SUPPORTING THE TEAMS WHO ANSWER THE CALL
Every month, a portion of our proceeds is donated to 3 volunteer Mountain Rescue Teams. These teams give their time, training and courage to save lives and help in some of the most remote locations in the UK.
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WE SET ASIDE PROFIT
VIEW LEADER BOARDSA portion of monthly proceeds is set aside to donate to Mountain Rescue - you then get to chose where it goes.
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YOU DECIDE ON THE SPLIT
CAST YOUR VOTEWe will have a vote on the 1st of each month (via Instagram Stories) which lasts 24 hours to see how to split these proceeds.
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WE DONATE BASED ON YOUR CHOICE
SEE THE JOURNEYMore resources, training & gear where it is needed most - based on how you decide to split it.
SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
Mountain rescue teams are often the first to respond when someone gets into difficulty in the outdoors.
They are almost entirely volunteer-led and rely on donations to fund training, equipment & call out readiness.
From minor injuries to life-threatening emergencies their work helps keep our mountains safer for everyone.
REAL PEOPLE. REAL RESPONSE. REAL IMPACT.
GIVING BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO PROTECT OUR MOUNTAINS AND COMMUNITIES
Your support helps fund essential equipment, training & call out readiness so teams can respond quickly and safely.
Every HIKR purchase helps support the vital work of local mountain rescue teams across the UK.
Behind every call out is a team of people giving their time, skill and experience to help others when they need it most.
Whether it’s bad weather, difficult terrain, long searches or urgent medical situations, mountain rescue teams are ready to step in when the outdoors takes an unexpected turn.
THEIR TIME. THEIR SKILL. OUR SUPPORT.
FAQs
HOW DOES THE MOUNTAIN RESCUE SUPPORT VOTE WORK?
Each month, HIKR sets aside a portion of proceeds for Mountain Rescue support.
On the LAST DAY of every month at 8:00am, we open a vote on our Instagram Stories. The vote stays live for 24 hours, and the HIKR community chooses how the month’s Mountain Rescue support should be split between 3 Mountain Rescue teams.
This is not a winner-takes-all vote. Every team featured that month receives a share of the support. The vote simply decides the split.
For example, if one team receives 40% of the vote, another receives 30%, another receives 20%, and another receives 10%, that is how the monthly Mountain Rescue fund will be divided.
You vote. We give. The teams all receive support.
TL;DR: Every month, 3 Mountain Rescue teams are featured. The Instagram vote decides what percentage of the month’s support each team receives.
WHY ARE THERE 3 MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS A MONTH?
We feature 3 Mountain Rescue teams each month to strike a balance between meaningful support and broad coverage across the year.
By focusing on 3 teams at a time, each team receives a larger share of the monthly support while still allowing HIKR to support up to 36 Mountain Rescue team places in a single calendar year.
The aim is to be fair, consistent and impactful. Mountain Rescue teams across different areas all face different challenges, costs, callouts, terrain and pressures. Some cover huge upland areas. Some deal with busy tourist locations. Some support remote communities. Some are called out in all conditions, all year round.
Featuring fewer teams each month helps ensure the support isn't spread too thin, while still giving a wide range of teams the opportunity to be seen, supported and recognised by the HIKR community.
TL;DR: Featuring 3 teams each month allows us to provide more meaningful support to each team while still helping many teams across the year.
WHY NOT JUST SPLIT THE DONATION EQUALLY EACH MONTH?
We could split the monthly Mountain Rescue support equally between the 3 teams. That would be simple, and it may be something we consider in the future.
But for now, we want the HIKR community to be part of the process.
The vote gives people a reason to learn about the teams, pay attention to where support is going, and feel connected to the impact being made. It turns a donation into a community decision.
That matters because this is not just about sending money quietly in the background. It is also about raising awareness for the volunteers who give their time, skills and courage to help others in the outdoors.
An equal split would be fair in one way. A community vote is fair in another. It allows every featured team to receive support, while still giving the HIKR Collective a voice in how the monthly fund is shared.
