Find out how The Fire Fighters Charity has supported beneficiaries 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.
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. Northern Ireland firefighter, Stephen Smyth, has been supported by the Charity after sustaining an ankle injury in a motorbike accident. Here he reveals how he’s been helped with both his physical and mental health. 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. Chris Morrison is on a mission to prove that having a colostomy bag is not life-inhibiting. So much so, the Northern Irish temporary Watch Commander is trekking the Sahara Desert this autumn, to raise money for the Charity as a way of saying thank you for helping him with his recovery. Heather Smart was awarded an MBE for her role in encouraging more women to join the NI Fire and Rescue Service. The Ballyclare mum-of-one tells The Belfast Telegraph about the triumph of breaking the glass ceiling — and the trauma that came with the job.
Stephen: “I couldn’t have coped without the Charity over the years”
Stephen: “I can’t speak highly enough about the Charity, it really helps”
Owen: “It’s a safety net when you feel you’re going to step off the tight rope”
Chris: “You helped me realise having a stoma isn’t the end of the world”
Heather: The trailblazer who paved the way for female firefighters in Northern Ireland
