Profile
Karl Lester's MBE: a soldier's second calling on the mountains
Karl Lester of Penmachno, Conwy, was appointed MBE in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours for voluntary services to mountain rescue, after more than 555 call-outs with the Ogwen Valley team and a 23-year Army career.
· Honoria
When the 2026 King's Birthday Honours were announced, they included Karl Lester, a 57-year-old volunteer from Penmachno in the Conwy valley, appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for voluntary services to mountain rescue.
From the Army to the Ogwen valley
Before the mountains, there was the military. Lester served for 23 years in the Army, with tours in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Gulf War and Iraq, and was recognised along the way with decorations including the General Service Medal and a United Nations Medal. That grounding in teamwork under pressure carried directly into his next calling.
More than 555 call-outs
Since 2008 Lester has answered over 555 call-outs with the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, one of the busiest teams in Snowdonia. Alongside the rescues themselves, he helps train new recruits in casualty care and spent twelve years running the team's public relations, promoting hill safety and raising the funds a volunteer team depends on. When severe weather has stretched services elsewhere in the country, he has travelled to help.
The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation is a volunteer-run charity that depends on public support. You can donate to the team to help keep them on the hill.