Sophie: “Sometimes it’s hard to reach out for support, but it’s worth it – for me, it was such a relief”

Hampshire and Isle of Wight firefighter, Sophie Hodgson – who was previously crowned Mrs Wales - received support following a back injury and says the mental wellbeing benefits along the way helped with her return to the job she loves.

For Sophie Hodgson, life can be a juggling act. When she’s not helping to raise her seven-year-old son, Hugo, she’s competing in fitness competitions, previously competing in beauty pageants, and now firefighting full-time with Hampshire and Isle of Wight FRS.

However, all of that came under major strain more recently when she suffered a back injury which meant months off work, and a great deal of pain.

Sophie, who’s been in the fire service just over two years, reached out to us and was offered a stay at Marine Court, our centre in West Sussex.

However, what she didn’t expect was the mental wellbeing benefits that brought – as well as support she was offered via our 24/7 Crisis Line, when things became particularly challenging.

“Becoming a firefighter was never a lifelong dream to be honest,” says Sophie. “I was a civil servant in the MOD prior to training and spent three years as a Finance Manager, looking after charitable funds and investments. Before that, I spent 14 years in the modelling and promotions industry.

“My ex-husband is in the military and seeing his job satisfaction, friendship groups and comradery, I knew I wanted something like that longer-term.

“I went to a ‘have a go’ day in Berkshire in my mid-20s and instantly fell in love with it, despite being unable to do many of the tasks that day. For me, it was the challenge, and it was exciting.”

Sophie shares a son, Hugo, with her ex, and they remain friends. She says while life could be a juggle, they found the key was constantly supporting each other – and that’s something she’s carried through to today, with her colleagues and friends.

And that support has been particularly helpful for her over the last two years, too.

“In March 2023, I suddenly had lower back pain,” adds Sophie. “In the September, I started treatment for a bulging disc. Injections were unsuccessful which led to having major surgery in the December to have a discectomy. This was a successful operation and my recovery started over Christmas and into the New Year.

“There was still a while to go, but being able to walk and not be in constant pain was incredible. I reached out to the Fire Fighters Charity at that point for rehabilitation after my surgery, and was lucky enough to gain a spot at Marine Court.

“I attended a 5-day stay for rehabilitation, which I am ever so grateful for. The plan and sessions in the gym and hydropool really helped my progress back to work. I left with the confidence to return to full duties and a positive outlook on my future. I will be forever grateful.”

Sophie says her injury brought a lot of mental health challenges along the way, so much so she reached out to our 24/7 Crisis Line at one point.

24/7 Crisis Line

“I contacted your 24-hour line one evening back in 2024, when the daily constant pain and struggles became too much to bear. This was one of the hardest calls to make. But again, I am thankful it was there.

“On the rehabilitation stay at Marine Court, the structure and routine gave my mind something to focus on and it helped me restart and gain focus. Meeting the other people was also a huge benefit, as we shared stories and felt understood.”

Sophie incorporated much of what she learnt into her day-to-day life after her stay, but says that’s something she wants to continue doing going forwards too.

“I will admit, when you feel ‘fine’ sometimes it’s easy to say ‘I will do the exercises later or tomorrow’, and in all honesty, this has happened a few times. However, I quickly remind myself of the benefits and never wanting to feel that way again. This had to become a habit for me, which has taken a little bit of time, I needed to incorporate it into my daily routine without fail.”

She is now focusing on organising a fundraiser in aid of us, as a thank you for the support she received.

“What I received from the charity has been instrumental to my recovery and I want to give something back whilst raising awareness of what it is you do as a charity,” Sophie says.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to reach out for support. But it will be worth it. I had lots of reservations about reaching out. What would people say about me? I had only been in the job nearly two years, should I be using such a service? Many questions and worries. But as soon as I made contact, I never once felt any of those things or that I was wasting anyone’s time. It was such a relief.”

If you feel you’d benefit from our health and wellbeing support, you can call our Support Line on 0800 389 8820, make an enquiry online or visit the ‘Access Support’ tab in My Fire Fighters Charity.

And remember – if you’re feeling suicidal, you can call our Crisis Line 24 hours a day on 0300 373 0896.