Podcast: Celebrating International Women’s Day

Shout! Podcast celebrates International Women’s Day with four inspiring women

Rebecca: Hi, everyone. Welcome back to our Shout podcast and happy International Women’s Day to all our listeners. In this episode, I’m joined by four incredible women from across the fire and rescue service community and our charity as they share their experiences and the impact of our support. First, I speak with Kath Billing, Chief Fire Officer of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service. A her journey through the fire service and what it’s like leading in her role today. Then, Tess Churchill, well, being coordinator for Surrey and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Services opens up about her recovery from ovarian cancer, and the support she received from us marking Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. And later, I chat with our administration team leader, Sandra Harrison and clinical assistant Lucy Milton, who are two of our dedicated team members at Jubilee House, our, centre in Cumbria, as they celebrate an incredible 30 years with the charity. Please remember to rate, follow or subscribe to the show on your usual podcast platform to keep up to date with this and more of our episodes.

To start today’s episode, I chat with Kath, who shares some of her experiences as Chief Fire Officer. Well, thank you so much, Kath, for joining me on International Women’s Day to discuss, your role and also, your thoughts on the charity and your progression throughout the fire service. I just wanted to start by asking you what actually inspired you to first join the fire service?

Kath Billing: so my, my boss at the time, so I used to work, in accounts in a builders merchants.

Rebecca: Oh, wow.

Kath Billing: And he heard the advert on a local radio station for retaining firefighters or on call. And he said, oh, I think you should do that because it’ll get you out the office. and, give us a break. I think he was joking. And, I popped down the station, inquired and I can remember phone to my friend saying, oh, my goodness me, the uniform is really nice. It’s not green like the ambul, it’s red and black. She’s. It’s really smart. got in the fire service, and yeah, the rest is history, really. joined on call and then 18 months later joined whole time. And what are we now, 25 years on? So, yeah, like I said, the rest is history. So, however, I would say, everything I’ve always. The jobs I’ALWAYS done, I’ve always sought, you know, I’ve always. I’ve always wanted to do something for the community. I was a baker and I used to say, you know, I’m baking bread for the village, for the community. I’m making pasties, you know, In Cornwall for the community. When I worked in accounts in the builders merchants, it was always about building homes and constructing things for the community. So I think I always had that community value base wanting to do something with that kind of great purpose for other people.

Rebecca: That’s incredible. Yeah, lovely. A lovely reason for joining.

Rebecca: Did you always kind of have aspirations to climb the ladder essentially and get to where you are now or did that come with experience?

Kath Billing: So when I joined I was very much of the understanding that Because I joined a bit later enough I was 26 and back then things were different and you had to get to a certain level to be able to kind of work on past the age of 50. So it was always very much will you do 30 years? Which meant that I had to get to at my understand at the time as assistant, division officer or group manager now, before I was 50 so that I could do my full 30 years of service. So initially the driver was being able to commit to my whole 30 years of service. So I had to get to a certain level. and then I realised that yeah, probably I wanted to maybe I want a very good firefighter. So maybe I needed to kind of be a better manager. So No, I. No, it’all seriousness, I wanted to kind of reach out and do different things. It was something that felt progression, felt natural.

Rebecca: Good. Did you work alongside many women when you first started and has that changed at all in the time you’ve been there?

Kath Billing: So I worked alongside Emma, the first female who time firefighter, Aleta, who’s our longest serving female, ah, firefightering Cornwall. then there was Tina up in to point and I think that was all of us.

Rebecca: Wow.

Kath Billing: So from an operational perspective, obviously in our support or corporate staff there were a number of women which was ###eah which was obviously brilliant because they’ve always been exceptly amazing support and m. continue to work alongside some amazing women in a number of different roles. But no, that was four of us. Yeah.

Rebecca: Wow. Looking at that now, that’s a, a huge change in huge progression over the years. So that’s brilliant. it’probably difficult to think of one in particular but was there a pivotal moment for you in your career that sort of shaped your desire to lead and also your leadership style at.

