Helen: “I was blown away by the support – why don’t more of us think to get in touch?”
Control Officers Helen and her daughter Laura received support at Marine Court and now hope to encourage any colleagues who’d benefit from help to reach out too.
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.
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”. Retired firefighter, Dave Stedham, found the helping hand he needed through our remote counselling after a challenging few years, including the tragic death of his son. Retired firefighter John Willoughby shares how he found the courage to reach out for help following months of mental health challenges – and why finding proactive tools to cope early is so important. Firefighter Hayley Chesterman had never used our services before her husband was left hospitalised with a blood infection – but she says seeing the support he’s had has made her feel “protected” in the years ahead.
Tony: “We’re a family, no matter who we are, and the charity will always be there for us”
Dave: “I’d spent years helping others, but realising you need help yourself is the hardest part”
John: “Online tools really help – we need to keep an eye on our wellbeing, even when we feel okay”
Hayley: “You helped my husband’s recovery after a spider bite left him in hospital for weeks”