Phil: “If my journey with mental health resonates with one person then it’s worth sharing”
London firefighter Phil Barton cycled 550 miles round our three centres, raising thousands, after seeing the impact those funds can have first-hand.
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.
Gloucestershire Watch Manager, Amy Brown, has shared her experience of our Reset Programme at Harcombe House – and how it sparked deep friendships with others across the fire services community. Devon and Somerset firefighter, Adam Payne, shares how a week at Harcombe House provided the reassurance he needed during a challenging period for his mental health. Northern Ireland Group Commander, Paddy Quinn, tried our HOPE Programme so he could recommend it to his trainees, never expecting the benefits it would have for him too. John Aitchison has candidly shared his journey with mental health challenges to encourage others across the fire service to reach out for help sooner than he did.
Amy: “As a firefighter, talking about feeling anxious is really scary – but the support was phenomenal”
Adam: “I thought I was covering it up, but in reality, I really needed help”
Paddy: “There are a lot of people who don’t know they need help – I was one of them”
John: “I would wake up in panics, to the point I was scared of going to sleep”