The family and friends of Martyn Sadler have raised over £30,000 with a moving tribute event, on what would have been his 40th birthday.
Firefighter Martyn, who worked for both Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and London Fire Brigade, tragically died while attending the Bicester Motion fire in May 2025, alongside fellow firefighter, Jennie Logan, and businessman, Dave Chester.
To honour his memory, his sister, Kelly, alongside close family and friends, organised A Night for Martyn, to bring the community together to celebrate his life and to raise funds for Fire Fighters Charity.
While Kelly says they hadn’t originally set a target amount to raise, she’d had £4,000 in her mind, to match ‘40’ for Martyn’s birthday. But thanks to the generosity of everyone who attended, as well as supporters from further afield, they later announced they’d raised an astonishing £30,570.85.
“It was way more than we ever expected,” Kelly says. “I never thought the night would be as big as it was, it was absolutely amazing, and everyone was so supportive.
“In just a few short months, what began as an idea to honour Martyn has grown into something far bigger than any of us could ever have imagined.
“Local businesses donated prizes, services, time and money. Volunteers gave up countless hours. Thousands of raffle tickets were bought and sold. People bid generously, shared every post, helped behind the scenes and supported us in more ways than we could possibly list.
“Every single person played a part in reaching this incredible total.”
The family chose to raise the funds for us in the name of their “hero”, and said Fire Fighters Charity was always close to Martyn’s heart:
“Fire Fighters Charity provides vital support to serving and retired members of the UK Fire & Rescue Service and their families. They have supported us personally during recent months,” Kelly said, when first setting up the event page.
The black tie event included a raffle, photo booth, dinner and celebration in Martyn’s honour, with 196 people in attendance. Kelly added:
“The money raised will make a genuine difference but this became about so much more than a number. It showed just how loved Martyn was, how many lives he touched and what can happen when an entire community comes together for someone who meant so much to so many.
“There will never be enough words to properly thank everyone who helped make A Night For Martyn what it became. Whether you donated, volunteered, sponsored, attended, bought a ticket, shared a post or simply supported us along the way, this total belongs to all of you.
“We set out to give Martyn the celebration he deserved. I think it’s safe to say we did him proud. £30,570.85 for The Fire Fighters Charity. For Martyn. Always.”
We wholeheartedly thank Kelly, Martyn’s family and friends, and all those involved in this incredible event for their generosity.