Shout Spring 24

Welcome to the Spring 2024 issue of Shout! Magazine, the official magazine of The Fire Fighters Charity.

For the past 10 years I have been welcoming you to the magazine and writing these opening words. However, this will be the last time I do so as I shortly hand over the reins of this incredible charity to a new Chief Executive.

It has been both an honour and a privilege to lead this charity – your charity – and the many amazing people who work for it. As you will have read in Shout! magazine over the years, we have been able to support thousands of people from across

4 Shout! about it

the fire services community in a multitude of ways, making a life changing difference to their wellbeing. Engaging with you, our beneficiaries, has been a real high point in these last years, speaking with you when perhaps you were at your most vulnerable and seeking support, or when you had - quite rightly - some feedback on when we didn’t do our best, or the times when we really did!

Of course, it is only thanks to your continued support that we have been able to provide any of the support we do. We rely on your regular donations, your car washes, marathon runs, mountain climbs and open days, and all the crazy things you do to raise important income for us. Indeed, every person we’ve

All the latest news from The Fire Fighters Charity and My Fire Fighters Charity

7 We’re on-call for you

All the ways we can support on-call firefighters and their families

10 Community Challenge On-call

15 The Power of Giving

Why we need you to give regularly to support the rest of the fire family

supported during my tenure as Chief Executive has you to thank for that support. So, on their behalf, and personally, you have my sincere thanks.

As for this issue of Shout!, I am delighted that we are shining a spotlight on the many ways we can help on-call firefighters and their families. On-call and volunteer firefighters play such an important role in their local communities, but often don’t realise that we are here for them too. So, if you are on-call, or if you’re reading this in an on-call station, remember; we’re on-call for you.

Elsewhere in the issue, please take the opportunity to answer the Future Shout! Survey, so you can help determine the

16 Residential Calendar 2024

Pull-out poster with all the key dates for our specialist weeks over the year

18 Sleep well

Discover our top tips for getting a good night’s sleep

20 With you all the way

Find out some of the many ways our Welfare Team could help you

21 Nature and nurture

Why time outdoors and being close to nature can boost your mental wellbeing

22 Get set for summer

A selection of our merchandise, from Helping Hoodies to wedding gifts

24 Challenge 2024

What kind of a Fire Family Fundraiser will you take on?

future of this magazine and the many ways we can share information and stories with you. And, if you’ve got room on your noticeboard, make sure to pin up the centre spread poster with all our residential programmes for the rest of the year.

Wishing you all the very best in the future, and thank you once again for your continued support.

Kind regards,

Dr Jill Tolfrey Chief Executive

27 Life partners

Could you help us partner with a business in your local area?

28 Retirement plans

A few of the ways we can help you transition into retirement

29 Time Team

If you have a bit of time to spare, discover how to join our volunteer team

30 Competition

Win a luxury spa break for two

Read this issue online:

Shout! about it

Here’s where you’ll find out what we and our supporters have been working on over recent months. We’re always on the look out for interesting stories and if you’ve got something newsworthy that you’d like to Shout! about, let us know: shout@firefighterscharity.org.uk

Stop Press

Sherine Wheeler appointed Chief Executive

In early April, just as Shout! magazine was going to press, we announced the appointment of Sherine Wheeler as our new Chief Executive.

Joining us from Mayhew, an animal welfare and veterinary charity with operations in the UK and overseas, Sherine brings extensive leadership experience having worked to broaden the reach and deepen the impact of charities, including at Marie Curie, Action for Children and Young Lives vs Cancer. She has also advised a number of charities on strategy, impact and performance.

Crisis Line saves lives

We launched our 24/7 Suicide Crisis Line in November 2023 to offer immediate and ongoing suicide and mental health crisis care for past and present UK fire services personnel.

The Crisis Line, funded in its first year by the Blue Light Card Foundation and for two further years by Fire and Rescue Services, is staffed by specially trained clinicians who understand the fire community and the blue light sector.

In the first four months, the Crisis Line received 76 calls –showing just how needed it is.

So, if you are a past or present member of fire service personnel and you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call us now on 0300 373 0896. Please remember, you’re never alone.

Find out more by scanning the QR code:

Sherine began her new role on 22 April and will assume full responsibility for The Fire Fighters Charity from 13 May, after a transition period working alongside our outgoing Chief Executive, Dr Jill Tolfrey.

Join our Beneficiary Experience Panel

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Beneficiary Experience Panel, an opportunity for you to help shape the future of your Charity.

If you’re an eligible beneficiary, you can join the Panel and take part in focus groups, surveys and discussions on everything we do, from the services we provide to the way we communicate and the things you’d like to see us do more of. We want to make sure that your opinions, thoughts and preferences are at the heart of everything we do.

Participation in the Beneficiary Experience Panel is entirely voluntary. We understand that your time is precious, and your involvement is appreciated at any level. You can choose the topics that align with your interests to be involved with, ensuring that your contribution is meaningful and relevant to you.

If you are interested in joining the Beneficiary Experience Panel please apply by scanning the QR code and, filling in our quick online form.

Bag It and Bank It breaks record

We achieved record-breaking success this year with our January Bag it and Bank it recycling campaign – and it’s all thanks to our fantastic supporters across the UK.

You helped us collect more than 480 tonnes of clothing throughout January from recycling banks across the UK, raising an incredible £101,524.

See all the results and this year’s winning stations by scanning the QR code:

Leave a lasting legacy

Remembering us in your will leaves a lasting legacy to support fire service personnel and their families across the UK. Have you created yours yet?

We have partnered with Bequeathed to offer a free will-making service - to take the hard work out of the process. You can make your will in a few simple steps online, with inperson advice from a legal professional and free storage of your will with the firm.

Find out more by scanning the QR code:

Could you become a Company Member?

We are seeking members of the fire services community to support our governance by becoming a Company Member in 2024.

Our Company Members are invited to join our Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) every year, where they can ask questions, share their views and opinions on the direction of our Charity, elect Trustees and debate and vote on resolutions that may change the Charity’s constitution.

Offering a closer insight into what’s involved, two of our Company Members - Brian Robson and Dave Ramscar –have shared what it means to them.

