A number of Buckinghamshire Search and Rescue (BSAR) and Search Dog Bucks (SDB) members were recognised for their services and awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal.
The special commemorative medal is awarded to individuals serving as frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and the armed forces.
The groups are professional volunteers who are highly trained and support local police forces, primarily in the search for high risk missing people.
At an awards ceremony at the RAF Officers Mess in High Wycombe, 18 members were recognised with the award.
The presentations were made by Debbie Brock, high sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Matthew Barber, police and crimes commissioner for Thames Valley Police and Teresa Archer, chair of Lowland Rescue.
The two teams are part of Lowland Rescue which sits under the UK Search and Rescue team and has been active for over 25 years.
This is the first time that members have been included for individual medals, alongside the other major UK Search and Rescue volunteer organisations.
Debbie Brock, high sheriff of Buckinghamshire, said: “It has been a wonderful evening learning about Bucks Search and Rescue and to join the police and crime commissioner in awarding volunteers with Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medals.
"We are extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated team supporting our emergency services 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. “
Matthew Barber, police and crimes commissioner for Thames Valley Police, said: “BSAR and SDB make a huge contribution to Thames Valley Police, without their support, the policing costs relating to searching alone would be staggering.
"The teams save lives and bring closure to families.
"BSAR and SDP are an integral part of community safety and embody the essence of public are the police and police are the public”
Teresa Archer, chair of Lowland Rescue, said: "We are delighted that our volunteers have been recognised for their commitment and professional service.”
The Platinum Jubilee medal follows a long history of awarding medals to mark Royal jubilees, with the first one awarded to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1887.
It is made of nickel silver and produced by the Worcestershire medal service in Birmingham.
It is the fourth jubilee medal created for the Queen, previous medals were officially awarded to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
The medal winners from BSAR were Lorraine Burnett, Andy Baldwin, Daniel Mannion, Chris Gee, Martin Curtis, Ben King, Louise Rickard, Al Goffey, Laura Griffen.
The recipients from SDB were Pauline Turner, Jenny Anstey, Caroline Clarke, Laura Williams, Cath Marriott, Bridget Randall, James Garey, John Seaman, Jonathan Crowther.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here