OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE %%PEOPLE%% LIKE YOU
Our team is made up of people from all walks of life - teachers, students, parents, paramedics, business owners, veterans, architects, photographers, nurses, civil servants, retirees and more.
Everyone is united by one shared goal: to help find high-risk vulnerable missing people across London. We’re volunteers, trained to national search and rescue standards, and on call 24/7 to support the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police, and NHS in time-critical searches.
No two volunteers are the same, and that’s our strength, always striving to represent the city that we serve. Together, we form a professional, compassionate and resilient community, committed to saving lives, one search at a time.
MEET %%MATT%%
Matt joined London Search and Rescue in 2021 as a Search Technician, right in the heart of the pandemic. “I wanted to do something for the local community. It was about giving back to London.” Originally from outside the capital, Matt moved to Brixton around ten years ago and now calls it home. “I love how different communities come together here. It just works.”
By day, Matt works as a Programme Manager in the travel industry, helping manage complex systems and software teams. But when he’s off-call, you’ll find him outdoors - hiking, exploring, or attending team training with LonSAR. “The skills and experience you gain here are completely different from my day job. That’s what makes it so valuable.”
Matt’s motivation comes from both a love of nature and a desire to make a meaningful impact. He’s travelled widely, but says that working on local searches brings a different kind of perspective. “You see your city differently after a search. There’s a deeper connection to the people and places around you.”
MEET %%LARA%%
Lara first heard about London Search and Rescue during the tragic search for Sarah Everard. “I spotted LonSAR on the Common. I didn’t even know there were volunteers doing that kind of work.”
Already an active community volunteer - having supported everything from Parkrun to officiating at the London 2012 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games- Lara was drawn to the purpose and professionalism she saw in LonSAR. “I’d looked for something like this for ages. But there wasn’t anything in London until I found them.”
Lara’s day job as a park ranger gives her real-world crossover with the skills taught at LonSAR. “We’ve started doing weapons searches in my park alongside police. I couldn’t believe how much the training from LonSAR helped me.”
She was especially impressed by the quality and depth of instruction. “The training is far better than anything I’ve received at work. You can feel how much it matters.”
From safeguarding to navigation, Lara brings a pragmatic and highly committed mindset to every mission. She’s proof that outdoor experience, curiosity, and community spirit are a powerful mix.
MEET %%AMELIA%%
Amelia grew up near a mountain in New Zealand and has always felt at home in the forest. “I’ve always been comfortable outdoors,” she says. “It’s nice to be able to get outside and do something to help.”
She discovered London Search and Rescue via a LinkedIn post and quickly found purpose in volunteering. With personal experiences of suicide and mental health loss close to home, Amelia was drawn to the chance to support others at critical moments. “Even if we’re not the team that finds them, knowing someone isn’t in a certain area helps the wider search. That’s still impact.”
She recalls a seven-hour night search in South London for a missing woman with dementia. “She was eventually found alive in Camden. No search is the same, but each one matters.”
Amelia balances volunteering with work in cyber security and brings compassion, calm and lived empathy to her role. She believes strongly in public awareness and breaking down misconceptions about what it means to volunteer. “Sometimes, it’s just about showing up. That in itself makes a difference".
MEET %%JAMES%%
James is a Global Head of Audit in the banking industry, board advisor and seasoned trustee who brings his strategic mindset and governance expertise to charity sector.
His journey with London Search and Rescue began at a charity event. “I’d spent years behind desks and screens,” he recalls. “I wanted to contribute more directly, something operational, something real.”
He trained as a Search Technician and has since joined the Water, Paddlecraft and Powerboat teams, becoming a FREC-3 medic and specialising in mental health through Mental Health First Aid, Suicide First Aid and Applied Suicide Intervention and Skills Training. On the ground, he’s led high-risk searches and suicide prevention patrols. He is also a Team Leader, Search Operations Manager and Search Planner.
Over time, James took on a broader leadership role within LonSAR’s Senior Leadership Team, bringing strategy to life, strengthening governance, and supporting fundraising, communications and recruitment across the team. “I didn’t plan to step into leadership,” he says. “But I knew I could help the charity grow and build long-term resilience.”
A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Member of the Institute of Search and Technical Rescue and lifelong outdoor enthusiast, James combines technical rigour with deep empathy for the people LonSAR serves - whether children, those with dementia, or people in planning to take their life. “This work reminds you that purpose is real - it’s how you show up - calmly, consistently and with compassion.”
MEET %%BHUPINDER%%
Bhupinder works for the Home Office as a civil servant, but his motivation to join London Search and Rescue came from something far deeper: a lifelong commitment to Seva - the Sikh principle of selfless service. “It’s never about recognition. It’s about giving back to humanity.”
