When it comes to fundraising, our supporters always go above and beyond to make a difference to the lives of those in our fire services community. And for some, it’s combined with some incredible personal achievements along the way…
In the latest episode of our Shout! Podcast, we thought we’d focus on a few of those who juggle their firefighting role with some pretty epic sporting challenges.
Listen to the episode:
We hear from previous London Marathon runners, a contestant on TV show Gladiators, a superstar who’s smashing firefighter challenges right across Europe and a Chief Fire Officer who’s truly leading by example with a personal challenge of his own.
If you’re interesting in fundraising for us, you can find everything you need to get you started here:
Please remember, our Support Line is always available: 0800 3898820. Be sure to follow or subscribe to the Shout!Podcast to stay updated with our latest episodes.
Read the full transcript:
Please note: This transcript has been AI-generated so there may be some errors.
Rebecca: Hi everyone. Welcome back to the Shout podcast. We’ve got a packed episode for you today, so thank you so much for joining us.
With so many of our wonderful supporters raising funds for us this summer, we thought we’d focus this episode on a few of those who juggle their firefighting role with some pretty epic sporting challenges.
First up, I chat with Mark Peart from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. You might remember him from the 2023 London Marathon where he ran the whole thing in full fire kit and breathing apparatus, all while under air. Just amazing. He shares how he balances that kind of challenge with life as a firefighter.
Hi Mark, thank you so much for joining. I know you’re a firefighter yourself with South Yorkshire, so just tell me a little bit about how long you’ve actually worked in the role and what exactly it is that you do.
Mark: I joined the military first as a firefighter in the RF in 2008 and then I left there in 2030. I then went into a local regional airport. I worked as a fire fighter at a local regional airport for a year in between. Then I joined the RDS so the retained duty system, and then I transferred over to wholetime as well. So I’ve kind of done it all.
Rebecca: I feel like it means that you must love it though. That’s a very good sign.
Mark: Yeah, so I’ve recently just changed roles so I’ve always been operational and I’ve now moved into a kind of ops assurance for all, a firefighter safety team. So yeah, it’s quite different at minute. I just adapt into a bit more of a corporate role.
Rebecca: No variety is the spice after all. Had you always wanted to be a firefighter? Was it something you grew up thinking about?
Mark: Probably is probably quite sad but yeah, from probably that kid who watched fireman Sam. I think ever since then I kind of thought that was something that really appealed to me and I always wanted to do and obviously a real figure we community as growing up and I think yeah, just always kind of aspired to be part of that and I still feel really lucky that I get to do it.
Rebecca: I mean hand in hand with that and I’ll come on to some specific examples of some of the incredible sporting achievements you’ve done. But had you always had an interest in fitness, had that always gone hand in hand with the firefighting for you?
Mark: Yeah, yeah, I think so. I think I would have kind of always that way going through school and always kind of more energetic and into doing more practical things and yeah, then I just kind of play football from a young age and then kind of ball into running and just general fitness. So yeah, I’ve always kind of been drawn to it and then the re kind of enduring stuff and challenging yourself.
Rebecca: And a massive challenge came a few years ago when you actually appeared on SAS Who dares wins? Is that right? Just tell me a little bit about how that came about.
Mark: So this was 2018 again you I kind of somehow felt like I stumbled into so I never, I never watched the show and any ore one of my friends who signed me up for it I thought I’d be really good at it. I think at the point in time I’ll probably are dealing with quite a lot of stuff and this was quite a good A good way of like kind of venting it or it kind of give me a bit of an objective and something to work towards. So like in the build up to the show you’re having to do psychometric tests and fitness tests and you kind of get invited along. So yeah, you just kind of give me a channel and I had no real intentions are ever kind of going on it and so I kind of want every step I’ll going for all like I do this section but I’m never gonna if I get through I’ll never go through. And it just kind of kept going and yeah then the same friend that u when I got the invite and you kind of don’t get told where you’re going or anything like that. You just you get told turn up at the airport at this time and then yeah you get ushered onto a plane and flown off. And even up to that point I was still kind of in my head I was saying I’m not going. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so. But yeah, yeah well an amazing experience and yeah, really tough but yeah, I feel like it’s kind of g me a bit of a bit of a platform and a bit of a vehicle that I’ve been able to do some really cool things after and obviously a lot of stuff for the firefighters charity which yes, I’m really, really really grateful for it.
Rebecca: Did you find it when you were actually in the process and there did you find it more challenging than you were expecting it to be?
Mark: It Would definitely, definitely tough. I think for me the, the big part it was like kind of maybe like the inferior complex side of it because I couldn’t being at Heathrow airport and you got a little bit of time to speak to some of the other contestants and it kind of felt like you know, everyone was kind of ex pro this, semi pro that and I thinking God, I’m just like this lad from Bothham that there was a bit of running and and I thought what am I doing here? I’m going to embarrass myself and I think if I’d have had a choice when I was sat on that plane, I think if’ed to come in and gone but you can get up and leave now and go. I’m not saying I would have put that choice but yeah, I think I was really, really anxious going into it and then u the day before it actually really started they said oh, we’re going to go in so it were at altitude so we’re going to go do a bit of acclimatisation and at that turn me into like this massive beasting up one at mountains and but at that point I think I just got that bit of reassurance that probably I’m stronger than that than I realise I would give myself credit for. And I think a lot of times when people are trying to obviously tell you how good they are at summit, I think that’s their own kind of inferior stuff. And yes, I think he just. I think that that bit before kind of gave me that reassurance that yeah, that am, I am fitting enough, I am strong enough and I just need to remind myself a thatate yeah, it will really talking but I think a lot of it, the mental challenges, you know you’re not really aware of what time of day it is, you don’t really make any difference anymore. Like they can wa you up at 2:00, 3:00 u so that kind of, that’s where all the mental side comes in. and I kind of found, I wouldn’t say I found a lot of the challenges easy but I found that a lot excelling in a lot of the fitness stuff. And so I think they approach then from the like directing staff from Ant Middleton and people like that were to kind of go like kind of me from like a mental side. So like every day I’d have Aun Middleton basically saying to me you, I know you’re not trying you’re going home tomorrow. Like you re only give 60%. You’not bothered about that. and so the next day I’d go on, I’m like, right, absolutely, kill this then. So I’d go berserk. They won’t even speak. I don’t even look at me. And then two days later they’go again like, oh, you. You’re coasting, you’re not trying and tomorrow you’re gone. There’s no point even trying, like tomorrow, don’t even worry about it. You’re going anyway. And. And he would just start Menute. Yeah, it was just it like that psychological stuff, which, you know, I think now I appreciate a bit more time testing.
