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Real life story categories

Find out how The Fire Fighters Charity has supported beneficiaries across the UK and how you can share your story with the fire community. Click categories or regions below to filter the list of stories.

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Share your story

Category: Retirement

Barry: “I’ve had physical, mental and nursing support – it’s absolutely phenomenal”

Barry: “I’ve had physical, mental and nursing support – it’s absolutely phenomenal”

Retired Lancashire firefighter Barry Hornsby saw his life turned upside down when he suffered a stroke while playing golf. However, with our teams’ help, he’s now able to walk again and is focusing on the future.

21 Dec 2023

Twiggy: “There must be so many on-call firefighters, like me, who never had help and are suffering now”

Twiggy: “There must be so many on-call firefighters, like me, who never had help and are suffering now”

Twiggy Lake says it was only once he retired as an on-call officer that the mental impact of some particularly traumatic shouts caught up with him – and he reached out for our help.

27 Oct 2023

Gill: “I knew about the Charity but never thought it applied to me – I couldn’t believe the support”

Gill: “I knew about the Charity but never thought it applied to me – I couldn’t believe the support”

Gill Crow’s dad was an on-call firefighter and she went on to work in Control herself for 24 years, so always knew about our Charity. However, she says she never expected the support on offer to both of them in retirement.

28 Sep 2023

Chris: “Without the care I received, I’m convinced my physical life story would have concluded”

Chris: “Without the care I received, I’m convinced my physical life story would have concluded”

Retired firefighter Chris Lock says the support he’s received from us has helped him come to terms with life-changing injuries which sadly brought his firefighting career to an end.

17 May 2023

Gary: “When you retire, you feel like you lose your tribe – but you don’t need to lose that connection”

Gary: “When you retire, you feel like you lose your tribe – but you don’t need to lose that connection”

Gary Chamberlain, a retired Crew Manager from Leicestershire FRS, shared with us his passion for ensuring all retired members of our fire services community stay connected.

21 Mar 2023

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