Kath Billing: So in relation to my desire to lead, yes, I can definitely put a pointer on that one. So, I did a master’s degree and I. The degree that I did was looking at experiences and expectations or expectations and experiences of people joining Dev and Cornwall Police and Cornwall Fire Rescue Service. And I can remember, when I did it, it was just a qualification, kind of getting the highest score, etc. Was what I was after. When I started to genuinely do the research, I realised that, more women then were in Cornwall Biosscue Service and the, women that I spoke to didn’t have very nice experiences. and I kind of probably knew myself actually, if I was honest. There were areas of kind of corruption and probably, exclusion and discrimination. and I can remember going, I don’t want to work in this organisation anymore. So I went to the chief at the time who just joined, plonked myself in his office, literally. And when, we got a problem, laid it on, all on the line and he went, yes, I know, and I’m going to sort it. and that was when I decided to. Really cliche, isn’t it? To be part of the solution that. Yeah, rather than. So I had two choices. I could have either left or I thought, no, you know what, let’s go, let’s try and make those changes and be part of that solution. And that’s what led me then to kind of take up that leadership mantle. Because, I thought then at the time that the higher you got up, the more, the greater difference you could make. I think it is fair to say. So that was iting. Yeah.

Rebecca: Yeah. Brilliant. And have you faced any challenges in your career, whether it’s, as chief, our officer or before, and either really stick in your mind.

Kath Billing: it’s interesting because I think you probably, when you get to, Or I found, and it might be my age or it might be, where I am in my organation, my career, you get to that point that where you reflect a lot of things reflect and a lot of it actually has been asked to do talks and things about my career and I’ve reflected a lot on who I am, why I am the way I am, why I need the way I do, all those bits and pieces. but the bit that resonates probably most with me, when I talk about barriers, is there’s only been one promotion that I’ve had where somebody or more than one person hasn’t said to me, well, you only got that because you’re a woman. and that’s not the role I’m in now. So when I became chief, you know, a number of people said, well, you know, you know, you only got that because you’re a woman. and I think it’s just been. It was funny enough I was talking to somebody in finance the other day, a woman locally and we were just talking about. You don’t realise as a woman, how. How hard it is. But you don’t realise that your experience is different to men because it’s just what you do. And it’s not until you again discuss, reflect, you know, and speak openly with some amazing men. And it’s like, well, this is my experience. And they look like, wow, gosh, really? Yeah. And that’s when it starts to hit, home the barriers that you face. But you don’t know their’re barriers because you just naturally think that it’s there for everybody. Goes through those. Now that I know that it’s kind right, how can I. And that’s what it’s about, isn’t it? International Women’s Day recognizising and trying to say, look, we’ve got to continue to remove those barriers for people. which again makes my role that much more important in the context of how can I role model, how can I remove those barriers? How can we lift up other women, to have that parity, of experience with our male colleagues? Really.

Rebecca: Yeah. It’s incredibly inspirational, I’m sure for money joining now to hear those words. So, yeah, that’s fantasticly.

Kath Billing: Hopefully they don’t see the barriers and yeah, really, I’ll share this with you really quickly. M. We’ve removed in our service and it’s just little things like hair colour. You used to be. You can’t have coloured hair and bits and that’s absolutely fine. But actually the colour of your hair, doesn’t impact at all on how competent you are. In fact, for me it’s about who you are, isn’t it? If you got different colour hair, well that’s great. That’s who you are. So why kind of change that? And one of the people in our service has got a great kind of array of different colour of hair. we went away with other fire services and some of the firefighters said to her how do you get away with that? And she said to me, and when we kind of breakke for kind of a bit of an afternoon kind of cupper, she said, I don’t understand what they was asking me. She said, they say like, oh, why, How’d you get away with that? She said how do I get Away with the walk. They’re like, all the colour of your hair. And she’s like, well, don’t know. I don’t know what you mean. And I went, good, because, you know, I’ve consciously removed that barrier because it’s one that doesn’t need to be here. And she’s like, I didn’t really understand what they were asking me. So it’s that thing of actually I don’t want people to know. You know, it’s almost like she was unaware that that was even normal. Absolutely. And that’s that thing, isn’t it? If you don’t really recognise the barriers that you face until they’re gone and somebody comes back and goes, what are they talking about? Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry. It’s gone. You don’t ever need to worry.