Seeking a way to contribute meaningfully while balancing family life and faith, Bhupinder explored several volunteering routes. “I was looking at the Army Reserves and the Metropolitan Police, but the time commitments were tough with young kids. LonSAR gave me the perfect middle ground.”
He joined as a Search Technician and quickly became involved in shaping LonSAR’s inclusion policies - especially around faith, expression and accessibility. “We are London-based, so we must reflect the city we serve. Representation matters.”
Bhupinder’s background includes charity trekking to Everest Base Camp and work across diverse teams. His cohort includes paramedics, dentists, and people from all walks of life. “We’re all different, and we all get on. Some are in their early 20s, others in their 60s.”Now fully trained, Bhupinder takes part in ongoing team exercises and is exploring future specialisations.
For him, the purpose is clear: “This is about legacy, showing my kids that giving back can be part of who you are.”
MEET %%ANNA%%
Anna is a Search Technician, Swift Water Responder on the Water Team, Paddlecraft Search Technician as well as Team Leader, Search Operations Manager. She is also a member of LonSAR’s Senior Leadership Team, where she manages operational technology and strategic partnerships. “I help maintain relationships with the NHS, fire brigade, and new partners. It’s about strengthening the whole team.”
Professionally, Anna works in policy for the civil service, and her volunteering reflects a passion for practical, purpose-driven work. “I wanted to use my operational management skills in the field—to be outside, active, and helpful.”
Originally from Cornwall, where RNLI and rescue stories filled the local news, Anna was surprised to find a search and rescue team in the capital. She signed up in 2024, qualified soon after, and quickly joined the SLT to help shape LonSAR’s strategic direction.
She’s a vocal advocate for diversity in volunteering. “The charity continues to move towards a more diverse representation of London and its missing people, so we want to remove any barriers in the way of volunteering. We should represent the communities we serve.”
Anna’s message to prospective volunteers is clear: “Come to a webinar, meet the team. The training is brilliant and the support is strong. You won’t regret it.”
MEET %%ANIQ%%
Aniq works full-time in the public transport arena and recently qualified as a LonSAR Search Technician after committing to months of evening and weekend training. But it almost didn’t happen. “I cancelled my first selection day - I was nervous and doubting whether it was right for me. A year later, I signed up again and promised myself I’d go.”
Previously a cadet mentor at London Fire Brigade, Aniq brings focus, resilience and sharp observation to search operations - skills he’s refined while living with dyslexia. “I hadn’t done active learning in years, but the training was really good -and fun. We had a tight-knit cohort that supported each other.”
Aniq is now fully operational and on-call for searches across London. He’s particularly interested in developing specialisms over time. “The crime scene and mental health training stood out. It’s serious work, but you’re well prepared.”
Outside LonSAR, he’s a gamer, car enthusiast and currently working hard on progressing his career. With his methodical mindset and commitment to service, Aniq reminds us that you don’t need to come from an emergency background to make a life-saving impact.
MEET %%carla%% AND %%brett%%
Carla and Brett both spent many years serving in policing before stepping away to build their own business. Leaving public service wasn’t a decision they made lightly - but the instinct to help others never truly left. “The feeling that you should step forward when people need help is something that stays within you, no matter the career path you take,” they reflect.
Volunteering with London Search and Rescue offered them a way to reconnect with that shared sense of purpose. “LonSAR felt like the perfect place to channel that enduring instinct to serve,” Brett says. It’s also allowed them to contribute meaningfully to their community - while continuing to lead a successful company together.
Both bring an array of transferable skills from their policing careers. Brett draws on a background in leadership, tactical decision-making, medical training, and calm judgment under pressure. Carla adds water rescue expertise and operational search experience gained on the police Search and Marine Unit - skills that led to her becoming LonSAR’s Water Team Lead.
They also speak powerfully about the people they’ve met since joining. “We’ve been welcomed by volunteers who are unbelievably dedicated and genuine individuals we now feel honoured to call friends,” says Carla. “The camaraderie we once enjoyed in the police is very much alive again.”
Both recently joined the Lady Mayor's Show in London, representing the team in the parade and operationally, alongside Dexter their German Shepard. Whilst not (yet) a search dog in the team, Dexter was a hit with the crowds and raised important awareness for the team. "Woof", Dexter reflects, having been inspired by twenty-five Search and Rescue dogs from surrounding teams.
For Carla and Brett, LonSAR is more than just volunteering - it’s a continuation of a lifelong commitment to public service. Whether on foot or in the water, they’re proud to support a team that responds to some of the most challenging and vulnerable moments in people’s lives. “Helping to reduce preventable loss of life across the capital is a mission we’re proud to be part of.”
Join us in making a
Difference
Your support can help us find missing persons and bring hope to families in need.
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