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.
After five years of living in constant pain, retired Merseyside firefighter Gary Burns felt like giving up. But three visits to Jubilee House showed him just how much progress he could make if he put the work in and gave him a light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel. Cheshire firefighter's wife Cathy McBrion was just 53 when she had a stroke while at the wheel and life changed in a matter of seconds. Now she has become a familiar face at Jubilee House, somewhere that she says has brought her out of her shell when her confidence was all but lost. Emma Hughes has just become our first Charity Ambassador, a new voluntary role that aims to increase awareness of The Fire Fighters Charity. And it's all in memory of her dad, Graham, a firefighter with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, who passed away in 2003. When work-related stress saw Ben Fildes' childhood dream of being a firefighter come tumbling down around him, he was at breaking point. Afraid he would be told to 'man up' for talking about his feelings, two weeks spent at Jubilee House taught him not to be afraid to ask for help. Ten years later, he reflects on how far he has come. Former Deputy Chief Fire Officer Tony Proctor became anxious and stressed after he retired, here’s how our psychological support services allowed him to enjoy his retirement.
Gary: “For the first time in a long time I thought things could get better.”
Cathy: “Coming here means you don’t feel so alone”
Emma: “I just thought ‘I need to be part of this’.”
Ben: “It’s not a weakness to ask for help”
Tony: “I’m now a happier person”
