Scottish Mountain Rescue
Services: Graphic Design, Report Design, Creative Direction
About the Client
Scottish Mountain Rescue is the national body that represents and supports volunteer rescue teams across Scotland. These teams respond 24/7 to emergencies in mountains and remote areas — often in extreme conditions — providing a critical service across the country.
The Brief
SMR produce two flagship publications each year: their Annual Review and Statistics Report. These are more than just documents — they celebrate the tireless work of their volunteers, share key data, and help rally public and partner support. The reports needed to reflect the seriousness and scale of SMR’s efforts, while remaining engaging, accessible, and visually impressive.
Creative Direction
I started by looking closely at SMR’s visual identity. Their logo contains sharp triangle forms representing mountains — a strong graphic device which became the foundation of the design concept. I paired this with bold colour blocks from their brand palette, clean modern typography, and powerful frontline imagery of the volunteers in action.
These triangles were more than a design flourish — they became compositional tools to lead the reader’s eye across the page. By anchoring them to the top or bottom of each layout, I created a subtle reference to stalactites and stalagmites — a respectful nod to the Scottish Cave Rescue teams who are part of the SMR family.
Design Execution
Using triangles as both visual anchors and image holders, I developed a distinctive graphic style that balances structure and energy. The photography added emotional depth and authenticity, helping bring the statistics and stories to life. Colour was used confidently to define sections and highlight key messages. The result? Two clear, compelling publications that do justice to the heroes they represent.
Results
Originally commissioned to design the reports for one year, I’ve now been working with Scottish Mountain Rescue for several consecutive seasons. The reports have been widely praised — both internally and by the public — and have helped elevate the organisation’s profile.
Client Testimonial
“Andy took on a number of projects for us including redesigning our Annual Review. We found him very easy to work with, he took time to understand what we needed, listened to our feedback and was very easy to communicate with. All the work was completely promptly and we were very happy with the quality of the final design work.”
Elsie Riley, Head of Development, Scottish Mountain Rescue