Rebecca: That’s progress right there. That’s amazing. And how have you found balancing? Because it’s a demanding role, incredibly so, you know, from firefighting to where you are now. How have you found balancing, your role with personal life and well, being?

Kath Billing: I think it’s absolutely fair to say, you know, whether I consciously did it or not. and I wouldn’t ever call it a sacrifice, but, of. I have probably, just because of. Of my, So I was kind of like a soll care of my dad and bits and pieces early on. So I probably never entered into that, kind of, relationship, family part. So for me it’s probably been a lot easier than probably a lot of other women. I’ve got an incredible assistant chief officer and she, She’s got two young children and she again, balances, things very differently. But I never had to kind of really do that balance with young children and family and career and wasn’t, like I said, it wasn’t a, sacrifice or a commitment or anything. It’s just the thing that naturally met my circumstances. in the context of, well, being. I’ve had to do a lot of work around, resilience, a lot of work around, coaching. I also love, being myself at the gym and that I’ve done that. I’ve always kind of enjoyed that and that’s certainly been the thing that, you know, makes me feel really happy. I live in Cornwall, most beautiful place in the world.

Rebecca: Stunning.

Kath Billing: And you know, like today it’s a cracking sunny day, can’t wait to kind of, go out, walk dogs, go on the beach, listen to the sea. So I’m really lucky. I’VE got some incredible people as well around me that ground me. I’d come out a stressful day, don’t even bother saying anything anymore because they will just literally look at me and go, it’s boring. let’s go shopp in. It’s boring. Let’s go to the gym. And it’s that, you know what actually love with my friends and family and going out and enjoying time with them, does remind you sometimes of, of course you’ve got a really important job, of course it’s important, but get away from it, spend time with us. so I, think a lot of coaching, a lot of realizising, what’s important has really allowed me to. To. And also it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So don’t wear yourself out, you know, four years in. Yeah, you can’t, you know, you can’t burn yourself out too early. You’ve got to balance things because that’s really good. Both. Yeah. If you can’t look after yourself, then you. My job is to look after other people and if I can’t, if I’m not well, then I can’t look after others. So it’s so important that I look after myself so that I can then really give it my all to look after all the amazing people in our service and all the amazing people and the communities that we serve.

Rebecca: I think that’s fantastic advice for every stage of the fire service, to be honest, at whatever stage you’re at, if you’re looking after yourself, you’re going to be better looking after your communities, I’m sure.

Kath Billing: Soah.

Rebecca: and just finally, how do you think you and the service. So Cornwall Fire Rescue Service alongside the charity, how we can sort of work together in the years ahead to further support women across the f. Family.

Kath Billing: I think, what, What I love about the firefighters charity is how it’s I can remember back in day when it’s the Benevolent Fund and how so incredibly it’s evolved. so I think the way in which, even talking about some of the things that you’ve done now, the work, menopause work with, actually the work of around mental health, different types of mental health support, different ways in which teams, counselling and teams coaching, the support that you, And the way in which you tailor the support I think has dramatically changed at the moment. Carry on doing what you’re doing because, the relationship that we’ve got, we really recognise that if we don’t look after the charity, then it won’t be there to look after us. and it really is something that we concentrate on it. The legacy of the charity is so important because it’s been there for us and we need to make sure that it’s there for others in the future.

Rebecca: Thank you. That, yeah, a lovely message to end on there, Kath. Thank you very much.

Next, I chat to Tess, who works for both Surrey and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Services as a well being coordinator, about how she overcame both ovarian cancer and breast cancer and also how we have supported her with both her physical and mental health. Thank you so much for joining me today. Tess, can you just introduce yourself? So, your name first of all, and also your position with the Fire and Rescue service?