Read what they had to say, and find out about applying yourself, by scanning the QR code:

Meet our 2024 London Marathon runners

We want to say a huge thank you to all those taking part in this year’s London Marathon in aid of us. You can meet all of those taking part, and hear about their personal reasons for doing so, by scanning the QR code here:

Launch of 2024 residential weeks calendar

We’re holding a number of residential programmes at our three centres throughout the rest of this year and the start of 2025, focusing on your physical health, mental health and social wellbeing.

From kickstarting your fitness, to a week focused on menopause, another on living with trauma and many more, we’ve tailored each to focus on your specific needs.

You can see the full calendar in a handy poster format for your noticeboards on pages 16-17.

Charity Partners of The Fire Safety Event 2024

We’re proud to be Charity Partners of The Fire Safety Event at the NEC in Birmingham, from 30 April to 2 May 2024. Watch out for more details and updates on social media soon and get your tickets by scanning the QR code:

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

We will be marking Mental Health Awareness Week in May by sharing stories, information, online resources, podcasts and more to spread the word about the support we offer to promote your mental health.

Keep an eye on our social media channels and website to keep up to date with everything we’ll be sharing from 13-19 May.

Support us with a Riviera Travel break

We’re delighted to announce that Riviera Travel will be supporting us throughout this year.

Book any break with them in 2024 and 10% will be donated to us. Explore their collection of holidays and use this link to book online: www.rivieratravel.co.uk/ fire and 10% of the cost will be donated. Or call 01283 901 119 and mention The Fire Fighters Charity.

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We’re on-call for you

This summer we’ll be launching a campaign to ensure that every on-call and volunteer firefighter in the UK understands how we can support them and their family. So, if you’re on-call, here’s a glimpse of what’s on offer for you and your dependants, and what you can expect to hear more about over the coming months…

We understand the great pride that comes with being an on-call firefighter - being a central pillar of your community, helping people in their darkest moments and being a constant reassurance to those around you.

But we also understand that the role comes with unique challenges - juggling two or more jobs with family life, long hours, often sleepless nights and of course the ever-present pager.

Piotr:

“On-call firefighting is one of the best jobs ever, but at the same time one of the toughest to manage… The Fire Fighters Charity offered me remote counselling during a challenging time and it was exactly what I needed. There’s literally help a phone call away.”

So, we want to remind you and your families* that we’re always here for you, helping however we can with whatever you need in terms of your health and wellbeing.

Whether you’re in your first week as an on-call firefighter, or you’ve been in the job for years, you and your dependants are eligible to access our huge range of support, services, information and online courses, many of which you can benefit from today.

Angie:

“I have booked a rest and recharge stay at Jubilee House for myself and my son, after hearing about the support available to on-call firefighters like myself. I am forever grateful for this opportunity.”

We’re also here for life’s little things, as well as the more serious moments. So, whether it’s advice on getting a good night’s sleep, ideas for keeping the kids amused during the holidays, help with budget planning or tips for healthy meals, we’ve got you covered.

But don’t take our word for it, here’s how we’ve supported Piotr, Angie and George –all of whom are on-call firefighters:

*eligibility criteria applies.

George:

“I ended up accepting some muchneeded guidance and support from the Welfare team and after the support I’ve had, I’d highly recommend the Charity to other on-call firefighters.”

Over the next two pages, we’ll share a glimpse at some of the many ways we’re here for on-call firefighters and their families.

Call on us

We have a wide range of programmes, content and even a dedicated online space available for on-call firefighters and their families. Did you know you can access all of this and more?

We know that finding time for yourself can feel difficult when you’re living a busy life – especially as an oncall firefighter.

So, we’ve tailored a number of our programmes and support pathways to fit around your busy schedule.

We have a wealth of online content, courses and webinars available to you, as well as a dedicated online space on our community and app, My Fire Fighters Charity. We also run a range of residential programmes, specifically designed to help you, your colleagues and dependants with a number of health and wellbeing needs.

My Fire Fighters Charity

We know that time is short. There’s barely enough of it in the day to juggle work, fire service duty and family. So, to make life easier, our online community, My Fire Fighters Charity, is a great place to start to find out about everything we can do for you and your family.

Through it – on your desktop or phone – you can access our On-Call Hub, where you’ll find articles, videos and interactive courses on everything from preventing burnout to help with stress, relationships and family welfare.

What’s more, you can also join our On-Call Crew Group, where you can meet other past and present on-call personnel from across the UK.

A two-way platform where you can reach us and we, hopefully, can make a difference to you. We’re updating My Fire Fighters Charity all the time, so log in and tell us what you’d like to see.

Register: www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/myfirefighterscharity

Online courses

Put simply, we aim to always be on-call for you. So, here are a few of the many types of support, resources and courses that you and your dependants are eligible to take advantage of.

Accessible through My Fire Fighters Charity and our website, we have a host of online courses that can help with many of the challenges that on-call firefighters across the UK have told us impact their lives.

We’ve also designed our courses to fit around your busy life, with different courses ranging from five minutes to six weeks. Covering everything from sleep, stress and general anxiety, to building resilience, strengthening relationships and preventing burnout, we’ve curated a set of courses to meet the needs of today’s fire services community.

Meanwhile, we also offer our online Hope Programme throughout the year. Specifically aimed at combatting stress and anxiety, the self-directed programme – run in partnership with Hope For The Community – can be taken completely at your own pace, and accessed via phone or tablet too. See our upcoming dates: www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/hope

So, wherever you are, and whatever time you have, you’ll find an online course that can help you to take positive steps forward with the challenges you’re facing.

Family Hub

We understand the pressure that working two jobs can put on families, so we’ve created a dedicated section on our website and My Fire Fighters Charity, to help.

On our Family Hub you’ll find a collection of great resources and activities for on-call families.

From colouring sheets to ideas for holidays and ways to be active together, we’re always adding to our collection of tools and tips to help you enjoy time together.

Also on our Family Hub, find out about:

• The full range of services available to you, your partner and family

• Our free children’s book The Wolf Was Not Sleeping

• Child and Family Weeks

• Rest and Recharge breaks for the whole family

• Psychological support for 16-17 year olds

• Welfare support and help at home

Webinars and workshops

Our teams regularly run free online webinars and workshops, on a broad range of health and wellbeing subjects aimed at on-call personnel and their families.

From stress, anxiety and sleep issues, to building resilience and understanding the menopause, we’re happy to run webinars and workshops on any of the health and wellbeing issues affecting you and your family.

You can join many of our webinars live, or you can watch them back on ShoutTV!, our YouTube channel.