Fitness is so important in the role of firefighter, isn’t it
Rebecca: You went in thinking you’re a lad from Rotherham, but you’re also a firefighter and fitness is so important in the role, isn’t it? Do you think that really helped you, not just the fitness side, but the mentality of firefighting as well?
Mark: Yeah, I think, yeah, I think on reflection, definitely, I think especially the maybe adult stuff. So like I said, 2:00, 3:00, having to get up and perform and perform at an higher level. I think that’s. That’s already kind of embedded into us. We was realising, you know, through, through the job. So u. And I think even it sounds like a bit crazy but even just like at night I’d. I’d have my clothes prepared so they’s like, as soon as I get up, I know I can get ready and I’ll be one of the first ones out, which you kind of saw that a lot of people like struggle with that, that probably not had that prior experience. So yeah, it definitely, it definitely helped them. Like you said, the fitness side of things. U, yeah, were kind of there from, from the foundations of firefighting.
Rebecca: A massive challenge that I absolutely. I’m really excited to talk to you about was one that you did in adid of us in 2023, which was the London Marathon. and you did that and not only in full fire kit, but you also did it in breathing apparatus while under air. Just tell me a little bit about that. Where did that idea come from and how did it go for you on the day?
Mark: Yeah, so again he kind of just. I think everyone thinks it work really well organising this like, kind of project, but the truth is is it were kind of thrown together last minute and it just worked for some reason. And yeah, so u. I managed to get a spot in, in the London Marathon Had I had run it previously. So I’ll kind of think you know I should probably do some do such charity or so obviously the firefighters charity is always the first one that comes to mind. and then obviously just spice it up a bit like oh may gu should do it in fire kit. And then I managed to get a contact for Guinness world record. So I spoke to them and I said oh m. I’m thinking doing it in fire kit and you know I d. I’d have a go doing the world record and if they come back and like yeah well you know you have to it in the an under air and is it. I did. The two options you had were either in full hit, no BA, or BA under air. So then I I’ll investigate this a little bit more. So I managed to round up. They were like it were really good. They were like 12 or 13 that went down to London. I had people kind of spread out all over London on the course. We we cylinders ready from interchange. So we kind of worked out that I could do a couple of miles with B set and then I needed changing. so we went down like typical firefighters. No real plan. We just thought yeah it’s bound to work. It’s just like. Then we got to London we all had as u bright orange ivy jackets on. We are cylinder on the back and the first thing that happened was and the police stopped him and thought that they were from just. Just oil like protesters. So yeah so we really failed at the first hurdle and and you were quite lucky really that that happened. So I had no idea this but I’d already set off running and yeah they stopped a coupler and and basically they explained what it were and we had the QR code to the donation page so they showed them that and u yeah luckily they were really good U they were really understanding their radio through to everyone would didn’t have a single problem for rested day and like said he just kind of worked it like clock work every two miles there was someone there and Yeah, change your cyder. Then when went on again and it were a real I think I take all the credit for it but it were a typical fire service, a real team approach and like some of my friends that were there and at the end they’d done like 30 miles walking and you know like because what we had yeah so they were having to like we strategically puts u Billalininda’s u, P stations. Well, LFB fire stations. So they were havingerted walk and drop the set, then pick another one up and meet get another location. Like I said by the end of it someone had done 10, 12, 30 miles. So yeah, credit to everyone who were there. It was a real like team approach kind of thing.
Rebecca: It was huge. It was obviously a very difficult challenge, I imagine. What was it do you think, when you were in the more difficult times that kept you going? Was it just knowing obviously that you’raised as much as you had for the charity? and a bit of a personal challenge as well?
Mark: Yeah, I guess all them. And then obviously you got this team of people that are just really conscious. I just didn’t wa want to let them down. I brought all these people down to London and I thought I don’t want to bring like 12, 13 and mean mates to London. And then we’t. We know we don’t get to celebrate it on way back. and yeah, like said, I think in hindsight you look back and you’ll remember like the good things. It were difficult. It were uncomfortable for long periods time. but I think knowing that every. Every like 20 minutes I got to see a friend like that was like. I don’t know, that were a massive motivation and yeah, and, and because it’like a different person every time. Like it were hilarious like when I come really u But yeah, we kind of. We kind of had everything pro at on day as well. So we had a lot of rain which you know, it really affected m my vision so like I couldn’t. The mas were fogging up quite a lot and if it’s constantly wip it but. But yeah, then you just all part of it. But, but yeah, it were brilliant really. It were brilliant.
Rebecca: I mean people, people struggled to get that just running without, without any way. Never mind the bas they are ah, absolutely amazing. Do you know people that have been supported by the charity at all and just for you personally, have you. Do you know people that have been supported by the charity at all? Do you have any personal experience of that? And did that mean a lot knowing you were. You were supporting the charity?
Mark: yeah. So thought I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Pen Rif. we did an event previously a cycle, from Lands End and John O’ Groats and we. That was the first time I’d been to Penriiff and hour I kind of blown away by like the facilities and the people and, and just the general charity in itself. But But yeah, have I’ve had colleagues and friends that have utilised the charity and like, it’s only good what it does. It’s unbelievable. I think we’re so lucky that we’ve got it. when you look at some of the other sectors that don’t have that, ah, I think I think we’ve all got kind of U, you know, we’ve all got something that we need to, we need to keep this alive and we need to keep raising money for it and we’ve kind of got a duty to do that.
Rebecca: that’s amazing. And just finally, obviously looking at both sides of your life so your fitness side and also the firefighting, they both have a quite an impact on your body over time, I imagine. Do you is sort of recovery and looking after your muscles, your joints, that kind of thing. Is that really important to you, making sure that you keep on top of that?