We are trying to balance fairness, transparency and awareness. That is why the vote decides the split, but every team still receives something. We also hope it encourages people to learn more about their own local Mountain Rescue teams, as well as the incredible work being done by teams in other areas across the country.
TL;DR: We could split it equally, but the vote helps the community engage with the teams and decide the share. Every team still receives support.
IS THE VOTE WINNER TAKES ALL?
No. The vote is not winner takes all.
All 3 Mountain Rescue teams featured that month will receive a share of the monthly support. The vote simply decides how that support is divided.
We feel this is the fairest way to involve the community while still making sure every featured team benefits. It means one team may receive a larger share if the community votes that way, but no team is left with nothing.
The aim is support, not competition.
TL;DR: No. Every featured team gets something. The vote only decides the percentage split.
WHEN & WHERE DOES THE VOTE TAKE PLACE?
The monthly Mountain Rescue Support vote opens on the FIRST day of every month at MIDDAY and takes place on HIKR Instagram Stories.
Voting stays open for 24 hours, giving the community time to decide how that month’s support is split between the nominated Mountain Rescue teams.
Instagram Stories are currently the simplest and most accessible way for people to take part. They allow us to share information about the teams, remind people to vote, and keep the process connected to the wider HIKR community.
Once the vote closes, we calculate the final split and allocate that month’s Mountain Rescue support based on the result. We will aim to share the outcome clearly so everyone can see where the support is going.
We know not everyone uses Instagram, and this system may change in the future as HIKR grows. Longer term, we may explore other ways to vote, such as through the website, email or a dedicated Collective area.
TL;DR: The vote takes place on HIKR Instagram Stories, opens at MIDDAY on the FIRST DAY of each month, and stays live for 24 hours.
HOW IS THE MONTHLY SPLIT CALCULATED?
The split is based on the final vote result.
If the 3 featured teams receive different percentages of the vote, the monthly Mountain Rescue fund is divided using those percentages.
For example:
- Team 1 receives 40% of the vote
- Team 2 receives 30% of the vote
- Team 3 receives 30% of the vote
That month’s Mountain Rescue support would then be split in the same way.
Where needed, we may round figures sensibly so the final donation amounts are practical and clear.
TL;DR: The vote percentage decides the donation percentage. If a team gets 40% of the vote, they receive 40% of that month’s Mountain Rescue support.
HOW ARE THE 3 TEAMS CHOSEN EACH MONTH?
The 4 teams will be chosen as part of a yearly rotation designed to spread support as fairly as possible.
Our aim is to work through teams across the year, rather than repeatedly choosing the same few. This allows more teams to be recognised, more areas to be represented, and more communities to benefit from HIKR Gives Back.
We may take into account things like geography, local relevance, seasonal need, recent awareness, and making sure the yearly spread feels balanced.
The exact order may change, but the intention is simple: to support as many teams as possible in a fair and meaningful way.
TL;DR: Teams are chosen as part of a yearly rotation so support can be spread fairly across as many Mountain Rescue teams as possible.
WILL EVERY MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAM BE SUPPORTED?
That is the aim.
By featuring 4 teams each month, HIKR can support up to 48 team places across a full calendar year. This gives us the opportunity to work through all the teams in our yearly Mountain Rescue rotation.
Some details may need to be adjusted as we go, especially if teams merge, change details, prefer not to receive support, or if practical issues come up. But the intention is to make the system as fair and wide-reaching as possible.
We do not want HIKR Gives Back to focus only on the most well-known teams. We want it to help shine a light on the wider Mountain Rescue network.
TL;DR: Yes, that is the goal. Featuring 4 teams per month should allow us to support all teams in the yearly rotation.
COULD THE SYSTEM CHANGE NEXT YEAR?
Yes. We want HIKR Gives Back to grow and improve over time.