Tess Churchill: Yes, of course. So my name’s Tess, Tess Churchill, and I am the wellbeing coordinator for Surrey Fire and Rescue, but also et Sussex Fire and Rescue Services as well, under a broader collaboration.

Rebecca: So I guess you know a lot about our charity’s wellbe being support and also the importance of just spreading the word around wellness then through your role.

Tess Churchill: Absolutely. You know, and that’s kind of, I guess why I feel that I’m in the right place to do that now. so, yeah, very much. I also a real advocate for Firefights Charity, so I’m really happy to be able to have this chat.

Rebecca: So I just wanted to touch on today, obviously March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. and I know you yourself have had ovarian cancer. I just would. Could you take us back to when, sort of the lead up to when you were first diagnosed and how that happened?

Tess Churchill: Yeah, I mean it’s kind of. I was thinking back that that happened back in 2012, so it’s 13 years ago and leading up to the point of diagnosis I just felt, for quite a significant amount of time, actually, probably I’d say for about four months, even five, that I just felt wrong in myself and I started to feel that everything was slowing down. I felt like quite a lot of fatigue at the time and was struggling with work. But realistically, I think what really showed to me that something wasn’t right was I started to get some abdominal pain and bloating, and it just wasn’t going away. So I realised then that, you know, the fact that it was persistent and it was outside of my norm, I really needed to go and get that checked out. So I went to the doctors and basically a, few, like minor investigations were done and they Felt that perhaps I could benefit from a course of antibiotics. So I think it was just put down to even an infection or perhaps Ibs symptoms. So they obviously the antibiotics didn’t work and if anything wereorominall pains were getting more severe, and was just having a impact on me day to day. So I went back to the doctors, they put me on a stronger dose of antibiotics and then I think I went back a third time and not much was done. They just said, look, let’s just monitor this. And then eventually I went back on the fourth occasion. so this was probably, you know, about a month and a half later. Just broke down to be fair. But I just felt so exhausted with it all and I just knew in my gut that something was not right. So that’s when I was given the opportunity or the doctor decided to do a CA125 blood test which is basically a tumour marker, that they use for ovarian cancer. I didn’t know that at the time. Obviously I was a bit naive at all because none of that had even gone through my head, if I’m honest. So then I got a phone call that evening after having that emergency blood test, and was kind of fast tracked. So that’s when they were wanting me to have further kind of, investigations and biopsies to see if it was indeed, tumours, which it was. So, yeah, and it wasn’t till after I’d had the surgery that they could actually confirm it was cancer because, you know, you can be identified as having tumours and I had two, tumours, one on each of my ovaries the size of apples. So it was quite a shock. It was quite a shock when we kind of found out. And then obviously latterly once they had done a further biopsy they realised it was cancer.

Rebecca: So, yeah, gosh, incredibly scary time. I imagine it was.

Tess Churchill: It was. And I think you kind of go on to autopilot. Well, I certainly did, but I think I was just relieved after that final time of going to the doctors and breaking down that, that at least I knew I was in gettingess the right care at that point onwards. So it’s scary but you are so surrounded by amazing people that really have your back. You know, Mamillan nurses are there from the get go to try and navigate you through all the, the medical terms and the sc, you know, the scary conversations that you’re having, I guess with the medical professionals.

Rebecca: So, yeah, that’s a lot of Pushing from your side, you knew something wasn’t right and you persisted. Is, that a message to you now for other women who might just, they’ve noticed something different in their bodies, just to listen to their bodies and push for those answers?

Tess Churchill: Yeah, exactly that. And you know, one thing I do do in my role as a Wellbe Being coordinator is very much pushed the message around self awareness and how important that is for our overall well being. So it kind of factors in our health and Wellbe being. And the reason I say that is because I think what if you have really good self awareness, then you are able to then take a bit of positive action or get, you know, and by that positive action it may lead to what happened to me where I was able to get early intervention because I knew something was wrong with me, it wasn’t right, it kept going on and on and on. It wasn’t going anywhere. And so I listened to my body, and I think, you know, self awareness counts for both our physical health but also our mental and emotional health as well. You know, what are our body’s telling us physically, but what are our minds telling us or what are they trying to say to us as well? So, yeah, I’d say for all women out there who might be listening to this, and men, if I’m honest, it counts for everybody. But I think if we’re, if we trust our guts about what, what we know is ourselves and how we work, what our bodies are telling us, then I think that’s the best we can do for ourselves to then really take some action. And if in doubt, just go and see a doctor straight away.