Our more interactive workshops, meanwhile, allow you to delve deeper into subjects with members of our wellness coaching team.

A great opportunity to find out more and to interact with our experts, keep an eye on our social media and website for details of upcoming webinars and workshops.

Support for life

Once you’ve served as an on-call firefighter for five years, you are a beneficiary of The Fire Fighters Charity for life, and so are your partner and dependant loved ones.

So, whatever health and wellbeing concerns you have, or improvements you’d like to make, we’ll be here for you and your family throughout your life.

Even if you leave the Service after five years, you and your dependants are still eligible to use any of our services and access all of our health and wellbeing resources, whenever you wish.

Indeed, we have a range of services, activities and programmes for people who have left or retired, helping you to reconnect with your time in the Service and to live your best life.

Find out more: www.firefighterscharity. org.uk/lifetime

Order your free On-call Magazine

As part of our forthcoming campaign, we’re launching a new On-Call Magazine, specifically for on-call firefighters. You can access a free digital or printed copy now by visiting www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ oncallmag or scanning the QR code here:

COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

On-call firefighter Iwan Ward and his family received our support when he went through a difficult time following some traumatic shouts. Here, he and his wife Anita share how we helped all of them – remotely and at Harcombe House.

When Iwan Ward isn’t cleaning windows in his day job, he’ll be helping his wife with their two young sons or joining a community meeting in his role as a councillor. And around all of that, he’s also an on-call firefighter.

Iwan, 40, has been in Mid and West Wales FRS for 16 years in his on-call role and has loved it from the moment he joined. However, while the job is deeply rewarding, it’s also a huge juggling act in his already busy life – and comes with pressures many could never imagine.

No-one can predict when a difficult shout will leave a lasting impact on you. For Iwan, who was recently promoted to Crew Manager at Crymych Fire Station, it came in 2023.

While he had always been very open with those around him, Iwan began to withdraw and bottled up how he was feeling in the weeks that followed. This became a snowball effect, and he started struggling to sleep, experiencing flashbacks and noticed his mood changing.

Fortunately, he knew we were there to offer support and reached out to us early. From

there, we’ve offered him remote counselling and invited him and his family to Harcombe House on a Rest and Recharge stay –something he says was very much needed by all of them.

“I love being an on-call firefighter,” says Iwan. “I actually wanted to join when I was 18, but life got in the way and my wife wasn’t immediately keen on the idea. Don’t get me wrong, she still worries about me, that’s part of the job. But it’s a very proud role for both of us.”

While knowing and being part of your community is undoubtedly one of the

greatest draws to being an on-call firefighter, Iwan says it also means he often knows the person at the other end of a shout – so when his pager goes off, it comes with that added concern.

His wife, Anita, says: “It’s still exactly the same all these years later. If he goes out in the middle of the night, I won’t sleep until he comes back. But [the crew] are all one big family. If they get a bad shout, they all talk through it together, they’re all there for one another, and that’s reassuring for me.”

While Iwan knew about the support we offer, he didn’t call us until last year when he started facing challenges with his mental health.

“We lost a little girl in a house fire last year and, for me, that was a tipping point because we’d had a really rough 12 to 18 months as a station leading up to it,” says Iwan. “I think I probably saw more bad deaths and fires in that 18 months than I’d seen in the last 15 years.

“When the incident happened, it was 9.30pm at night so my boys were still awake. Then as I came home in the morning, my kids were waking up, so that was tough – stepping back into that family life.

“I didn’t know how to deal with it properly, and I was being distant from my wife and kids. I had my boys going to my wife and saying, ‘why doesn’t dad want to speak to us?’ That’s when I realised how bad it had got.

“I was very snappy towards my wife too. I’m usually quite a cool person, but we were suddenly always arguing over really silly things. On top of that, sleep was a big thing for me. My brain was on overdrive every night, so I wouldn’t be getting to sleep until say 5am. I’d then often be waking up to flashbacks.”

Anita, meanwhile, had to watch her husband suffering, which understandably had a huge knock-on impact on her: “It was really difficult, he’s never been like that before. It wasn’t him to be down or quiet, he’s always a big, jolly, happy person, life and soul of the party, and then to suddenly be very down and very quiet, was very difficult to see.”

Iwan says, while he didn’t feel at a point of crisis, he knew getting support as early as possible was key.

“I knew, while I might be okay with it at first, I didn’t know what I’d be like in 10, 15, 20 years,” he says. “I’ve seen it, I’ve seen people trying to be strong and then in 10, 15

years, they’re finished. I wanted to deal with it straight away.

“Just being able to have contact with the Charity so quickly was brilliant. I was offered remote counselling and the chance to visit a centre almost straight away, with my family.”

The whole family visited Harcombe House on a Rest and Recharge stay, and Iwan says: “It had been really difficult on everyone, watching me struggling, so I was very aware they were in need of a break too. It was absolutely amazing, I can’t praise it enough.”

And Anita says of the time away: “For the first time, for a long time, we were there as a family with no other distractions. We were just able to enjoy the two boys… they loved the swimming and they were able to play football, air hockey, the walks, it was just so relaxed and peaceful.”

Iwan followed the visit with the remote counselling sessions, and says of those: “They were amazing, it was just a chance to talk about everything.”

Iwan is also fully supporting our 24/7 Crisis Line, which we launched in November 2023 and says: “If it had been there when I was struggling, I’d have been on it straight away. I’ve got friends who’ve taken their lives because they haven’t had anyone to talk to.”

The couple are both now spreading the word as far as they can and would also encourage anyone reading their story to regularly support us – having seen what a difference your donations make.

“It’s a really big help to know that if any of us are going through anything, we’ve got the Charity there to go to – the kids as well,” says Anita.

“I didn’t know how to deal with it properly, and I was being distant from my wife and kids. I had my boys going to my wife and saying, ‘why doesn’t dad want to speak to us?’

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Help shape Shout!

Over the next few months, we want to take a fresh look at how we can best share all of our great printed and digital content with you. Here’s how you can help us.

Shout! magazine has a long and proud history as The Fire Fighters Charity’s official magazine. Since the early 2000s, it has been the twice-yearly vehicle through which we’ve shared our successes, told you about the services available to you and championed your incredible fundraising achievements.