Mark: Yeah, well, yeah, definite, definitely is. I’m start to get a little bit older. I think when you’re younger you just seem to like made a rubber. You just bounce all over. But yeah, I think more now than ever. And the people that I’m around, and talked to, yeah, the rehabilitation and the, the, the wellbe being side is equally just as important and the recovery still.
Rebecca: Do you think it’s a bit reassurance for you in the future should you ever need the charity support, knowing that that is there for you to know.
Mark: That there is actually there that you don’t have to be kind of at your, your final straw that is there to support you in loads of different ways. U, and it’s not all about you have to go and visit the charity. There’s so many people you can speak to and yeah, it’d be the. For me, I think it’s always kind of the first place I’d point people towards and you know, if we can’t deal with a real local level, I think you’d always push people to like to speak to someone from the charity. M and I think that is embedded, to be honest with you’in the fire service. I think people are fully aware of that.
Rebecca: That’s music to my ears. That’s really good to hear because like you say, it’s not just when you have that need, it’s kind of before that, it’s to prevent that need ever arising. Hopefully. We’ve got so much online support, and remote support as well. So that’s really good to highlight that as well. Anything planned next Mark at all? Any, challenges outside of work?
Mark: Yes, Well a few running events so I would do a chicago marathon in a few weeks. U yeah then I have just signed up for next year for a it’s 200330 kilometre race next year in October in South Africa. But yeah I’m open to. I always trying to like at least one, one decent thing that that’s BO5 fighters carry every year if I can. So yeah, see I have a couple of ideas that’ll see what comes to fruition.
Rebecca: Oh that’s amazing. What lovely attitude towards it. Well thank you so much Mark for joining me and for sharing. Now that’s been brilliant to hear. You can find a link to a story we did with Mark following his marathon effort in the Show Notes.
Next I caught up with Teresa Wapllington from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service. THEREESA is s not only smashing firefighter challenges across the UK but she also got a podium finisher to European Games recently and she’s the brains behind fundraisers that bring in incredible support for us. Thank you so much Teresa ah for joining us. Just tell me a little bit about you and how long you’ve been a firefighter in Gloucestershire all now.
Teresa Waplington: so I’ve been an oncle firefighter for five years and whole time since June so not very long. yeah it wasn’t planned at all. I actually went for a coffee with a friend who wanted to be on call and I somehow got the phone callawl to go along for the testing so I gu Here we are.
Rebecca: Good, that’s what we like to hear. How are you finding the whole time role alongside the uncle?
Teresa Waplington: Yeah, it’s different I’ve been self employed for a long time so working for someone again is different. But as on call I just try and keep them separate. So you do your hours when you’re not at work and then respond when you’re at home.
Rebecca: How have you found kind of the juggling act of on call work in particular with home life and like keeping up with your hobbies and family and that kind of thing.
Teresa Waplington: I mean it’s tricky because you can only have. You’ve got to give them so many hours so even wanting to take a bath for example you have to book off so it can be difficult but you kind of make it work. I tried to do a lot more cover in the daytime when they need it the most. not always can you be available but most of the time ye.
Rebecca: I’ve never even thought about that. Literally having to take time for a bath. Yeah, that just shows the, reality of it, doesn’t it, really? Firefighting is such a sort of physically demanding role and I know you’re really into your fitness yourself. Did that kind of attract you to the role as well, knowing that that was incorporated in it?
Teresa Waplington: I wouldn’t say everybody does the fitness in fire. I’d like to see more of them do it. I think you do all the fitness to get in and then I guess you’re left to yourself to do some bits. But it doesn’t appeal to everyone. Like, not everybody goes to the gym, or keeps up with their physio. So it’s it’s one of those. You’re either into it or not. But, yeah, I mean, for fire, I’ve got into the firefighter games and all of those things. So what appealed a lot for me was all the charity work that I do do in my own time, whether it’s for MND or, Third world countries. I actually donate myore money to a third war charity. Always have done for five years. so I do quite a lot for charity and I guess that’s the fitness side that comes with it. It means I get to do something enjoyable while raising money, so it works for me.
Rebecca: Massive difference. Absolutely huge.
Have you seen the difference that your charity makes to your colleagues
have you sort of seen the difference that, our charity in particular makes to your colleagues? Do you know people that have had our support?
Teresa Waplington: Yeah. So there’s one gentleman who’s on call with myself. So he came to you when he was needing it the most? he was struggling in himself. And then there’s a few colleagues that have had, maybe back conditions that they’ve come down to have help with. And, I believe there’s one that’s on the whole time. Watch with me who’s due to join you soon. So. Yeah, you’ll see her soon.
Rebecca: Fantastic. I think just seeing the difference that those funds can make when you’re so hard at work organizising these fundraise is fantastic. I’m going to come on to ask you a bit about these sporting challenges in particular in a second. But how do you find kind of juggling busy shifts and the role itself with sort of training for those. do you have a schedule that you stick to or anything?
Teresa Waplington: It can be difficult because when you are, say nine or six, you finish at six, but if, a call comes in prior to you finishing, you attend and that can make you late. So sometimes it can eat in your own time. You can’t always get the time to train even though you’ve got a schedule to do and you know that you need to kind of be on your game to go across and compete against some of the best and you don’t want let yourself down but you also can’t always make it. So I tried to juggle it that I’ll get it done. I’ll get up at 5am and go in the gym while everybody is still asleep as such. And then you know if, if we get time, we get 45 minutes. 45 minutes as part of your duty to have gym time. Obviously can’t always have that if shouts come in but if we have the opportunity to do a little train we will. so yeah, most of it’s in my own time but if I can get a little bit out of some shifts, if people are asleep or they don’t mind me doing it in my lunch break, then I’ll go and do it.
Rebecca: And is it kind of primarily gym work for you or what kind of things do you do when it comes to training?
Teresa Waplington: We go out in the yard as well as in the gym. so it’be full, full kit, sometimes under air wearing ba stats or weighted vest, trying to sort of do everything that is worst case scenario so that when you get to the event things feel a lot lighter. so it’s a mixture of kind of circuits outside and training technique for some of the games that you’re go to. They’re all different as well as when you’re in the gym, maybe strength training and trying to utilise their equipment as best you can to accommodate the movements that we’ll do in the events.
