To fully reinstate the co-operative funding to the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) thus reversing it's closure on 31st December 2016.
Why is this important?
● The Mountain Weather Information Service (led by Geoff Monk) is a non-profit making forecasting service that has been providing detailed mountain forecasts for the last 13 years.
● MWIS is recognised as a unique, highly trusted source of quality mountain weather safety information: the forecasts receive several million hits a year, and MWIS was judged "overwhelmingly the forecast of choice" by 2,000 mountain users in a 2015 SportScotland survey.
● Since 2007, SportScotland has funded MWIS to provide a service that aims to maximise mountain safety.
● In 2015, MWIS, SportScotland and the Met Office began a 3-5 year collaborative project aimed at ensuring the long-term future of MWIS's quality mountain forecasts. In relation to this new project, on 7th March 2016 the Met Office wrote "Sportscotland, MWIS and the Met Office are now exploring ways of working more closely together so that we can really maximise the skills and strengths of our organisations to provide even better mountain weather services for Scotland. We are listening to the feedback and looking at how forecast services can be improved. For example we are looking at the content, format, frequency and language used as well as how digital technologies can be used to increase access to mountain weather information."
● However, in July 2016, SportScotland informed MWIS that it would be removing funding as of 31st December 2016.
How it will be delivered
The petition will be delivered to Shaun Roberts, Head of Glenmore Lodge (SportScotland) as the funding decision to withdraw funding support to MWIS was made by SportScotland.
It is my intention to deliver the petition in person at a time and place to be agreed. The press and local media will be informed in due course.
