Get Involved

If there’s one thing we can say with some confidence, it’s that the UK public loves a brew. And firefighters are right up there with some of the biggest tea drinkers around.

“Tea is pretty much the foundation stone on which the fire service is built, you can’t set foot on a fire station without being offered a brew,” says our Corporate, Community and Events Fundraiser Alan Knell.  “It also plays a pivotal role in the way fire crews support each other’s mental wellbeing, as they often talk through traumatic incidents over a cup of tea round the mess table.”

So we thought, what better way to recognise the efforts the fire services community has gone to during the pandemic than with a cup of tea? Which is why on Tuesday 4 May, in line with International Firefighters Day, we’re raising a brew to show our appreciation for the fire family with our new fundraising campaign, Brew With a Crew, in partnership with Typhoo Tea.

“During the year spent in lockdown, we missed out on so many fundraising events and have had to think creatively about what we organise,” says Alan. “So we wanted to celebrate the role the humble cup of tea plays in supporting our nation’s firefighters, by bringing people together for a brew with the people they care most about. We’re therefore inviting everyone to form their own virtual crew – whether that’s with family, children, colleagues or friends – and have a brew over a video call, making a donation to our Charity in the process.”

When Typhoo were asked if they’d like to get involved in the campaign, it was a natural fit.

“Typhoo share a lot of the same values and morals as us, and they also wanted to do something to recognise the efforts of the emergency services over the last year,” says Alan. “They’re local to me – I grew up five minutes from their factory – and we’ve worked together in the past, so I’m really excited that they’ve come on board for what will be a three-year partnership supporting Brew With a Crew.”

While we’re inviting you all to raise a brew on Tuesday 4 May, you can get involved earlier too and host your event whenever suits you. The first year of our Brew With a Crew event will be online, but the next two years can hopefully grow in scale and take place at fire locations across the country.

“Although we can’t be physically together with fire crews yet, we can all form our own crews to show our support to them,” says Alan. “My crew is my wife, kids and dog, so we’ll be coming together, having a brew and texting in our donation to the Charity.”

How to get involved

To take part, all you need to do is visit our Brew With a Crew page www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/brew and complete an online registration form. We’ll then send you your Brew With a Crew fundraising pack featuring ideas for activities and resources to download to help you promote your event.

Get Involved

We are asking for all donations to be made digitally this first year, so we advise against taking any cash donations. To donate, you can share and scan the QR codes in your fundraising pack. And remember to tag us in any photos of your event on social media using the hashtag #BrewWithACrew.

If you have any questions about your virtual Brew With a Crew event, we are here to help. Call our Customer Care team on 01256 366 566 or email brew@firefighterscharity.org.uk

So get your crew together, organise a session of activities, games and laughs, all washed down with a lovely brew and a cheeky biscuit or two and show your appreciation to the UK’s fire services community.