Rebecca: Totally understood. Can you tell me a little bit about what are the games? you know, in a nutshell what kind of things would you be challenged to do in these games? And are they, are they all over the uk?
Teresa Waplington: We’ve got many throughout the uk so it started off with just the one and then it’s evolved to about eight or nine and they all vary what they are about. So if you took the British firefighter challenge, this is based on say a person’s reporting three story house fire so every firefighter should be able to complete it. It’s timed, you get six minutes. But what, what the most enjoyable part of it is is seeing people come along and have a go and even if they don’t make the six minutes they come back next year and they, they maybe do or they get better a time. But every firefighter, in any brigade should be able to complete it. It’s what we do for a living. It’s sort of bread and butter being able to haul equipment aloft, run up ladders, put them up and pull people, people out of Oins. So hopefully yes. And some of the other ones have a little bit of RTC stuff in, so road traffic collisions. So it’s lifting and moving equipment and hopefully things that we’re all capable of doing. So it kind of, inspires people, I think, to come along, have a glob, socialise with other people and realise that they’re very capable of it, even if they’re a bit nervous going the first time.
Rebecca: And I guess does it inspire a bit of healthy competition as well, which I know firefighters love?
Teresa Waplington: Yeah, it very much does. There are some competitive characters out there I can imagine.
You went to Hungary to compete in the European Firefights Challenge this year
Rebecca: and I know you then went on, didn’t you? I’m not sure if it was this year or last year to do the European Firefights Challenge. Tell me a bit about what was involved there.
Teresa Waplington: yeah, we went out to Hungary to compete in the European Championship. there was five of us, two, guys from a different brigade and then myself, Amy and Sam from Gloucestershire. Sam managed to race a phenomenal race. I don’t know how he did, that fast, but his mindset is so strong. so he did in a phenomenal time. myself and Amy came third to the pom for Britain on that was the tandem. So it’s a two person event. And then I managed to get a third place for my age bracket, which was hard work because I was very much against the European champion for about six years on the trough. And I thought I wasnna die.
Rebecca: I mean it sounds, it sounds hard. Yeah. I mean that’s incredible. What an achievement. What kind of keeps you going in the really, really difficult parts? Is it sort of remembering your teammates, remembering why you’re doing it?
Teresa Waplington: Yeah, I mean, when you’re in it, I can’t see or hear anything or anyone. You’re just in it. But, leading up to it, it’s the money you raise and the people that you help with it. So that’s why we do it. We’ve always done really well in the British Fire Challenge with, consecutive years of fundraising, the most money, especially for Gloucesterre, it’s probably the fourth year running that we’ve raised the most and we all do it for that, no matter what time we Get. It’s always nice to make the podium and if you don’t make it, it’s okay. You see what good it does anyway, so it’s why we do it.
Rebecca: I know a lot of people find, and it doesn’t matter what level you’re competing at, yours is obviously a much higher level, but at any level they can find a lot of mental wellbeing benefits in fitness. Do you find that yourself, particularly around work, if it’s been a bit difficult?
Teresa Waplington: Yeah. I’ve always used fitness as my proably, my scapegoat. you know, you can go in the gym, put your earphones in and just switch off. And, I find that I’ll do that quite a lot, even if you just get up on the treadmill and have a walk. And it does do an awful lot of stimulation for that. So for me it’s a kind of, that escape route. I do deal with my problems, but I think that’s my way of taking myself out of this scenario that you’ve had that day, if you’ve had something bad.
Rebecca: Now, aside from the firefighter games, I know you did a challenge recently and this would be my worst nightmare, which was, a Burpees challenge. And then I think you inspired a lot of people from across the UK to join in, on this. and it was particularly meaningful, I know, wasn’t it? Because it was in memory of Martyn Sadler and Jennie Logan, who we very sadly lost, this year. Can you just tell me a little bit about what inspired that for you, and how it all went?
Teresa Waplington: yeah. So first I kind of. I wanted to do something to, well, honour them really, because we are a big Knick family, whether we know each other or not, we support each other, we back each other up and, you know, to lose two of your own, isn’t great. And then we have to learn, unfortunately, from them six, to save us from going through that ourselves. So it’s always sad to lose someone. And, we decided to take on a mile of thepies each. I initially kept it quite small and then people wanted to be involved, so it grew and grew and grew. And, we made it a challenge to achieve over a hundred miles of Burpees as a collective team. So I spoke to numerous, brigades. So we had Helena from Manchester and Martyr in Germany and then the Estonia guys, some of the Welsh boys and various places. Hungary, Austria got involved and they were just sending me their videos of them doing, which looks like some crazy stuff. They were Doing, I think it was for Germany, guys. They had a rocky path that looked uphill in the forest, doing a mile of burpees. Really happy. I was like, are t you so happy? So, yeah, we ended up doing 100 miles. 107. we raised so far £6,335, which will come across to you shortly. And it’s not closed off yet, but it’s coming. And, yeah, everybody got involved and they wanted to support the sort of, challenge that we had and to, honour them, because I’m sure they would do the same for us.
Rebecca: That’s really inspirational. For anyone else thinking of doing a fundraiser like that, certainly in memory ones can be a lovely way to bring people together, I think. and do you think that is a key element, certainly, with the challenges that you’ve done yourself and, bringing kind of the firefighting community together and perhaps even public supporters as well?
Teresa Waplington: Yeah, I mean, there were so many people that came to say, like the Bekey Challenge, and they were non firefighters as well as firefighters and, you know, firefighters from around the globe as such. but when you come across to say, the British Firefighter Challenge or the European Championships, you’re meeting so many different people from so many different backgrounds and then I think it’s just one massive sort of social gathering where people can communicate with each other. And I’ve made a lot of friends from it and some of them recently I met a lady called Detty. She’ve come from Hungary and in Hungary you’re not allowed to be a female firefighter. So she’s now joined Gloucest Toa. You know, she’s become whole time and she is still excited. She is like a ball of joy. but she, Yeah, she is, one of those people that wants to support people, help their mental health. and she’ll go a long way and, hopefully we can support her with it. But it’s nice to have that sort of network and that family sort of environment, which is. Is hard in the job you do. So it’s nice to have it from everybody and from different brigades and all around the world.
