New Mountaineering Scotland directors

Mountaineering Scotland welcomed three new Board members at the AGM in Perth last month.

Our new Treasurer is Jennifer Cardno, who lives near Fraserburgh. Jennifer graduated from Robert Gordon University in 2011, completed her chartered accountancytraining in Aberdeen with Hall Morrice, and now works for the accountancy firm Leiper and Summers in Fraserburgh.

She is a keen hillwalker and completed the Munros in September 2015.

She said: “It has been amazing to travel and see different parts of Scotland in all seasons whilst exploring the Scottish mountains. Being Mountaineering Scotland Treasurer will allow me to combine my profession with my love for the outdoors. I am also keen to contribute to the organisation’s work protecting our landscapeand promoting outdoor activities in Scotland.

Jonathan Binny, from Roy Bridge, was appointed Director of Landscape and Planning, the post previously held by Dave Gordon, who stood down at the end of his term, although he will remain as a volunteer.

Jonathan is a hill walker, mountain biker and Nordic skier, and has run a programme of outdoor education, organised DofE expeditions and been Chair of an outdoors charity. He worked on the senior management team at a school.

He explained: “I believe we have to campaign to protect our unique and world class landscapes before they are lost under the threat from ill-conceived projects. My passion for the hills and countryside is so great that I took early retirement last year and moved to NW Scotland to be better placed to explore the outdoor environment.

Steve Gough was also appointed as a director. Before relocating to Fife on retirement this year, he was Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Bath, and a member of the University's senior management.

Steve first went climbing in 1968 and since then has climbed, walked, or caved in many parts of the world, including original cave explorations in Papua New Guinea, Borneo and northern Norway. He first came to the Scottish hills “rather late in life”, in part through the TGO Challenge which he has completed three times.

He said: “I hope my skills and experience may be useful. I know that discovering the outdoors as a boy changed my whole life hugely for the better, so I'd like to make a contribution to ensuring that those opportunities continue to be available to others.”