Jacqui: “When you’re active and that’s taken away, everything can snowball”
Jacqui McDonald ran the London Marathon for us in 2021, after receiving both physical and mental health support throughout her career.
Real life story categories
Find out how Fire Fighters Charity has supported service users across the UK and how you can share your story with the fire community. Click categories or regions below to filter the list of stories.
Stephen: “I couldn’t have coped without the charity over the years”
Northern Ireland firefighter Stephen Rea attended one of our Child and Family Weeks with his son Ethan, who has cerebral palsy. He says the charity’s support over the years has been vital to him as a parent.
Lee & Lynne: “To get this level of support you’d usually have to be a pro sports player”
Retired firefighter Lee Fisher and his wife Lynne visited Jubilee House for separate injuries. They say having supported the charity for years, they were able to get the help they both needed when they needed it most.
Martin: “When I volunteered as a paramedic in lockdown I never expected to fall in love”
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and pressure grew on the ambulance service, on-call firefighter Martin Green volunteered to help out – never expecting to fall in love and become engaged in the process.
Kim: “I’ve seen all sides of the charity… from volunteering to receiving support”
After 30 years in the fire service, most of which she’s spent volunteering for the charity, Kim McNeil has now retired. Here she shares how much it’s meant to her.