Rebecca: It’s nice just on that, actually. I was going to ask you as well, if, say, a young woman was listening today who’s maybe thinking about joining the fire service or taking on a charity challenge, whether they’re in the fire service or not, what advice would you give them? Would you sort of say, go for it? what were those early steps for.
Teresa Waplington: You with Gloucestershire, they’ve come a long way. They, They’ve got so many females now that are join in and literally thriving in the service. And, I think maybe as a female, they’ve been afraid, to do that in the past because it’s been that male environment. But no, I mean, the guys are really supportive. the girls that we’ve got on board, enjoying it, or they seem to enjoy it and they, they just get on the house on fire. So it’s nice because, say, like, for something like Deti, who never thought that would be possible, she’s u, come along and suddenly realised that she can do it, she’s made lots of friends and she’s, she’s just loving it, loving it. So, yeah, I would say gun for. You know, if you’re a female and you’re ever worried about joining the Fire service, don’t be. all the other females that are in there, you can talk to us, we can help you through it and, guide you through the process and hopefully see you soon.
Rebecca: They absolutely couldn’t agree more. And just sort of finally, what, what would you say your sort of proudest moment has been, whether that’s in uniform in sport or through your fundraising?
Teresa Waplington: Proudest moment is, for me, because of all the charity work, I think it’s seeing everybody actually come together because you never expect it and you think you do some of these things and, you know, you get one or two people that’s maybe a yes or maybe a no. And then like the Burpee Challenge, seeing the amount of people come along to support and they didn’t have to, yeah, for me, I’d say that’s was. I was proud of them, for coming and doing it because, I mean, it’s a horrific ask of, please do a mil of burp, please, and be sore for a week. But, they came a along and yeah, they did it for me, which is. For me it’s, They’re very inspiring and they did make me proud.
Rebecca: So, yeah, that’s lovely. Thank you so much for everything that you’ve done for the charity. It makes such a difference. If you fancy taking on a fundraising challenge in Adivus, either on your own or as part of a team. You can find links to get you started and contact details for your local fundraiser in the show notes.
Now meet Mark Baxter, Chief fire officer at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service. He’s recently started training for next year’s London Marathon as part of his chief’s Challenge. And he talks about why fundraising and inspiring his team to get involved really matters to him. Could I just actually start by asking you a little bit about, yourself. So when you first started with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service and were you whole time at the start or were you on call?
Mark Baxter: Yeah, no, absolutely. So I’ve been with Lincs Fire and Rescue. well, it was at Lincolnshire Fire Brigade when I first joined for just over 33 years. I joined as an encore firefighter. so I spent a couple of years, with my encore colleagues and then I joined whole time, in 1994. So, yeah, I spent, all my career in Lincolnshire. I’m born and bred of Lincolnshire lad. So I’m, very proud of, the candy Lincolnshire and enormously proud to be able to be in the vis to lead, lead the service that I joined many, many years ago.
Rebecca: Had it always been a dream of yours to kind of climb that ledddering to get into a leadership role or did that develop over time?
Mark Baxter: I think it’s fair developed over time. to be honest with you. I mean, I was, pretty much the same as most people that Jo during the fire service. I just wanted, to enjoy being a firefighter. I wanted to serve the community. I enjoyed every minute of, riding fire engines and working alongside my colleagues on stations. and then I realised how much more there was to offer being within the fire service. and it kind of grew from there really. And I just took it one step at a time, really. And I will say this, I’ve always been fortunate that I’ve enjoyed every single role that I’ve worked in with the service. So, yeah, I’ve just continued my journey that way.
Rebecca: What an incredible thing to say about your jobh that you’ve enjoyed every role. It’s amazing.
Mark Baxter: And I think it’s something that, we take for granted sometimes within the fire service, that we are in a great organisation and then the fire sector does so many wonderful things, across, the communities. But I think that kind of links into. We’re only able to do amazing things if we’ve got all the right resources and we’ve been able to be looked after and we’ve got support like great organisationss like the Fire Fi charity.
Rebecca: That’s amazing. And do you think it’s something that you’ve known throughout your career, the import importance of actually looking after your well being? and has that, again, has that grown as you’ve found out more about the charity?
Mark Baxter: I think it’s definitely grown. absolutely. And the more I’ve got to learn about the importance of well being and support, it becomes so clear and obvious what a critical role it was. I mean when I joined again joined the service over 30 years ago, when I was a firefighter, rather watch even at those stages I was the Firefight Charities rare I think it was this is a benevolent fund at that time. so I’ve always been linked in regards to the charity and always understood the valuable support and the offering it has. But I think as we’ve learned more about the importance of physical and mental support and rehabilitation, it’s great that actually the Fi Fi charity has evolved and grown with that same level of need and I think he’s just grown as a partnersship brilliantly.
Rebecca: obviously involvement as a rep early on is fantastic. So you will have known a lot to spread the awareness with your colleagues. have you seen people supported by us, you know, people around you and your colleagues and have you seen the impact that that can have?
Mark Baxter: Absolutely, yeah. I think there’s probably hundreds of people that through my career that I’ve seen in some, some way shape or form have used the tailored support of the Ben Funder and the Firefight Charity is as it is and has been mainly called I can absolutely Shadow of Dead. It’s gone through bringing people back to work earlier than what they ever would have. I’ve seen it when it’s actually prevented people from being off work in the first place because they’ve had the access and support in what they’ve needed to the nth degree where it really has changed people’s lives and giving them support where they wouldn’t have been able to get from anywhere else, without a shadow of a doubt. it has made real, tangible positive impacts and many, many people who are not just operational, the families of our personnel, non operational staff as well. It really looks after the fire family and can’t underplay that. It really is a service for everyone.
Rebecca: Yeah, really, really powerful and massively important for us to spread that word as well that it’s there for everyone.
you have obviously done a lot of fundraising as well, I’m sure throughout your career in your positions of station rep and all the way through to where you are now. just recently I know you’ve announced that you’re going to be running the 2026 London Marathon in a of us as part of Your Chief’s Challenge. Can you just tell me a little bit about what inspired that for you?
