Friends of a climber who died when he plunged 600ft down a Highland mountain are raising money for the mountain rescue team involved in the search for his body.
Shaun Bowden, of Ware, Hertfordshire, died on 3,773ft Bidean nam Bian – the highest peak in the Glencoe area – in March last year.
The 39-year-old married father-of-two was part of a five-strong group descending from the summit when the weather conditions worsened and he lost his footing on ice and fell, resisting the temptation to grab his companions as he fell.
His body was located by Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team.
His friends are currently fundraising to buy the team a specially adapted Land Rover in memory of Mr Bowden, who was a successful international sales and marketing executive and a former cardiac physiologist.
So far, they have raised almost £17,000 and they are hoping a major fundraising event in October will help them find the other £9,000 to £10,000 needed to purchase the vehicle.
Event organiser Bobby Willis, 35, of London, who had been climbing with Mr Bowden when he fell to his death, said they were hoping as many people as possible would take part in the Bowden Big Weekender – a 4X4 rally leaving Birmingham on Friday October 3 and reaching the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team base on Sunday October 5.
Mr Willis said: “The Glencoe Mountain Rescue team was fundamental in his search and recovery and the volunteers who make up their team risk their lives in awful conditions for hundreds of people each year. So we have made it our mission to try to give something back to them.”
He added that he returned to Glencoe earlier this year to revisit the area where the accident occurred.
He said: “As we were driving along a very beautiful glen, we saw a battered old Land Rover that was Glencoe Mountain Rescue’s vehicle.
“That’s when I first thought how nice it would be if there was a Bowden Land Rover roaming around the area saving lives.
“Since then, my friends and I have made it our mission to raise money for the rescue team to have a bespoke 4X4 rescue vehicle.”
Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team treasurer Linda MacEwan said: “We are very grateful to Shaun Bowden’s friends for their efforts. Their enthusiasm is incredible and we have no doubt they will reach their goal.
“The team relies on donations and, sadly, most of these tend to come in following fatal accidents.”
Anyone wishing to take part in the event or to make a donation should visit the event website at bowdenbigweekender.co.uk