Andrew Fenton grew up aspiring to follow his dad, John, into the fire service. Now, he’s just two months away from celebrating 30 years as a Control Officer with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Supporting Fire Fighters Charity has been a constant feature throughout that time. In fact, one of Andrew’s earliest memories is helping his dad sell programmes at their local fire station Open Day.
John was a dedicated supporter of Fire Fighters Charity for many years, serving first as a charity representative before becoming what was then known as a Regional Chairman for Scotland. He regularly championed our work among colleagues and helped raise funds through station and service-wide events.
Andrew’s dad, John
Andrew has proudly continued that legacy throughout his own career, regularly supporting us and most recently donating in memory of John, who sadly died earlier this year.
“When Dad retired he was gifted a fire service Land Rover by the then-Fire Master of Central Scotland Fire Brigade,” says Andrew. “He’d been involved with the vehicle in a preservation sense for years prior to him retiring, so it meant a lot to him.
“When he passed away, it was always his intention that if it was moved on, the money would be split between Fire Fighters Charity, RNLI and the family – so that’s exactly what we did. We made a £4,000 donation to both charities, and it meant a lot to know that it was his specific wish, and we’ve successfully carried it out.”
John completed 42 years in the fire service, rising to the rank of Fire Divisional Officer, and was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal. Andrew still remembers joining him at Buckingham Palace for the presentation.
“It was incredible,” he says. “I’d always been proud of Dad’s career and it was something I aspired to myself.
“I wear glasses, so I couldn’t follow him into the operational side, but I went into Control instead and I’ve loved it ever since.”
While neither John nor Andrew have accessed our support themselves, Andrew says they have known “hundreds” of people who have benefitted from it, making their fundraising efforts especially meaningful.
“Knowing the difference the funds we’ve raised over the years can make is fantastic,” he adds.
“Funnily enough, over the last couple of years I was trying to persuade Dad to call the charity and perhaps visit Jubilee House, as the closest centre to us, but he was always too proud and insisted he didn’t need the help.
“He won’t be alone, and it’s important for me now to encourage anyone else who feels the same to pick up the phone. I know the charity is there for me and my family, and I hope I’d call should I ever need support myself.”
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