Mark Baxter: So challenge. We like to do a Chief challenge, as often as we can because I think it shows the level of support that we have across, the service. and we look at different and innovative ways that we can really highlight, the charity and do something, which is going to be a real challenge. I think things that we’ve done in the past. I remember being involved a few years ago where we was, we had to roll out, I think it was over 700 metres of hose. and we was doing it on every station to try and get that buy in and said, yeah, that would be a great thing to be involved in. not realising it’s been many years since I’ve rolled out ho and got a lot more of a challenge than I thought it was going to be. and we’ve done other challenges where’been part of a team where we. We’ve climbed the three peaks, of the uk but we cycled in between them as well. Sovis and then cycled to, Scottale pike and then we, then cycled through to Snowden as well. So again, we like to do something that’s going to create an interest and raise the awareness. So I suppose going to the London Marathon part. Why am I doing it now? it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do is a marathon. Because I’ve never run a marathon. yeah, no I haven’t. It’s always going to be one of those bucket list things to do and if I was ever going to do one, why not do the London Marathon? Probably the best marathon in the world. And I think there’s an element where I’m coming to an age where it’s getting more and more harder. So if I’m going to do it, I need to do it now. So, I’m going to be 53 by the time, the marathon comes round. So, so I thought, well, just go for it, just put it out there. Because once you start putting something out there, ah, and you make the commitment and people get to know about it, there is no stepping back. Andeah. So I’m in that position now. So I’ve made that commitment, that I’m going to run it. And so I’m really now in the position of trying to work through that preparation and that training which, which I think is’s fair to Say that element of it is probably going to be as hard or harder than the actual running of the marathon, which I probably didn’t appreciate when I first signed up.
Talk me through your training plan for the Firefight Charity Run
Rebecca: Talk me through your training plan. How is it going and how are you actually juggling that with your day to day role? like you said, are you trying to do little and often or how’s that working?
Mark Baxter: So I’m starting to build up. So I feel like I’m in the position where I’m almost trying to build the base lever of just trying to get miles, the miles in that I can just to get my legs used to running more often and for longer distances. but also I’m trying to balance that. I’m just trying to get the muscle memory and also learning that I probably need to do a little bit more stretching and a little bit more warming down and warming up because my muscles are ah, not as flexible as they probably used to be when I was 25. So I’m really conscious about that. So I’m really in, in that position where I’m building the miles at the mom. But if you speak to me again in the middle of January and it’s a cold w. Cold and wet, six or seven o’clock in the morning and it’s snowing and hailing, I may not be enjoying it.
Rebecca: There will be tough moments not just on the race itself, but even in these training runs where it just feels a little bit harder halfway through maybe what do you think it will be that just keeps you, keeps you motivated in those moments during that run?
Mark Baxter: The single thing that I want, what is. What is the single thing that really will get me out of bed? if I can raise more awareness and if I can signpost people and if I can get them to understand what support the firefight charity can give and if that one person picks up that phone and that one person access it and that will change their life to, that’s immeasurable. and that’s generally what the firefighter charity does offer. And if somebody by raising the awareness now understands how they can get that support and use that support, for me that’s a win and m. That’s going to change people’s lives and it’s changing people who are dedicated to the communities that we serve. Our five family. So they give enough to their communities. They need something that they can be able to get support when they need it. So if me by doing this small thing can raise some much needed funds, can Raise the awareness and somebody is going to get access to that support where they didn’t know they could have it then. Yeah, that’s what’s going to get me out of bed in the morning.
Rebecca: That’s incredible. really, really nicely put. And do you think it’s quite a nice feeling as well and important to you essentially that you are spreading the word about the services that are available to your colleagues right across the service?
Mark Baxter: It absolutely is. and I think it’s really trying to understand it actually. This is this is a partnership. This is a. The Firefight Charity and the fire sector. we’re together in this, and I think that’s people’s raising that understanding. And when I go and I see stations and I go and visit people and I speak about what I do, the Firefight char is always in that conversation, because it just needs to be at the normal conversation about how we work together, not something that people have just heard about but don’t really understand what they can offer. Moved. We’ve moved huge amounts, since then and actually people do really understand now what the Firefighter Charity is about, and what more the Firefighter Charity is doing for us. So every conversation I am with my staff, the firefi Charity isn’t far away from it.
Rebecca: That’s fantastic. Thank you. Just finally, is it also important to you to inspire younger for example fire cadets that are coming into the fire service to do fundraising challenges but also to do like, sporting achievements and things like this for their well being?
Mark Baxter: Absolutely. so I’ve been the National Lethal Fire Cadets and I’ve now taken over the national leaf for children and young people and handed over the reins Fire cadets. But my work with the fire cadets across the country is one of the most proudest pieces of work that I’m involved in and it is about the development of our young people, coming through. And I’m really pleased to see the work and the commitment and the evolution of the Firefight Charity about the offer of support they’re now giving ouri cadets, because are young people, it’s difficult being a young person in this day and age and they have levels of pressure, upon them, which I can only imagine what it’s like, growing up in today’s society so to have a place to go through the Five Cadets programme, which absolutely, gives an awful lot of support, development for our young people. But within that programme to also have that added Support of the firefighters charity is absolutely immeasurable.
Rebecca: And just finally, have you got any kind of other challenges or any other hobbies that you’re pursuing in your spare time or is the marathon probably enough, enough for one year?
Mark Baxter: I think at the moment it’s pretty much going to consume everything else that I’m going to be doing. So I’m either going be I’m going to be working, walking the dog, marathon training or basically taking my children to whichever club they’re doing on whatever night they’re doing as well.
Rebecca: That’s more than enough. Absolutely more than enough. Thank you so much Mark. And to round things off, I’m joined by Andy Mitchell from Hampshire Fire and Rest Service who you might just recognise from the TV show Gladiators. Andy chats about what pushed him to take part and why physical and mental fitness challenges are so important to him.
Can you just start by telling us what your role is in the fire service and how long you’ve actually been doing it for?
Andy Mitchell: So I’ve been in the fire service 18 and a half years now and I’ve reached the grand high ranks of a firefighter and that’s the rank I plan to stay for my career as I love doing the job itself. And I’m based at ah, Winchester Fire Station which is part of Hampshire Fire Rescue Service and we operate a 24 hour self rostering shift pattern there at Winchester, as opposed to the conventional 224 which is what I was used to back in Southampton, which my previous station.
