Brian: “The fire service is a family – having Living Well Groups keeps us in touch”
When retired firefighter Brian Hull’s wife passed away in 2019, he received support from his former colleagues through the charity’s Living Well Groups.
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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.
For retired firefighter Nigel Brown, the fire service has become ingrained in his family history. Now he reveals why he is gifting part of his father’s estate to the charity, as a thank you for the years of support they’ve received. When Owen Spiers managed to overcome 20 years of addiction, he thought he’d finally beaten his demons. However, his mental health later hit rock bottom and he says the charity was a major lifeline. Recently-retired London and North Yorkshire firefighter Stuart Rye cycled the four compass points of mainland Britain for his Fire Family Challenge. And it made him reflect on his own journey with mental health. After 20 years in the fire service, Ian Richards says he was burnt out. But time spent with The Fire Fighters Charity helped him find the strength within himself to realise a life-long dream. And now he spends his days enjoying the peace and serenity of a small plot of land in the south of France.
Nigel: “The charity helped our family, we wanted to give something back”
Owen: “It’s a safety net when you feel you’re going to step off the tight rope”
Stuart: “You have to just keep focusing on the road in front”
Ian: “You helped me find the bravery to change my life”