Phone cable and in-car charger
✅ Bottled water and long-life snacks
✅ First-aid kit and high-visibility vest
✅ Ice scraper and de-icer ready for colder mornings
✅ Suitable jump leads or a compatible jump starter
✅ Breakdown assistance details

Only jump-start a vehicle if you know how and its handbook permits it. Electric and hybrid vehicles can have specific restrictions.

Keep emergency equipment secured, and valuables out of sight. Never leave your car running unattended while defrosting.

🤝 Look out for each other

Check whether an older neighbour or someone needing extra support has working lights, warmth and a way to call for help.

A few small jobs now can make the darker, wetter months easier and safer.

Official household and car-kit advice:

How to get informed and put a plan in place to prepare if an emergency comes to you in your area.

13/09/2026

🏠 Community safety information — preparing for emergencies

A little preparation can help your household cope with power cuts, water interruptions, severe weather or an unexpected evacuation. Build supplies gradually and keep them somewhere accessible.

Keep these essentials at home:

• Sealed bottled drinking water. Allow at least 3 litres per person per day for drinking, with extra for cooking, hygiene and pets. Start with a few days’ supply.
• Familiar, non-perishable food that can be eaten without cooking, plus a manual tin opener.
• Torches, spare batteries, charged power banks and a battery-powered radio.
• First-aid supplies, essential medication, hygiene items and warm clothing.
• Printed emergency contacts and a little cash, if affordable.

Make a simple household plan

Agree meeting points, an emergency contact and arrangements for children, pets and anyone needing additional support. Keep a small grab bag with essential documents, medication, water, snacks, a torch and warm clothing. In a fire, leave immediately without collecting belongings.

Use water and backup equipment safely

Water-butt water is for gardening and other non-drinking uses. Avoid creating fine sprays from stagnant water. Filters and purification tablets cannot make every water source safe; follow your water supplier’s instructions.

Never operate a generator, barbecue or outdoor camping cooker inside a home, garage or shed. Never connect a generator through a household socket.

During an incident

Follow emergency services, council and utility updates. Check on vulnerable neighbours when safe, and share verified information rather than rumours.

📞 Immediate danger: 999 or 112
⚡ Power cuts: 105
🔥 Gas emergency: 0800 111 999

Official advice: UK Government Prepare-

How to get informed and put a plan in place to prepare if an emergency comes to you in your area.

13/09/2026

⛰️ MOUNTAIN & HILLWALKING SAFETY — A SEPTEMBER REMINDER

We may not have many mountains to worry about here in Hillingdon, our “hills” are rather more modest! but many of us travel further afield for weekends away, walking holidays, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and days out in Wales, the Peak District, Lake District and Scotland.

As we move into autumn, I thought it was worth sharing a reminder about mountain safety.

The days are getting shorter. Weather can change incredibly quickly. Cloud and mist can arrive unexpectedly, and conditions at the top of a mountain can be completely different from those in the car park or nearest town.

Hillwalking is wonderful for our physical and mental wellbeing, and getting outside and exploring is something we should encourage.

But a mountain isn’t simply a longer version of a countryside walk.

Mountain Rescue England and Wales received 3,968 calls for assistance in 2025, resulting in 3,175 deployments.

Accidents can happen to anyone, including highly experienced and well-equipped walkers. That’s exactly why Mountain Rescue exists.

But some emergencies can be prevented through preparation, appropriate equipment and knowing when not to continue.

Before heading into the mountains, ask yourself:

🥾 Do I have the right gear?
🌦️ Have I checked the mountain weather?
🧭 Do I have the skills and experience for this particular route?

🌫️ IF THE CLOUD OR MIST COMES DOWN — STOP

This is one thing I particularly want people to remember.

Don’t just keep walking because your phone or an app appears to show the path ahead.

Stop. Stay together. Make sure you’re somewhere safe, away from cliffs, steep drops or unstable ground, and establish exactly where you are.

In hill cloud, visibility can fall to less than 50 metres. Familiar landmarks can disappear and it becomes surprisingly easy to become disorientated.

If you are confident navigating with a map and compass, reassess your position and work out your safest route.

If you don’t know where you are or cannot navigate safely, don’t wander around hoping you’ll eventually find the path. Stay somewhere safe while you establish your position or call for help.

And remember:

🏔️ Turning around is not failure.

If the weather deteriorates, daylight is disappearing, someone in your group is struggling, or the terrain is more difficult than you expected — turn back.

The mountain will still be there another day.

🎒 BEFORE YOU SET OFF

✅ Check a mountain-specific weather forecast, not simply the weather for the nearest town.

✅ Research the whole route, including the descent. Check distance, ascent, terrain, exposure and whether scrambling is involved.

✅ Check sunset time and allow plenty of spare daylight — particularly as we move further into autumn.

✅ Tell someone where you’re going, your planned route and when you expect to return.

✅ Take waterproofs and warm layers — even if it’s warm and sunny when you leave Hillingdon!

✅ Wear suitable footwear.

✅ Carry enough food and water.

✅ Take a head torch, even if you have absolutely no intention of being out after dark.

✅ Carry a charged phone and ideally a power bank.

✅ Download maps for offline use. Don’t assume you’ll have a mobile signal.

✅ Carry a map and compass — and know how to use them.

✅ Consider a whistle, basic first-aid kit and emergency shelter/bivvy.

✅ Keep your group together and plan around the least experienced or least able member, not the strongest.

And please don’t choose a route simply because you’ve seen somebody complete it on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or a walking app.

Crib Goch is a perfect example.

A spectacular photograph can make an exposed Grade 1 scramble look like another picturesque route to the summit.

It doesn’t show what that exposure feels like when you’re actually standing on the ridge — particularly when the rocks are wet, the wind rises or the cloud comes down.

Social media shows us the summit.

It rarely shows us the judgement, skills, equipment, preparation and experience required to reach it safely.

🚨 IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG

Here’s something important that many people don’t realise.

If you need Mountain Rescue in England or Wales, the official procedure is:

📞 Call 999 or 112
👮 Ask for POLICE
⛰️ Then ask for MOUNTAIN RESCUE

Mountain Rescue teams are called out through the police.

So remember:

999 → POLICE → MOUNTAIN RESCUE

Give your location or grid reference if you can, explain what has happened and follow the instructions you’re given. Conserve your phone battery and, if you’re in a safe position, don’t keep moving around unnecessarily unless instructed to do so.

Mountain Rescue teams are largely made up of volunteers. They respond in darkness, rain, snow, high winds and extremely difficult terrain, often leaving their jobs and families to help complete strangers.

They will always be there when someone genuinely needs rescuing.

This isn’t about blaming people who get into difficulty. Accidents happen.

It’s about preventing the emergencies that can be prevented.

So this September, whether you’re staying on the wonderfully flat ground of Hillingdon or heading somewhere considerably higher:

🥾 Get outside.
🌳 Explore.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Take the children.
🏔️ Enjoy our incredible countryside and mountains.

But prepare properly.

Respect the weather and the terrain.

Know your limits.

And never be embarrassed to turn around.

The view will still be there another day.

A summit is optional. Getting home safely isn’t. ❤️🏔️