Air establishment SAR (Search and Rescue) Gannet in Scotland has been presented with the Desmond Wettern Fleet Award for 2002 for their public relations efforts over the past year.

Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Sir Jonathon Band flew to the air station, at Prestwick on the Ayrshire coast, to hand over the prestigious prize, awarded annually to the Royal Navy unit which does most to project a positive image of the Service.

The award is named after the distinguished Daily Telegraph Naval correspondent, and his widow Gilly joined Admiral Band on the flight north to hand over the prize.

Gilly Wettern said: “I am delighted that Gannet SAR Flight has won because of all the hard work that they have put in to raise the profile of the Navy.”

Gannet has well-established links with the media in the region, providing regular updates for local papers and transmitting images of rescue missions straight back to Scottish newsrooms and studios.

The team has also been involved in several major documentaries and dramas which have been broadcast nationally.

The unit – formerly the SAR cell of HMS Gannet – has been led for the past two years by Lt Cdr Andy Watts, and features two Sea Kings which are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide rescue cover across the north of Britain, covering mountains, coastline and open sea, including Northern Ireland and the Lake District.

Gannet’s medics recently achieved NHS recognition to provide qualified medical care for any nursing care during transfers, and the Flight Equipment Safety Group at the base have their work cut out maintaining the hard-worked helicopters to make sure they are available for call-out a short notice.

As part of the drive to maintain a high level of performance, the team practices regularly with local emergency organisations, including mountain rescue groups, the police and lifeboat crews.

Fleet bosses have welcomed the rise in numbers of entries for this PR award, and the variety of units that are campaigning for wider recognition.

A Defence Council Instruction (DCI) will be coming out later this year looking for nominations for the 2003 award, and further details can be obtained from Andy Withers at Fleet Corporate Communications on 93832 7220.