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.
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. When London firefighter Kieran Egan's son needed extensive surgery to remove tumours from his ears, the Charity provided financial support so travel and accommodation could be one less thing to worry about. For the first time ever, Hertfordshire Station Commander James Bull is opening up about his own mental health struggles in the hope it inspires other people to do the same. And what better place to do so than the sub-Saharan Desert? London Fire Brigade Inclusion Manager Shilla Patel has always championed people opening up about their own mental health. But a recuperative break at Harcombe House opened her eyes to what it could be like to do the same thing for herself. Only a few hours into his stag do in Magaluf in the summer of 2016, the course of James Thorpe’s life was altered in just a few seconds when he ran into the sea, fell, and broke his neck. Here, the former London and Norfolk firefighter shares his story. As a word of warning, some readers may find the account of his accident distressing.
Stuart: “You have to just keep focusing on the road in front”
Kieran: “I could rely on the Charity while my family relied on me”
James: “My story is not unique. But we don’t talk enough.”
Shilla: “It’s so tiring, having to wear a mask every day, so it’s nice to be able to take that mask off”
James: “You don’t think you’ll ever need help. I certainly never thought I would.”
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