Rebecca: Talk me through the treatment. So you had the surgery, and kind of how did it develop from there? Did you need any follow up treatments or what happened after that surgery?

Tess Churchill: Yeah, luckily I was in a good position because they, well, you know, I say they, I say I we as a teen. So I think the fact that I got in early and kept knocking on the door of the GP to say, look, you know, I’m not right, please help me. and then the intervention from the amazing consultant who did the surgery for me, they were really confident that they’d got all of the cancer. So at that point they said to me they didn’t feel it would necessarily add value to have any further, you know, kind of post cancer treatments such as chemo or radiotherapy. So I was really, really relieved for that news. I think though, what I would say is that after having the cancer, removed and all that went with that.

Rebecca: Ah.

Tess Churchill: Because obviously there is a real emotional factor to that which still kind of gets me now. But, you know, it’s something, that I’m just grateful that I’m, you know, able to have life now, but I was basically unable to then. It was the finality on having to be had the opportunity to have my own children. So I had an emotional kind of aftershock of the cancer, I would say. But also I was, you know, projected straight into a surgical menopause, which was, incredibly challenging and incredibly scary, because, you know, I wasn’t really aware of what menopause was even. I mean, I was 42. I should have probably been better informed, but it just wasn’t something that was Talked about even 13 years ago compared to what it is now. So I think I felt quite alone with it, and I felt that I’d lost myself completely. I didn’t know what was happening. I was going into a bit of chaos, I suppose. So I think that was really the two main factors. It was kind of dealing with the kind of, you know, consolidating the fact that I’d got through the cancer and how grateful I was. But then I was kind of catapulted into this slightly emotional turmoil through, you know, being a woman and then not being able to pursue you, perhaps what I would have ideally loved to have done to have children, but I’m blessed with some beautiful nieces and nephews, so that’s what I kind of held on to. You know, we all have to look at what we’ve already got, rather than what we. What we don’t. So. Yeah.

Tess Churchill: and then it was just getting. Getting to the menopause side and trying to understand that a bit better and get the help that I needed to get some kind of stability with my hormones again. So. Yeah.

Rebecca: What. What kind of symptoms did you have with the surgical menopause? Did you have, some of the classic ones? Or was there anything that took you by surprise?

Tess Churchill: I think. I think the whole thing, Rebecca, took me by surprise. It was just like, you know, like, I went into surgery in one sense, as I knew myself, and I came out of surgery, and it’s like everything had switched. and I was incredibly emotional. And that wasn’t, you know, all down to the fact that I just had some major surgery. It was just like, uncontrollable tears, hot flushes, and, night sweats like nobody’s business. I had no idea what was going on. I had I guess for me, coming out the other side, it was that feeling of not knowing my own self. So I used to get kind of really, a creepy feeling in my skin and, like, it’s a strange thing to describe, but also brain fog. I couldn’t function. I just couldn’t feel like I could function. and very depressed, Very, very depressed. And that was what I found most frustrating because I went to the GP and I said, look, I really feel I need some more support with my hormones. But they, at that point in time weren’t particularly supportive and just said, I think you could benefit from going on some antidepressants. And it’s funny, I hear so many women now speaking of that experience that they had, going through menopause that, you know, in some ways it can help but it’s not the solution and it’s not addressing the root issue.

Rebecca: Do you think it has. We’ve come quite far since that, have you seen the differences yourself through people you might know?

