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.
Firefighter Leigh Forster has received our support through a long journey with cancer, not only with his physical health, but also online and in our centres to help aid his mental wellbeing. Twiggy Lake says it was only once he retired as an on-call officer that the mental impact of some particularly traumatic shouts caught up with him – and he reached out for our help. Deputy Chair of our Board of Trustees, Neil Gibbins, shares how he reached out for mental health support himself after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer – before attending our Reset Programme. Retired firefighter Chris Lock says the support he’s received from us has helped him come to terms with life-changing injuries which sadly brought his firefighting career to an end. Thanks to your generous donations over the years, we’ve been able to support Billy with his mental health via both remote counselling sessions and also on our Reset Programme – which he says “changed his life”.
Leigh: “The online courses are great throughout your life – whenever you need that boost”
Twiggy: “There must be so many on-call firefighters, like me, who never had help and are suffering now”
Neil: “We’ve both been in a very dark place – seeing the support available has been awe-inspiring”
Chris: “Without the care I received, I’m convinced my physical life story would have concluded”
Billy: “I found the courage to say ‘I need help’ – it’s the hardest thing you’ll have to do”