However, whereas the magazine has continued to drop through your letterboxes largely unchanged, for almost 25 years, the world has advanced considerably in terms of the way we all read and consume content. Here at the Charity, meanwhile, we’re now producing a wealth of content, in a multitude of different formats, that we want to share with you all.

Shout! To The Future Questionnaire

So, in order to ensure that we can share everything we are doing with you, in formats that mean you can enjoy it and get the most from it, we’re going to take a few months to reassess Shout! and all the ways we share content with you.

However, we need your input to help us do this.

By answering our Shout! To The Future Questionnaire, you’ll be helping us to understand how you like to watch and listen to multimedia content, as well as how you enjoy other forms of media. You’ll also be able to tell us what you want to see or read more about from us, as well as what you like from other organisations and charities.

Our online questionnaire can be accessed here – www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ futureshout - or by scanning the QR code on the right.

It should take you no more than around 15 minutes to complete and, by doing so, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a short break at Harcombe House in Devon.

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY

Our outgoing Chief Executive, Dr Jill Tolfrey, reflects on the last 10 years and the incredible impact our regular donors have had – and continue to have - on the support we offer.

How important is Regular Giving to our Charity?

“Regular Giving is the bedrock of our income generation really. We can claim Gift Aid on each donation too, so it’s of huge importance to us.

“The challenge sometimes is that it can seem invisible or be forgotten by the fire community, because it might be a small amount every month and it might not be as upfront and obvious as a glamorous fundraiser. But it’s absolutely fundamental to how we move forward.”

Are there some unexpected ways we’ve helped people in the past, thanks to our regular donors, which have stuck in your memory?

“Because we’ve been fortunate to have a steady income from our donors, we’ve been able to do things that may not have been possible otherwise.

“One memory always stays with me, and it’s from a lot of years ago. We had a young couple get in touch. He was very unwell and the only place he could get treatment was abroad. They had used up all their savings and sold their home to pay for travel and treatment. We made an application for funding through the EU,

which involved finding the evidence in support of the proposed treatment and making the case for funding.

“We were successful in getting some of their savings back for them and the treatment gave him an extra year of life with his family and loved ones.

“People don’t often think about us doing things like this – it’s a bit like our Welfare team. These are the things that can make a real fundamental difference to people’s lives.

“Another memory I have is of an elderly gentleman who was living with a long-term condition and was helped by our nursing team at Jubilee House. Because of them, he was able to take part in some light rehab and his wife, who was his main carer, had a break at the same time. It’s these kinds of things that are almost hidden, they’re almost Cinderella services.”

How important was Regular Giving during the Covid-19 pandemic?

“Regular Giving was incredibly important throughout the pandemic. People were very shell-shocked at first, being ‘locked down’, which meant a lot of fundraising activities stopped very quickly – that’s when Regular Giving was vital for us.

“For me, it’s about recognising that those small amounts really add up. It’s reliable and makes the world of difference to the support we can offer.”

Are there any other key income generation highlights that have stuck in your mind from the last 10 years?

“We did a lot of promotion around our 75th anniversary, working very closely with fire and rescue services and supporters who organised fundraisers, and it proved successful.

“I also think Donate For A Mate was a highlight for me. We did it because of the way fire service personnel tend to respond when you ask them how they are. They’ll say, ‘I’m fine but my mate needs some help’. It’s very typical of the culture in the service - always helping others first.”

What would you like to see develop with any future funding?

“I think it’s now about pushing as many resources as we can into developing the prevention agenda. Prevention is always better than cure, so the more we can do there the better, for the next generation coming through.”

THE POWER OF GIVING

For 80 years, unity has been the strength of The Fire Fighters Charity. Over the decades we have come together as a community to support each other, recognising the toll that the job can take and developing services that have evolved to support our fire family physically, mentally and socially. And because it’s always better for you if issues are addressed early, before life throws you a curve ball, we’ve ramped up our preventative services too. Most importantly, we make a promise to support you and your eligible dependants.

Funding for this commitment, comes from many sources including recycling, community events at stations, fundraising challenges and the many other inspiring ways you, our supporters, raise funds. But the biggest source of our income, and the one that enabled us to keep supporting you when Covid shut down the world, is regular

monthly gifts. It’s the accumulation of these small monthly gifts made by people like you, as a pledge to the whole fire family, that provides the steady income needed to commit to providing the services you need. Every member of our fire services community – regardless of rank, role or relationship – can make a difference. Please stand with the fire family by joining those who already make a monthly contribution. You can use the QR code below to sign up.

Giving what you can each month, by becoming a new regular donor or uplifting your existing donation, will mean that you are personally enabling us to help someone who needs us; someone who may not yet know how we can help them and what difference we can make – your watch mate, your former colleague, the person sat next to you in the office, your husband, wife or children.

Just £2.50 a week (£10 a month), for example, would, with Gift Aid, mean that over the course of a year you would fund places for six people on our life changing Hope online mental health programme.

Please join our community of committed givers, spread the word amongst your peers and together we can change even more lives in 2024 and into the future.

Thank you.

Residential programmes

Nursing support:

Where: Jubilee House What is it: Dedicated nursing support from a specialist nursing team Who for: Beneficiaries visiting the centre and in need of additional support

April 2024 –March 2025

Rest and Recharge

Where: All centres What is it: Time away at our centres and a chance to recharge Who for: Beneficiaries in need of time and a change of scenery during challenging times

Reset Programme

Where: Harcombe House What is it: Aimed at developing and improving your resilience and overall mental fitness. Who for: Beneficiaries experiencing challenges to their mental wellbeing

Physical rehabilitation

Where: All centres What is it: A dedicated, group-based week with our physiotherapists and exercise therapists Who for: Beneficiaries recovering from injury or illness

Our Specialised Weeks

January 2025 Kickstart Your Fitness: 13 January –Harcombe House Kickstart Your Fitness: 20 January –Jubilee House Kickstart Your Fitness: 27 January –Marine Court

February 2025 Building Resilience: 3 February –Harcombe House Family Week –Single Parents: 17 February –Harcombe House

March 2025 Transitions Into Retirement: 3 March –Harcombe House Covid Recovery Programme: 10 March –Harcombe House Living With Early-Stage Dementia: 17 March –Harcombe House

October 2024 Joint and Mobility Health: 7 October –Marine Court Living With Trauma: 14 October –Harcombe House Family Week –Single Parents: 21 October –Harcombe House

