They may have been tempting fate but on Friday, 13 October, Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team gathered together to celebrate their 50th birthday.

Originally bearing the somewhat unwieldy name of Outward Bound Sea School, Aberdyfi, Search & Rescue Team the rescue organisation was officially convened in September 1973, though had been operating in this capacity since the mid 1960s at least.

The links with the Outward Bound school (OB), which remain to this day albeit in a different form, were key to the functioning of the new team, and its initial “volunteers” were the instructors and staff of OB.

With staff living on site, a 24 hour warden service on duty, and equipment and vehicles readily available the system worked well from the start.

Rescues were coordinated from the school, and instructors from other outdoor education facilities could be brought in as required.

With changing practices within OB, the team shifted focus and started to include true volunteers from both within and without the school, and over the years morphed into a fully independent organization with its own processes, equipment and vehicles. The name shifted via Outward Bound Wales Search & Rescue Team to settled in 2012 on Aberdyfi Search & Rescue Team.

Team spokesperson Graham O’Hanlon said: “In particular, the last 10 years or so seem to have witnessed the greatest changes for the team.”

Though he concedes that may be because he was around to witness them.

“Processes such as the call out system, which had been in place for perhaps 30 years, were revolutionised by the advent of wider mobile phone and internet availability. The need for extensive searches has also been much reduced by a range of smartphone processes to help locate missing people. It is interesting to ponder what the next 10 years will bring.”

To find out more of the etam’s history, visit their website at www.aberdyfi-sart.org.uk