The first year is about creating a fair, simple and engaging system that allows us to support as many Mountain Rescue teams as possible. Once we have been through a full cycle, we can review what worked, what felt fair, how the community engaged, and whether there is a better way to share the support in future.
Next year, we may choose to split things differently. We could change the rotation, adjust the number of teams, introduce themed months, support specific urgent needs, use a different voting method, or just split the amount equally.
Nothing is set in stone forever. The goal is to be fair, transparent and useful — not to stick rigidly to a system if there is a better way to help.
TL;DR: Yes. We may review and improve the system next year once we have seen how the first full cycle works.
WHY INVOLVE THE HIKR COLLECTIVE AT ALL?
Because HIKR is being built around the community, not just around products.
The vote gives the HIKR Collective a real role in deciding where support goes each month. It helps people feel connected to the causes we support and gives Mountain Rescue teams extra visibility, not just funding.
That engagement matters. Every vote is a small moment of awareness. Someone might discover a team they have never heard of. Someone might learn more about the volunteers who cover their local hills. Someone might go on to donate directly, share their work, or support them in another way.
The money matters, but so does the attention.
TL;DR: The vote gives the HIKR community a voice and helps raise awareness for the Mountain Rescue teams, not just funds.
IS THIS FAIR TO SMALLER OR LESS WELL-KNOWN TEAMS?
That is something we have thought carefully about.
A public vote naturally creates some differences. Some teams may have a stronger local following, a bigger online presence, or more people who recognise them. That is why the vote is not winner takes all.
Every featured team receives support. The vote only changes the size of each share.
By rotating teams throughout the year, we also give every team a chance to be seen. Even if one team receives a smaller share in a particular month, they still receive funding and visibility.
We also hope this helps smaller or less well-known teams raise awareness of the incredible work they do. By featuring different teams and sharing their stories, we hope to introduce them to new audiences and create additional opportunities for much-needed funding and support beyond the HIKR programme itself.
We are trying to create a system that is fair, engaging and practical. If we feel the vote is not working fairly, we will review it.
TL;DR: Yes, we are trying to keep it fair. Every team gets support, and the yearly rotation helps smaller teams receive visibility too.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A VERY UNEVEN VOTE?
If one team receives a much higher percentage of the vote, they will receive a larger share of that month’s Mountain Rescue support.
However, the other featured teams still receive support based on their vote share.
That is the balance we are aiming for: the community gets to influence the outcome, but every team still benefits from being part of that month’s vote.
If, over time, the results feel too uneven or unfair, we may adjust the system. For example, we could introduce a minimum share, change the voting method, or return to an equal split. We will keep reviewing it as the project grows.
TL;DR: A team with more votes gets a bigger share, but every team still receives something. We WILL review the system if needed.
CAN I SUPPORT MOUNTAIN RESCUE WITHOUT MAKING A PURCHASE?
Absolutely.
HIKR Gives Back is our way of supporting Mountain Rescue, but you do not need to buy from us to help.
If you want to donate directly, volunteer, fundraise, or learn more about a specific team, we would always encourage you to visit the relevant Mountain Rescue team’s own website or official channels.
Our monthly support is only one part of the picture. The bigger goal is to help more people recognise the work these teams do and support them however they can.
TL;DR: Yes. You can support Mountain Rescue teams directly through their own websites, donations, fundraising or volunteering.
DOES HIKR CHOOSE WHO GETS THE BIGGEST SHARE?
No. HIKR chooses the 3 teams featured each month as part of the yearly rotation, but the community vote decides the split.
We are not picking favourites within each month. Once the vote goes live, the HIKR community decides how that month’s Mountain Rescue support is divided.
Our role is to set aside the funds, organise the rotation, run the vote, calculate the split, and make sure the support reaches the teams.
TL;DR: HIKR chooses the monthly group of 3 teams, but the community decides the split through the vote.
IS THIS A DONATION, SPONSORSHIP OR PARTNERSHIP?
This is HIKR giving back.
