John: “I would wake up in panics, to the point I was scared of going to sleep”
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.
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.
Pat: “Fire Fighters Charity has helped keep me connected to the fire family after my husband died”
When Pat Johnson’s beloved husband, Bill, passed away, she not only received support from her own family – but her wider “fire family” too. She shares how, through stays at our centres and Living Well Groups, she’s gone on to establish lifelong friendships.
Lewis: “By managing your mental wellbeing early, you’re ready when life throws challenges your way”
Watch Manager Lewis Jeffery has become one of our volunteer facilitators on the HOPE Programme after discovering the difference it can make to overall mental health first-hand.
Tony: “We’re a family, no matter who we are, and the charity will always be there for us”
Tony Terry retired from the fire service over 20 years ago – but he says visiting our centre following an operation felt like “being back in the fire service again”.
Rich: “We join this job to help people… what we’re not so great at is helping ourselves”
Rich Welch, Assistant Chief Fire Office with Avon FRS, shares how a call to us following the Grenfell Tower tragedy proved life-changing for him.