Tess Churchill: Yeah. And on. Honestly, that gives me so much joy knowing that there are a lot of women now and people coming, you know, because I’m obviously, I’m 54 now, going fast approaching 55. And I just see my nieces and I think, you know, they’re going to be in such a better place, understanding even before they even get there to perimenopause or menopause. And it’s not to say everybody has a bad experience either, but because I just would take, you know, it’s not something to necessarily be scared of, it’s just something to be informed about. And I think there’s so much more awareness for women, but also for men as well, understanding, their partners or the females in their lives, people at, the colleagues at work, you know, it’s such a bigger picture, you know, so I do feel so much happier, know that there’s more awareness out there now.

Rebecca: Yeah, I totally agree with you. It’s incredibly important.

Firefighters charity offered you support during your recovery from cancer

you obviously had a little bit of time off work, while you were recovering. Was it around that time that you reached out to us and, were we able to offer you some support?

Tess Churchill: Yes, absolutely. And I think initially I, was just kind of just trying to kind, as I say, navigate the hormonal M side of things. But I think I’ve experienced a bit of an aftershock from it all. So you kind of go into auto clment, you think you’re doing fine and, you know, you’re kind of. I was busying trying to kind and get my physical health back on track. But then I realised that, yeah, the firefighters charity was there and I think a colleague actually said to me, oh, you should think about reaching out. And so I did. And it’s the one thing, honestly, it was a game changer, absolute game changer. I still now think back to that time that I was accepted to have a two week, kind of, you know, stay at the Harkham House down in Devon. And yeah, on every level, I can’t praise it enough. It supported me physically, mentally, emotionally. I laughed, I cried, I did, you know, exercises that I never thought I’d do and you know, in the hydrotherapy pool, you know, just the whole thing that I just felt very held in that moment. So, yeah, it’s pretty, pretty, pretty special.

Rebecca: Good. And do you think it’s a reassurance just for you? and certainly to share it with your colleagues as well, knowing that that support is available for you in the future?

Tess Churchill: Yeah, ye, for sure. And I think. And you know, I often hear through my role when I’m engaging with staff and colleagues, Crossbow Services know, I’ve often heard people say, oh, I don’t want to kind of pull on the charity cause there’s people more worthy, than me. And honestly, I say, no, no, no, no, no, that is not the charities approach. The charities approach is like everybody has, is worthy of, support, whatever that support looks like. Let the charity help you find out what that support looks like for you because you won’t know all the answers. Whereas a charity can help you kind of, you know, inform you on what’s best for you. So, yeah, I think would I wholeheartedly encourage people to reach out even if they don’t have the answers, they just have a conversation with the charity.

Rebecca: And finally, I speak to Sandra and Lucy about their 30 year work anniversary, also falling in the 30th anniversary year of Jubilee House and how our work as a charity has transformed during that time. Thank you so much, Sandra and Lucy for chatting to us and congratulations on 30 years with the charity, which is incredible. Can I just get you both to introduce yourselves with what you do for us now at the charity?

Sandra Harrison: That’s fine. yeah, I’m Sandra Harrison. I’m the admin team leader at Jubilee. And I started here in 1995 as head house keeper and then I moved into admin in 2004 and I actually employed Lucy as a housekeeper back then.

Lucy Milton: So I’m lucing a Clinical assistant now. But I came as a housekeeper at the beginning and then after five years went on to the nursing team.

Rebecca: Perfect. And what inspired both of you to actually join the charity back in in.

Sandra Harrison: 19/ ### I think it was just something. It was something new to the area. It looked very exciting. The advert in the local newspaper was just different to what was around here and it looked like it was going to be a challenge and it has a beauing challenge. It has been a challenge, but it’s been a very good challenge. A very, very good challenge.

Rebecca: And how about you,

Lucy Milton: the same really. But it is such a nice place to work as well. Like I’ve always said I wouldn’t want to do care anywhere else now because we are time with our clients and. Which is lovely. It’s not just rushing to get them where they need to be and what have you and they all come back again, don’t they? So you get to know them well and. Yeah, which is lovely.

Rebecca: No, it’s brilliant. And what would you say are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the organation over those 30 years or some of the more important changes for you?

Lucy Milton: So a lot of it was when we first opened we were just a rehabilitation centre and it was purpose built for that. It was the on onlyer charity had. And over time we’ve introduced psychological services, the welfare services. You were see the rent.