Unless clearly stated otherwise, our Mountain Rescue support should not be seen as an official sponsorship or formal partnership with any team featured. It is a community-led support initiative designed to help raise funds and awareness for volunteer Mountain Rescue teams.
As HIKR grows, we may develop closer relationships with individual teams or organisations. If that happens, we will be clear about it.
For now, the aim is simple: set aside support, involve the community, and help the teams who help keep people safe outdoors.
TL;DR: This is a HIKR Gives Back support initiative, not automatically an official sponsorship unless we clearly say otherwise.
HOW MUCH WILL BE DONATED EACH MONTH?
The amount donated will depend on HIKR sales and the portion of proceeds set aside for Mountain Rescue support that month.
Some months may be higher than others. That is normal, especially while HIKR is growing.
We want to be honest about that from the start. This is not about making huge promises before we know what is realistic. It is about building a system where giving back is part of HIKR from day one, and where the impact can grow as the brand grows.
We will aim to share updates so the community can see how support is building over time.
TL;DR: The monthly amount depends on sales and the proceeds set aside. As HIKR grows, the support can grow too.
WILL WE SHOW THE RESULTS?
Yes. We want the process to be clear and easy to follow.
After each monthly vote, we aim to share which teams were featured, how the vote was split, and where that month’s Mountain Rescue support is going.
Over time, we also want to build an “Impact So Far” section showing what HIKR Gives Back has supported across Mountain Rescue, trees, habitat and other outdoor causes.
This should not feel hidden. If the HIKR community is helping make it happen, the HIKR community should be able to see it.
TL;DR: Yes. We will aim to share vote results, monthly splits and wider impact updates.
WHY SUPPORT MOUNTAIN RESCUE?
Because adventure comes with responsibility.
Mountain Rescue teams are made up largely of volunteers who give their time, skill and courage to help people in difficult, remote and sometimes dangerous situations. They are there for walkers, runners, climbers, families, communities and anyone who finds themselves in trouble outdoors.
They train, respond and prepare all year round, often in harsh conditions and at unsociable hours.
HIKR is built around outdoor life, so supporting the people who help keep outdoor spaces safer feels like a natural part of what we should do.
We hope you (or we) never need Mountain Rescue. But if you (or we) do, they are the people you (or we) will be grateful exist.
TL;DR: Mountain Rescue teams help keep people safe outdoors. Supporting them fits directly with what HIKR stands for.
ARE WE TRYING TO MAKE THE VOTE COMPETITIVE?
Not in a negative way.
The vote is not about turning Mountain Rescue support into a popularity contest. It is about creating a simple way for the community to get involved and learn more about the teams.
That is why all 3 featured teams receive support. Nobody is eliminated. Nobody gets nothing.
The voting element adds energy, attention and involvement, but the purpose ALWAYS HAS AND ALWAYS REMAINS - support.
If the system ever feels like it is becoming more about competition than impact, we will change it.
TL;DR: No. The vote is about involvement and awareness, not turning teams against each other. Every team receives support.
WHAT ARE THE KEY TERMS OF THE MONTHLY MOUNTAIN RESCUE SUPPORT VOTE?
The Mountain Rescue vote is run by HIKR as part of HIKR Gives Back.
Voting takes place on HIKR Instagram Stories on the LAST day of each month at 8:00am and remains open for 24 hours. THREE Mountain Rescue teams are featured each month. The vote result decides how that month’s Mountain Rescue support is split between the 3 teams.
All 3 featured teams receive a share of the monthly support. The vote is not winner takes all.
Donation amounts depend on the HIKR proceeds set aside for Mountain Rescue support during that month. Where needed, final amounts may be rounded sensibly. If there are technical issues, team details change, or a team is unable to receive funds, HIKR may adjust the process to make sure the support is still used appropriately.
The system may be reviewed or changed in future to keep it fair, practical and effective.
TL;DR: Vote opens monthly on Instagram Stories for 24 hours. Three teams are featured. Every team gets support. The vote decides the split. Terms may be adjusted if needed.
