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.
As the wife of a former Devon and Somerset firefighter, Dawn Colton says she will be forever grateful that her husband had somewhere to turn for help while on the verge of a breakdown. Having left his role as an Oxfordshire firefighter nearly 30 years ago, Mark Fussell didn't think he deserved help from The Fire Fighters Charity after a catastrophic car crash in October 2017. But he was quickly proven wrong. For former Royal Berkshire firefighter and double amputee Richard Baldwin, whatever life has thrown at him, his wife Sue has been at his side. We sit down with the pair to hear how the Charity has supported both their physical and mental needs, and how it all culminated in a Royal visit... When Waddesdon Watch Commander Mark Richards was hit by a drunk driver while driving his motorcycle in 2016, his life was changed forever. Now, two years after the incident, his future as a firefighter remains unclear. But he is grateful for the progress he is making, thanks to his time with The Fire Fighters Charity. Kelvyn Thompson says the support he received at Harcombe House helped him turn his life around, after struggling with his mental health following his time in Iraq.
Lee & Dawn: “It gave our family some laughter we’d been struggling to find at the time”
Mark: “It was a totally ordinary day until it wasn’t.”
Richard: “The Charity has saved my life, just as much as if they’d run in and dragged me out of a house fire.”
Mark: “You have to enjoy your achievements where you can”
Kelvyn: “This has changed everything for me and I can’t thank the Charity enough”