Rebecca: Brilliant. So you obviously, you mentioned that you really enjoy the job. Was it something you would always wanted to do when you were growing up or did it kind of come upon you?
Andy Mitchell: Funny enough actually that’s one of the questions I get asked Wrigley, is that your dream job? Have you always wanted to do it? And unfortunately no, my dream job. And I young girl to be a soldier, that’s what I wanted to be. You know, running around with the garden with a stick in my hand pretending it throwing stones, pretending their grenades. And that is actually what I did. I left school after my GCSE’and then I joined the army and spent seven and a half years in the army before then joining the fire service. So the fire service is a dream job and I love it and I wouldn’t wish to do anything else.
Rebecca: Now that’s, that’s amazing. And it kind of takes me on to my next question actually. Where your passion for sport and fitness first began. Do you Think that was probably when you were in the army, before your time in the fire service.
Andy Mitchell: No, I think my passion for fitness and strength was way before the army and that’s the reason why I wanted to join the army. So when I was younger, 12, 13, 14, I was really into my athletics, I love boxing, I was really into skipping. I’ve always done a lot of sport, a lot of exercise and it was when I became a sort of a teenager at sort of 15, 16 years old, I was thinking after my schooling what job can I do and what do I love more than thething is keeping fit, being strong. And I thought the army is the best role for me to, to be paid to be fit essentially really. So no, I actually went into the army because I enjoyed my fitness, because I enjoyed my strength training and that that’s been with me ever since I can remember, really honest.
Rebecca: It’s kind of a natural progression in some ways and I know certainly as a firefighter fitness is so important and you’ve got to keep a certain level of fitness for the job anyway. Do you think that kind of goes hand in hand as your career has progressed as well?
Andy Mitchell: Yes, definitely. So I’m, I’m now just turned 40 actually, so I am now starting to feel the sort of the midlife aches and pains and not quite as fit and robust as I used to be. So no. And obviously I’m in the new 40 year pension scheme now so I’m going to be a firefighter. Went into my 60s now so I understand. I appreciate how I do need to keep fit and strong to stay in this career up into my 60s essentially because it is quite a physically taxing job. Especially if you’re wearing full fire kit breathing operator sett in your back, you’re carrying a couple of bits of equipment, you’ve got to run up and down some high rise building stairs to get to the fire floor. It is a very hard job and yeah, you need to be fit and that’s I’m hoping to keep my fitness going as long as I possibly can really.
Rebecca: And what does fitness look like for you on a sort of a typical week? What is it that you’re really into? Is it gym work or is it outside at all?
Andy Mitchell: So yeah, when I’m on shift at the fire station we like everyone has gym. So at the fire station it’s conventional sort of lifting and shifting weight in the gym sort of thing. with some like rowing and running thrown in there as well. When I’m not at the fire station. I’m a member of a CrossFit gym so again it’s still sorts of lift and shifting weight but more crossit emon amrap sort orientated with gymnastics thrown in there as well. I also do high rocks as well which involves a lot of running and grunt work and stuff. And the other two things I do quite regularly is swimming and basketball. I’m in a basketball team as well. So swimming, basketball, gym based stuff. CrossFit is essentially what keeps me busy five days a week, six days a week sometimes.
Rebecca: Do you find that there’s Obviously the physical benefits are fairly obvious with that amount of exercise but do you find that there’s some mental wellbeing benefits for you as well that comes from that outside of the job?
Andy Mitchell: Oh, 100% yes, definitely. I can tell if there’s been a time when I haven’t been able to do fitness for whatever reason childare related, busy with a part time work and stuff and I can really feel not aggression but I can feel sort of pent up frustration and annoyance and you just want to get it out of you and fitness is the best way to release everything, get all the endorphins flowing through the body and stuff naturally. And yeah, I can feel if I haven’t done anything for a while I get itchy feet and stuff and I want to get moving and I want to start sweating again and stuff like that. So yeah, clears your mind, it makes you feel more relaxed afterwards. And yeah, I really enjoy it and there’s so many benefits to it for.
An incredible appearance in the TV show Gladiators has been made
Rebecca: Everyone involved really now I can’t not touch on this. it kind of culminated in an incredible appearance in the TV show Gladiators. just tell me a little bit about that opportunity, how it came about and how it progressed.
Andy Mitchell: So it was a bit unintentional really. So obviously I’m 40 years old, so back in the 90s when the original Gladiators was on, I was 8 and 9 years old watching the original Gladiators with like Wolf and Jet and Hunter and all that sort of stuff and obviously I loved it. You know, Saturday night, sat on the couch watching TV with your parents. You can like download it or streamer. You had to watch it l and stuff. So we all gathered around the couch to watch Gladiators and on Saturday night and stuff. but my, I’ve got two daughters, my oldest is 8 years old and we, myself and my two children, we watched the first initial series of the brand new Gladiators which was Filmed last year and, and basically it was their love for it. They would like daddy it Gladiators. Daddy is Gladiators and they would like shout up the names the gladiat TV and they were like booing and hissing and they would just get involved and I could just see myself in them as an 8 year old watching Gladiators the first time. So they loved it, they enjoyed it, they, they were looking forward to Gladiators on Saturday night watching it at home and stuff and, and I was basically sat on the sofa with a girl under each arm watching it and I was literally thinking myself I could do that. Like you know, I’m reasonably fit and m reasonably strong. I’m watching them thinking yeah, I could do that. And, and how amazing would it be for my children to like come up to Sheffield arena and be in the audience and watch it and be involved in it and it’s a lifetime opportunity. Money can’t buy experience. It’s just an incredible opportunity for my children to witness their dad being on it and for me to also physically being on Gladiators because you know how many people can say they’ve being on Gladiators? Only a handful essentially. So yeah, so I just thought after watching the last series I will apply to join the show and it was quite a long process. It was, it was sort 6, 7/ance between applying and actually getting on. Well, going up to Sheffield on the July to for the pre recording stuff. But yeah, so there was a long process to get into it but that was essential shit really it was for my children and an opportunity for myself and that’s why I apployied for it.
Rebecca: Amazing. And what was it like that first time walking onto that set as a firefighter, stepping onto a TV show that’s watched by millions of people.