November 2024 Menopause Week: 4 November –Harcombe House Covid Recovery Programme: 11 November –Jubilee House Transitions Into Retirement: 18 November –Marine Court

December 2024 Living Healthily After Cancer: 2 December –Harcombe House Festive fun for carers and their cared for:

December –Harcombe House

July 2024

Women’s Wellbeing: 1 July –Jubilee House Transitions Into Retirement: 1 July –Marine Court Living Healthily After Cancer: 8 July –Harcombe House Covid Recovery Programme: 8 July –Marine Court

August 2024

Young Adult Dependants Activity Week: 5 August –Harcombe House

September 2024 Walking for your Wellbeing: 2 September –Harcombe House Body and Mind: 9 September –Harcombe House Kickstart Your Fitness: 9 September –Jubilee House Transitions Into Retirement: 16 September –Harcombe House Kickstart Your Fitness: 16 September –Marine Court Family WeekPre-school: 30 September –Harcombe House Kickstart Your Fitness: 30 September –Harcombe House

April 2024

Transitions Into Retirement: 15 April –Harcombe House Body and Mind: 29 April –Harcombe House

May 2024

Joint and Mobility Health: 6 May –Marine Court

Living With Trauma: 13 May –Harcombe House Kickstart Your Fitness: 20 May –Marine Court

June 2024

Walking for your Wellbeing: 3 June –Harcombe House Menopause Week: 10 June –Harcombe House

Family WeekPre-school: 17 June –Harcombe House Kickstart Your Fitness: 17 June –Jubilee House Building Resilience: 24 June –Harcombe House

Find out more

All programmes start on a Monday, with arrival on the Sunday, and vary in length from 3-5 days. These programmes are all catered weeks, but self-catering options may be available.

Scan the QR code for more information. To enquire about any of these programmes and discuss ways we may be able to offer you support, call our Support Line on 0800 3898820 . Eligibility criteria and availability may apply.

Sleep better, feel better

We know working shifts, whatever your role in the fire service, can have a direct impact on your sleep – particularly if you work on-call and get a shout in the night. Here are a few tips to help you improve your quality of sleep.

We all know that a disrupted night’s sleep can leave us feeling groggy and not ourselves the next day. Unfortunately though, this can be part and parcel of life in the fire service, particularly if you work on-call and get woken by your pager. Ensuring you get the best quality sleep is therefore incredibly important.

Lack of sleep can lead to low energy and has been shown to have an adverse effect on blood sugar, appetite and the immune system. It has also been linked to elevated blood pressure and research has shown there is a link between sleep and mental health, with better sleep having a positive effect on low mood and anxiety.

So, getting enough sleep is one of the best investments you can make in your own health. Here are some tips you can try at home to help you nod off.

Bedroom environment

Your bedroom should feel like an escape from things like work, exercise or watching

TV so to achieve that, our advice is to turn the technology off and ban it.

If you use an alarm clock, turn the face away from you and pop it just out of arms reach to reduce the temptation to keep checking the time.

Ensure the temperature of the room is to your preference – you can plan for this before you get into bed. We also know an oxygenated room is best for helping us get to sleep, so this might mean keeping your window on the latch through the day.

Is your mattress comfortable? Vacuuming the mattress, refreshing the pillows and bedding and choosing a detergent you like the smell of can all promote more restful sleep. If your mattress is uncomfortable, try putting a spare duvet under your sheet to make it softer.

When returning home from a nightshift, it can be difficult enough trying to sleep whilst knowing it’s light outside. Try blackout blinds to help replicate nighttime.

Reduce blue light

Are you on your phone or watching TV until you go to sleep? Lights produced from your phone and TV disrupt the production of melatonin, which impacts our sleep. Ensure you are off your phone and the TV is off in plenty of time before you go to sleep.

Even cleaning our teeth in a bright bathroom can have a negative effect. If you have a dimmer switch, use it.

Natural light exposure

Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate periods of sleep and wakefulness and it’s moderated by exposure to natural daylight.

Therefore, increasing your exposure to daylight – for example, taking tea breaks near a window or standing outside for a few minutes – will help.

If you find it difficult to wake in the morning, keep the curtains open to let in some natural light.

Try a bedtime routine

It may take a few nights to get used to the idea of a new bedtime routine, but it could make a world of difference. While we know it can be difficult on shifts or when you work on-call, fitting in an element of routine where you can will go a long way.

Start to wind down before bed with 30 to 60 minutes of reduced activity, lighting, TV and technology. You could read an easy book to relax, try relaxation techniques – many of which you can find at www. firefighterscharity.org.uk/relax – or visualise somewhere warm and pleasant with good memories.

Increase exercise in day-to-day life

Building a little more exercise into your day helps the body to feel physically tired. You can increase activity levels by doing housework, walking around the supermarket at a quicker pace or more vigorous activity such as running.

There’s no reason it can’t fit into your working life too. Perhaps you could walk around a little during your breaks, particularly if you work in an office, or try the gym if you’re on station.

However, avoid exercise just before bedtime as winding down is the aim.

Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake

Near bedtime, try to limit things that stimulate the brain like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and food. Have them earlier in the day and allow the biggest time gap possible between these and bedtime.

There is a misconception that alcohol helps us sleep and although it can help with the onset of sleep, the quality and duration of sleep is negatively impacted from alcohol.

Psychological factors

It’s no surprise that stress, low mood and anxiety may keep you awake. Worries about specific issues such as shouts you’ve been on, family, finances, grief or trauma can all adversely affect sleep and it is bitterly ironic that while mental health problems need sleep to improve, they can often prevent us from sleeping.

For many there may be unhelpful psychological associations with sleep too, nightmares or worry about sleep, telling yourself that you are in for a bad night’s sleep, these can be self-fulfilling and prevent you from getting the sleep you need.

If you are anxious about having too much to do, try writing a list before bed. If you do wake up during the night then try and get up or try and keep your eyes open for a while.

We have online courses on stress and anxiety available on our website and in My Fire Fighters Charity, just scan the QR code below to access those.

Physical illness

Ill health, pain, snoring, sleep apnoea and some medication can adversely affect sleep. Check the small print on medication for effects on sleep and speak to your GP to discuss treatment options for mental health or physical problems like restless legs syndrome or sleep apnoea.

Sleeping tablets or non-prescription medication may be a short term fix to break a habit, but over a long period of time they often become less effective.