Sandra Harrison: Yeah, we’ve done a lot more external things. So we’ve now rent out the properties in the grounds which originally were built where they are built for permanent residents, the retired community. But now as have become vacant, they have been let out for holiday rentals and used for rest and recharge as well. But that’s brought a lot of new challenges as well because we meet loads of, not just the fire service community but general public and it’s just really nice. And then, then we have a lot of facility hires. So we’ve got swimming lessons that come in every evening and at the weekends we’ve got. We do the Children’s Burn’trust weekends, which is lovely. All sorts of different things that, you know, it brings in income and it’s just lovely to have at Jubilee and.

Rebecca: You’Ve probably seen quite a growth in the amount of people that are coming and service users that are coming to Juwbe House. Have you? In that time?

Sandra Harrison: Big time. Especially since we’ve had the psychological services and the rest and recharges taken off as well. On the welfare side, it’s a massive change.

Lucy Milton: Yeah’change the digital side as where, isn’t it? Ah, you know, just having digital physio. Yeah.

Sandra Harrison: And then outpatients as well that we’ve started taking. It’s really nice to have. Have that.

Rebecca: Have you got a particularly memorable moment, and whether that’s with the service user or just through your own experiences and your roles?

Lucy Milton: I’ve got one with a service user, who, had had a stroke and all he really wanted to do was be able to put his socks on his own so his wife didn’t have to help him. And like I said before, the beauty. We have time here. So I spent an hour with him figuring out way he could do that and he managed it in the end and that made a huge difference to his quality of life. Even though it was quite thing.

Rebecca: No, I think the small things as well. That’s a lovely example of the kind of people you probably meet quite regularly.

Sandra Harrison: Isn’t know is was that beneficiary just a few weeks ago wasn’t there where he’had a stroke and he was a keen kayaker and he’d never been back in one. But John, one of the exercise therapists, he brought kayak in and obviously with the physio and the nursing team, he’d got him into a kayak. And it was just such a lovely moment and he was so proud. He had a video of it and everything didn’t. He was showing, all the staff and all the beneficiaries that were in theer at the town. It was amazing. It was lovely.

Rebecca: You think that set our. Well, our charity as a whole and Jubilee House. Do you think that sets us apart in a way, having the unique, care that we offer for service Sheas?

Sandra Harrison: Definitely. Yes, it does. Definitely. That’s it. Because it’s not just about. You don’t just have that one interaction and that’s it. And then you’ve got that thing where they can come, they’ve got the digital support and they can pick up the phone any time and come back on return visits as well. So that’s it.

Rebecca: Amazing. just tell me. This’s probably a tricky one, but any of the key challenges that you’ve both faced over at the time that you’ve.

Lucy Milton: Been at Jubilee has, I would say probably Covid. Yeah, the hardest one very sudden been off work for 14 months and that was quite challenging.

Sandra Harrison: Especially when you’re used to being here full time and it’s kind of a routine and just not seeing people in the Same way. Because we are like a family here, aren’t we? Yeah, we all look out for each other. So it just. That was hard. It was tough. It was tough. And did he find it challenging, even come back? Yeah, just there was big change. Yeah, it was all very segregated, wasn’t it? And, yeah, it was a lot of guidelines in place.

Lucy Milton: But then I suppose a positive from that was that, the digital really took off on the back of that. Cause we had to move with it quicker, didn’t we, and what have you. So I suppose that’s a positive from it.

Rebecca: Do you meet a lot of service users that mention the fact that they have different avenues of support, so they might use the digital before they come to do jubile?

Sandra Harrison: Yes, a lot. Especially when we’re, as the admin team are checking them mid. They’re used to seeing the physios over the screen, possibly, or sper the telephone. But they are still very, very nervous when they’re coming into the centre and they’re like, I don’t know what to expect, but I’ve done it on screen before. But we’re like, no, you’ll be fine. You know, it’s so lovely. But by day two, they like, that has never happened, you know, it’s fine.

Rebecca: What advice would you give to younger employees or volunteers that are just starting my journey with the charity?