Andy Mitchell: Surreal is probably the best word to describe it. yeah, you’re in an arena with thousands and thousands of people there. All the bright lights, all the cameras and Bradley Wellsh and Barney Wellsh and obviously backstage the Gladiators as well. Who have you been watching in the previous series? U yeah, it just, it’s aur. It’s an amazing experience. It’s great fun, slightly nerve wracking but surreal I think would be the overall experience initially going into the arena floor to be that.
Rebecca: Yeah, I can imagine it was. And did any part of all of your fire service training come in handy for the events, you know, as part of Gladiators?
Andy Mitchell: I actually Had a couple of Olympic rings set up at work at the fire station and prior to going up to Sheffield I was swinging on the rings quite a lot because you never know if you’re going to get hang toug or not. But luckily I did get hang tough. so that sort of sort the swing on the rings at the fire statssion came into it play. I did a lot of farmers walk at the fire station. So with kettlebells or foam canister drums I’ll be doing a lot of farmers walks to improve the grip strength because a lot of the like the wall and hand tough is quite grip strength oriented. and I suppose the day to day training at the fire station my usual cardiovascular training helped me reach a certain level of fitness to participate in gladiators. So the day to day TR at the fire station did help me when I went up there for sure as.
Rebecca: Well as gladiators and away from that have you kind of taken on any. Whether they’re fundraisers or any challenges in your spare time in aid of the charity at all.
Andy Mitchell: So in these sor of nearly 19 years I’ve been in the fire service I’ve lost count it. I must have at least a minimum of like 15 separate fire station car washes. So every sort of September a fire station car wash. And all the proceeds go to the firefight’charity and also when I passed out of my basic training at Eastly in Hampshire we did a sponsored ladder climb. I think it was the height of Everest. So between us recruits who just passed out we had a 1:35 ladder set up onto some scaffolding and between us we climbed and climbeing climd until we reached the height of Everest. And again that was at m as the superstore speread. Lots and lots of Oncomers coming to watch Shuston support and donate and all the proceeds to that went to the firefighters charity as well.
Rebecca: Amazing. And have you, have you actually had from the charity yourself? Have you seen where those funds go and the difference that they make?
Andy Mitchell: Yes. So one us. So In 20192020 I was coincidentally actually on my motorbike driving to Southampon fire station where I was back then U For my second day shift and I got knocked over by a car. So a car went into me sent me into sen central reservation and U ye I got blue light the hospital and I had some Shoulder issues and some broken ribs and broken clavicle and st. St. So I was actually off Work for three months after my operation and after some rehab and until I could basically move again and stuff. And when I was a slightly better, I actually went to Marine Court in Littlehamptton for five days and I was there getting quite intensive physiotherapy on my shoulder, on my back and stuff. And I did dou with e the hot water aqua train in and yes, I was there for five days getting myself fitter, stronger, building the muscles back up my shoulder, ready to go back on operational duties.
Rebecca: Do you think that did actually sort of help you and speed up that process to getting you back on the run?
Andy Mitchell: Yes, definitely, yeah. Because I was trying to do as much I could do at home. But unless you’re at a centre, getting intensive physiotherapy twice a day every day, I don’t think I would have made the pro that I would have done had I just been at home, do own bandaged stretches and stuff like that. I think being there, just focusing on rehab for five days with all the equick hit equipment there and the specialist knowledge that they had there and really definitely made a difference to get me back on the run much quicker.
Rebecca: Do you think, from your own personal experience then, do you think it’s now important for you just to spread the word a little bit to your colleagues, whether that’s in your station or right around the uk, about the importance of taking on challenges, taking on fundraisers, just toise raise that money for the charity.
Andy Mitchell: Yes, absolutely. Because obviously it would not take place if the money wasn’t there and the only way the money gets there is through charitable donations. So I mean there’s thousands and thousands of firefighters across the country and people are going to need help and assistance throughout their career. I mean I’ve only needed the once whilst my motorbike crash. I’m sure lots of other people are going to pick up injuries, and throughout their career. Especially as we have a more of an ageing population within the fire service. So people are more than likely going to need help, going to need assistance at some point throughout their career.
Rebecca: If you would just have sort of a final message to any other firefighters or anyone else working in the fire service who might have sporting ambitions, might have a hobby outside of work, just to pursue that in their spare time and how important it is for them to be, to be looking at that alongside their career as.
Andy Mitchell: ###Fights is a very, very, very lucky in the fact that we have the ability to train at work. We, we do have a designated PT hour every day sort of thing, whereas most people who work in office don’t have that opportunity. So we have no excuse not to use our PT hour to get fitted, to get stronger, to get ourselves ready for any, activity that we do on our days off or our time away from work and stuff. And, there’s, there’s so much a, possibility out there in people’s chosen sports as well. You might have some incredible, like taekwondo, athletes in the fire service and, you know, we have the ability to train at work to get fit, get strong and fitness in general is so good for everyone. So, yeah, I essentially say to everyone, get involved in something, pursue your hobbies, pursue your dreams. I mean, I never thought I’ve get gladiators, I thought, I’ll apply for it to see what happens. But I did manage to get onto the show, which I’m very lucky. In fact, when we, went up to Sheffield, and we had one of our first meetings with the production crew and casting crew and stuff, they sat us down and said, look, firstly, congratulations. 30,000 people applied to be on the show this year and you’re the 20. We, you’re the 20 people have got through. So to get into the show, let alone being involved in it, is quite a big achievement. But you don’t know unless you try. And one of my biggest, quotes in life is you don’t ask, you don’t get. So if you’re not going. If you’re not going to apply for gladiators, you’re not going to get ont to gladiators. If you’re not going to enter a CrossFit competition, you’re not going to win a CrossFit competition. So you’ve got to get involved, you’ve got to get amongst it, you’ve got to commit yourself and such. there’s so many possibilities that can result of competing in any forms of competitions.
Rebecca: Thank you so much to Mark, Teresa, Mark and Andy for sharing their stories. I think we can all agree they’superstars. If you’d like to get involved yourself, whether it’s through fundraising events or challenges, all the links are waiting for you in the show notes. And if you’ve got your own experience to share, you’ll also find details on how to reach us there. Thanks again for listening and we’ll see you next time on the Shout podcast.