We have a Shout! Podcast episode dedicated to getting a better night’s sleep, as well as several mindfulness and relaxation exercises – all available on our website: www. firefighterscharity.org.uk

We also have a whole host of online courses around sleep, stress, anxiety and more available on My Fire Fighters Charity and our website, from bitesize programmes to six-week courses. Just scan the QR code to find out more:

With you all the way

From financial support and guidance to help with relationship challenges and housing issues, our Welfare Services team are here for our whole fire services community through life’s ups and downs.

Life can be unpredictable and unforeseen circumstances can bring with them challenges that may feel overwhelming. But you always have somewhere to turn.

Our Welfare Services team are here to provide solutions, guidance and support throughout.

Here are a few of the ways they might be able to help, on top of offering advice and guidance throughout:

• Adaptations – support with the provision of adaptations due to ill-health or disability, support with statutory grant funding, liaison with external providers and referral to statutory services.

• Financial support – help with cost of living and other unforeseen expenses, support with adaptations due to ill health, referral to debt advice and help with claiming welfare benefits.

• Bereavement support –advice on everything from funeral costs to help with claiming benefits, referral for bereavement counselling and keep-in-touch calls.

• Housing issues – financial support and advice and help purchasing furniture and small household equipment.

• Ill health – financial support, purchasing of specialist equipment, Rest and Recharge stays and support with referrals to statutory services.

• Relationship challenges –keep-in-touch calls, rest and recharge stays and internal and external referrals.

• Social care issues – liaison with statutory services and support with social isolation.

• Welfare support – help with claiming benefits, as well as liaison with statutory services.

Meanwhile, here are some examples of how we’ve helped others in the past:

We helped the daughter of a retired beneficiary who’d recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, signposting them to illnessspecific organisations, a frailty team and offering advice around paying for care and information on power of attorney and benefits.

We helped a serving firefighter whose young daughter needed heart surgery outside of their local area. They required accommodation during hospital visits and help with additional travel. We signposted them to onsite family accommodation charities and provided financial support for additional fuel costs and food.

We supported a widow who required urgent housing repairs. This included financial support to replace broken and rotten windows.

We supported a retired beneficiary with poor mobility who was not able to leave his home as his external decking and ramp were damaged beyond repair. Working in partnership with another Charity, we provided match funding to replace the existing decking and ramp.

We helped fund a gym membership for a serving firefighter who required major surgery and had attended one of our centres for physical rehabilitation.

We funded transport to enable a retired beneficiary who was no longer able to drive due to ill health to attend a day centre once a week. This helped with social interaction and alleviated feelings of isolation – as well as offering support for their carer.

If you feel you’d benefit from support, call our Support Line on 0800 389 8820.

Nature and nurture

Spending time outdoors has a proven positive impact on our mental wellbeing. Here, our Psychological Services Lead, Jane Rosso, and Wellness and Behaviour Change Coach, Roger Saxby, examine the benefits and how we’re helping our beneficiaries connect with nature.

All of us can relate to that feeling of ease when you step outside on a warm summer’s day, breathe in some fresh air and take a walk. It’s like a dose of goodness and, indeed, research has shown that exposure to the outdoors and nature – and importantly, proactively engaging with it - can have mental health and wellbeing benefits including reducing stress, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

Time outdoors can mean something different to everyone – perhaps you enjoy walking, gardening or growing your own vegetables, or maybe it’s as simple as bird watching from your window or sitting outdoors with a book or some music.

However you like to spend time outdoors, research has shown that even small doses of daylight are beneficial.

According to a study by the Mental Health Foundation, rather than encouraging people to spend longer outdoors, we should all be trying to ‘tune in and connect with ‘everyday’ nature.’ This intentional act –getting closer and more hands on with nature – can provide us with great psychological and physical benefits.

Ways to connect with nature at home

There’s no one rule for connecting with nature – do what works for you. Here are just a few examples to get you started:

• Gardening (whether at home, on an allotment or in a community garden)

• Walking, running or cycling

• Open water swimming or cold water therapy (although do so with an organised group for reasons of safety)

• Creating indoor gardens or bird watching through a window

• Volunteering or conservation work.

How we’re helping you connect with nature

All of our programmes at our three centres include time outdoors and mindful walks, no matter if you’re there for your physical or mental health.

Our ‘Body And Mind’ programme at Harcombe House, for example, includes walks, Tai Chi, mindfulness and relaxation exercises and tips on connecting with nature. We’ll be holding another of these programmes on 29 April 2024, for three days, at Harcombe House. You can find out more about this and our other residential programmes on pages 16-17.

We also offer a wellness workshop, delivered directly to fire and rescue services, called How connecting with nature is good for our health. You can find out more about that and our other workshops at www. firefighterscharity.org.uk/ wellness-coaching

Immerse in nature at our centres

At Harcombe House, our estates team recently built a lake house, offering an idyllic space on the edge of a lake, which is being

used as part of our mental wellbeing programmes.

Meanwhile, we will soon start our Jubilee House Garden Project, which will see a dedicated space outside the centre transformed into a tranquil area for beneficiaries to spend time in.

This has been possible thanks to the generosity of The Longest Ride team from Suffolk and South Yorkshire FRSs, who

raised over £50,000 for us by cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2021.

Helping Hoodies

Phil Maynard, retired Station Manager with West Sussex FRS, had an inspirational idea to create badged hoodies for members of the fire and rescue services, family and friends. This proved a huge success, and we stepped in to support the the project. Now, we’re proud to announce that you can buy several FRS-badged hoodies directly from our online shop.

1. All FRS hoodies (available in sizes XS to XXX Large)£37.50

Commemorative Collection

Is someone you know in the fire service retiring soon? We have a great collection of gifts that could be perfect to show how much they mean to you, your station and your local community.

2. Mounted Presentation Axes £155.00

3. Presentation Axe £90.00

4. Long Service Enamel Medal Ribbon -

5. Queen’s Platinum Enamel Medal Ribbon -

6.

7. Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Enamel Medal Ribbon -

Self-adhesive and pin badges options available

8. Personalised Brass BA Tally £37.50

9. Mounting board for BA Tally (Oak or Mahogany) £11.50

10. Replica Miniature Fire Helmet £230.00

Prices correct at time of printing.

£4.00

£4.00

Queen’s Golden Jubilee Enamel Medal Ribbon - £4.00

£4.00

Wedding season

If you’re searching for wedding favours or gifts with a difference, we have some creative ideas for you to consider. Not only will your guests (or the happy couple) have a gift to treasure, but you’ll be supporting your fire family, too!

11. Fire Fighters Charity Lapel Pin - £1.00

12. Fire Fighters Charity cufflinks - £10.00

13. Fire Fighters Charity enamel cufflinks£10.00

Luxury gifts

Looking to treat a friend, colleague or loved one? We have a range of extra-special accessories that will stand the test of time.

14. Elvis & Kresse items from £15.75 to £310.00

15. William Wood Watches from £525.00

Visit our online shop to purchase all these products, and much more!

Follow us on the ‘Merchandise Offers & Updates’ group on My Fire Fighters Charity for the latest news & product releases.

100% of profits from our shop goes to your Charity, helping to fund vital health and wellbeing services for the fire services community across the UK.

Challenge yourself

Ever dreamt of climbing the Three Peaks? Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to cycle from Lands End to John o’ Groats? Well, this could be the perfect opportunity.

A Fire Family Fundraiser can be anything you want it to be, so set yourself a goal – either solo, or with friends – and go for it!

Our supporters continue to come up with unique and fun ways of raising funds for us. Now, we’re asking all of you to make a difference to more lives in our fire family by planning some fantastic challenges in 2024. Here’s a few ideas to get you started…

Fire Service challenges

If you’re a member of our fire service community, you have endless ways that you can use what you do at work as a fundraising activity. Get competitive and put on your fire kit to make it that little bit harder.

In Northern Ireland, for example, crews recently organised an epic Fire Engine Pull event which raised £3,251.

New recruit or Apprentice fundraiser

Whether you are taking your first steps into the fire service as an apprentice, or you’re a new recruit, fundraising is a great way to get to know people and often forms part of the training process.

Scotland, Royal Berkshire and Cheshire fire and rescue services, for example, all organised their own challenges in 2023 –could your service join them this year?

Control, support and office fundraisers

You don’t need to be based in a fire station to organise a fundraiser. You don’t even need to work in the fire service. We’d love to see colleagues right across the UK get involved, no matter what your job is.

Control staff across the UK, for example, organised dress-down days in aid of us last year, could your office do the same?

Wellbeing boost

Is there a habit you indulge a little too much in? It might be sweets, chocolate, caffeine… you could kick the habit and ask people to sponsor your journey. Or how about practising mindfulness and sharing updates on your progress?

You can start your wellbeing challenge any time. Not only will you be raising funds to help your UK fire family, but small changes can make a big difference and boost your mood and wellbeing.

Community spirit

Do you love bringing some joy to your local community? Get others into the community spirit by organising and promoting an activity for us – perhaps a ball, a quiz night, a race night, bucket collections, golf days, or even a Brew With A Crew.

Senior leadership challenges

Just because you’re the Chief, doesn’t get you off the hook! Why not take on a Chief’s Challenge? Showing support for your charity will encourage others in your service to do the same. Last year, West Sussex Assistant CFO Peter Rickard went ‘on the run’ and raised £1,000.

Get crafty

Bring out the art supplies and host a ‘crafternoon’. No matter the season, friends and family can get involved and create something unique – and learn a new skill – in exchange for a donation.

And don’t forget to share your creations on social media and tag us in.

Celebration fundraiser

Everyone loves a good ‘Knees Up’ and there are plenty of things to celebrate. A milestone birthday, retirement, a station anniversary, getting a new station… Celebrate with colleagues, friends and family while asking for a suggested donation.

Whatever the season, or your ability, we hope these ideas have inspired you to get involved and make a difference. With your support, we can continue to help our amazing fire family live happier and heathier lives.

Register your Fire Family Fundraiser and see more ideas by scanning the QR code or visiting www. firefighterscharity.org.uk/ firefamilyfundraiser

Bucket list challenge

Always wanted to try something new, but never got around to it? Whether it’s abseiling, sky diving, bungy jumping or ziplining, get it booked and conquer your fears – while making a life-changing difference.

One beneficiary who came up with a very unique fundraiser in 2023 was Scottish Crew Commander Ewan Diven, who managed to immerse himself in icecold water every day for a year to raise funds for us and spread the word about how our support helped him.

Ewan, 38, first got in touch with us in 2022 following a back injury. However, he says it was the mental wellbeing impact his injury had on him which he hadn’t expected – and a visit to Harcombe House on our Reset Programme gave him the vital tools he needed to move forward positively with his life.

“I’d gone from a very busy day-to-day life, my firefighting and also being a carpenter, to then not doing anything and just lying there. I really struggled with that,” says Ewan. “The Reset Programme – I’d like to say it changed my life. It taught me to prioritise things a little bit more and not worry about things I can’t control.”

Ewan raised over £1,000 for us with his 365-day fundraiser, and importantly, spread the word about our services – an incredible achievement all round!

Life Partners

Do you know a business in your local area which could support us? We’re asking you to keep an eye out for any corporate partnership opportunities in the coming months. Here’s how…

Without our corporate partners, we simply couldn’t continue to offer our vital support to thousands of beneficiaries every year. Their donations make a huge difference to the services we offer.

We’re always looking for new businesses to connect with – and would love your help in connecting us with some in your area.

So, do you know a business in your local area which could support us? Perhaps there’s a supermarket which has a charity scheme, or a some which is looking for a new Charity of the Year?

Maybe you’re an on-call firefighter working for a large business in your day job? Do you have a relative, friend or contact that works for a corporation which supports charities? Or are you simply looking at new ways to fundraise for an event or challenge you have coming up?

Whatever it might be, we’d welcome any connections you could offer. With one simple call or message, you could help us to build up our corporate supporter base by reaching out to a business and asking for support for your charity.

If you’d like to find out more or to talk to us about how you can contact potential corporate supporters, get in touch with our Corporate Partnerships and Philanthropy Manager, Debbie Rushbrooke, today by emailing corporate@firefighterscharity.org.uk

Thanks to Matthew and his mum

We were extremely grateful to receive a £10,000 donation from 3i Group plc earlier this year – and it was all thanks to Surrey firefighter Matthew Calderwood and his mum, Clare.

Matthew had heard about our corporate partnership opportunities whilst planning some other fundraising for us, and immediately thought of the international investor and manager company, 3i Group plc, where his mum works. He went home that night and spoke to her about the potential of them supporting us.

Within a month, Clare had spoken to her employer and they very kindly chose to donate to us – for which we’re incredibly grateful.

Retirement plans

We offer life-long support to our beneficiaries, including programmes, groups and resources for our retired community.

Transitioning from a busy working life to retirement can be difficult, but just because you’re leaving your role behind doesn’t mean you’re leaving your community – far from it.

We offer a wide range of ways to bring our retired community together, from social groups both online and face-to-face, to programmes at our centres, support for whatever you may be going through and much more.

Whatever stage of retirement you’re at, we have support available to you. Here’s a look at some of the ways we can help you and your family:

• Pre-retirement workshops within your fire and rescue service

• Rest and Recharge stays at our centres

• Living Well Groups, both online and face-to-face

• A telephone befriending service

• Welfare and financial support

• Volunteering opportunities

To find out more, visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ retirement or scan the QR code:

How we supported Twiggy…

Being an on-call firefighter for 36 years, Twiggy Lake experienced some incredibly difficult shouts on the job, some of which involved his own colleagues and friends.

However, he says it was only in retirement that some of those memories caught up with him and had a major impact on his mental health.

He now hopes, by sharing his experiences, he’ll encourage other retired staff like himself to get in touch with us if they feel they’d benefit from support.

“I was based on a busy rural station and had a very young crew at one point,” says Twiggy, 68, who worked for Devon and Somerset FRS throughout his career. “I was almost like their father figure.” Twiggy received our support following an injury in the late 90s but didn’t consider reaching out for help with his mental health until several years into his retirement, when he began struggling with difficult memories from his time on the job.

“I was put in touch with one of the psychological therapists and offered 10 counselling sessions externally,” he says. “It was like I’d been a pressure cooker and she released it all… honestly, I think if I’d gone another year without talking, I probably would have harmed myself.

“There must be so many retained firefighters like me, perhaps they’ve retired now, and have been to all these calls, just carried on, never had help, but likely suffer from it now.”

To read Twiggy’s full story, visit www.firefighterscharity. org.uk/twiggy-lake

Time Team

Our volunteers are an integral part of our charity, giving up their time to ensure we can continue offering vital support to our beneficiaries – while enjoying an incredibly rewarding role in the process. Could you join the team?

Whether it’s greeting beneficiaries at our centres, phoning or meeting members of our retired community or helping in our café, there are so many volunteering roles in our charity which make a vital difference.

We have a number of roles available, whether online, over the phone, in communities or in our centres. Below you can hear from a few of our wonderful volunteers on why they got involved:

Amanda Normington - volunteer in our Stables Café at Harcombe House:

“My husband works away a couple of days a week, so I found myself stuck at home. It’s such a beautiful setting and you’re immediately made to feel welcome… I feel giving something back to the fire service where I can is important. The service they provide for us is amazing, and I’ve loved chatting with many of them through the role too.”

Alison Marshall - volunteer in our Stables Café at Harcombe House:

“I’m retired and it’s nice to feel connected still. I’m fortunate to have close friends and family, but it’s sometimes nice to connect with people outside of your sphere. I really enjoy the role itself, the people I work with are lovely and really personable. I’d highly recommend it.”

Paul ‘Pongo’ Watson - Visitor Services volunteer at Marine Court:

“I essentially meet and greet beneficiaries at the start of their programme. Having received support myself previously, I can connect with them and it calms their nerves. It’s also enjoyable for me, because it brings back that fire service camaraderie you can lose when you retire.”

How to join the team

Laurie Wylie - Telephone Befriender:

“I’m a wholetime firefighter at Glasgow Airport and this is a small way of helping people in my time off. We can share experiences, even though they’re years apart, and I find it really rewarding. I come off with a smile on my face.”

Andy Buttery – Living Well Group Coordinator:

“I really enjoy meeting everyone and each one can be so varied. My role involves organising the meetings and arranging a speaker. Then it’s all about enjoying a get together - it’s more about contact and chatting about old times than anything else.”

These are just a few of our many volunteer roles. You can see all available roles at www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/volunteer. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please email us at volunteers@firefighterscharity.org.uk or call us on 01256 366580.

WIN A SPA BREAK FOR TWO

We all need a bit of a break sometimes, and thanks to Rudding Park in Harrogate, two of you could enjoy one in complete luxury.

The hotel and spa - voted Best Hotel in England by VisitEngland – has kindly donated an overnight spa break voucher for two, to be won by one lucky reader.

The voucher, which has been donated on behalf of Karl Mason at Masons of Yorkshire, is for a ‘Sleeping Beauty Spa Escape for two’ and includes

dinner, bed and Yorkshire breakfast, a 50-minute bespoke treatment each and four hours access to the Roof Top Spa and Escape Zones on the day of your treatment. A locker, bathrobe, towels and flip flops are provided for use during your visit too.

The voucher is valid for 12 months. There is also an allowance for dinner at Horto (open Wednesday to Sunday) or Clocktower Brasserie of £49 per person.

To enter our draw for a chance of winning this great prize, simply email

your answer to the below question to shout@firefighterscharity.org.uk, specifying ‘Shout Competition’ in your email subject line.

Question: Our January Bag It and Bank It recycling campaign broke a new record this year. How much did it raise?

A) £81,524

B) £91,524

C) £101,524

The winner will be picked at random from all correct entries received on or before 30 September 2024, and will be notified via email or telephone.

Your information: The information you provide will be used by the Charity to fulfil your request. Your details may be used to keep you informed about the Charity – please call

01256 366 566 if you do not wish us to contact you. You can view our privacy policy at www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/privacy. Competition is not open to Charity employees.

Shout!

Make a life-changing difference to future generations with a gift in your will.

Take advantage of our simple free will writing service, in partnership with Bequeathed, to make a lasting difference to future generations of our fire and rescue community. Make a lasting difference

To get started simply scan the QR code or visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/will

A holiday with a difference

Book a relaxing break at one of our locations in Cumbria, West Sussex or Devon and help fund vital health and wellbeing services for the UK’s fire family.

• Short breaks and holidays

• Beautiful bungalows

*

• Stunning surroundings

Book your break today

• Family friendly

• All welcome

To book a short break or holiday, visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/holiday

*In specified bungalows and subject to terms and conditions.