Sandra Harrison: I would say it like, remember, I mean, it’s such a fantastic place to work. Not just Jubilee, but the whole of the charity. And just to remember that who you’re looking out for, who you’re doing it for and the compliments that you get at the end of it. I think that’s really nice. Yes, it’s very positive. Yes, it is. Yeah.

Rebecca: How have you both. Cause it’s obviously International Women’s Day that we’re sharing this. How have you both felt supported in your roles as women by the charity over the years?

Sandra Harrison: Yeah, very well, actually. Yeah, they Very, very accommodating. Especially. Obviously we both got older, like adult children now. But yeah, when my daughter was very young and’probably s for your son. And they were very supportive. You know, flexible in the shift patterns. You know, if you could swap days around, if you needed to go. Cause they were pooli or in hospital or something like that, you could go and collect them and then it was just. Yeah, very, very supportive for of the years.

Lucy Milton: Yeah, definitely. Yeah.

Rebecca: Brilliant. And how have you both actually found juggling work and home life over your time here?

Lucy Milton: I found it all right. Cause like you say’very, flexible. So like my shifts patterns did change when I first come back. but then they’ve gone back to normal as my son’s got older and stuff but. But it was never an issue. There was always a solution wasn’t there to work around everything so that you could’t even like with elderly parents and that Very supportive. It’s about sorting them out if something happens and worry about the rest of it later and everything interestusting that you’ve.

Rebecca: Got the support ma Yeaheah.

Lucy Milton: Definitely.

Rebecca: Have you seen changes in progress potentially eng gender equality across the fire serv through your roles? So for example would you say there’s more of a balance now between men and women coming through the doors?

Sandra Harrison: So youe have definitely massive A massive change, isn’t there? Ye when we first opened in 95 obviously it was quite male dominated but now the amount of women that come through it’s just.

Lucy Milton: And also at the beginning a lot of the women were just partners that say fighters whereas now we see a lot more female firefighters coming through that door. Yeah, good.

Rebecca: Excellent news. how did you both celebrate 30 years? Is there anything that you did, each of you?

Lucy Milton: I’ve bought you a bunch of flowers and another to paund of she flowers.

Sandra Harrison: And I’m afraid that Jubilee house embarrassed me and Did They surprised me with flowers and cakes and Andy did a speech and yeah, it was Yeah but y. Yeah but then I just had glass of champagne when I got home oversea after I’DRIVEN home so yeah, it was nice but yeah it was lovely and then I’ve got lots of lovely cards of people. It was just. And lots of. It was simple things. Yeah. When you read the comments on the cards that’s what it kind of touched at my heartstrings. It was just lovely because it doesn’t feel like it has been 30 years. That was my next question. Yeah, it doesn’t feel like it at all because no two days are the same.

Lucy Milton: Yeaheah it’s one quick.

Sandra Harrison: It has gone really quick.

Lucy Milton: We were saying that like with the kids as well. Ye we didn’t have any kids when we started and now they’re grown up. that says like where’s that time gone?

Rebecca: A little bit more personal about both of you now but have you got any particular hobbies or what’s your life like away from work?

Lucy Milton: I like to do a lot of walking. and we’ve just entered a new phase. My son’s gone to uni so it’s me and my husband getting used to doing things and our owns together. So going away on holiday a lot on things. So that’s quite nice of just a different stage in life really.

Sandra Harrison: I just Yeah, haven’t really got a lot of time but I do like to go out walking. We do have my daysars out and things like that. And we’ve got a qu. Big. Quite a big garden which we’re developing at the moment. So yeah, it’s just being outside I think, more than anything. Yeah.

Rebecca: You’re in the perfect location. Yeah, yeah.

Rebecca: Like definitely the lakes on the doorstep. But yeah. Do you think that’s lovely to share with service users when they come here?

Sandra Harrison: Definitely, yeah. And at the local knowledge as well, that all the staff have, you know, if there are partners and things or people and rentals or rest and recharge that want ideas of places to go, we’ve got that knowledge of where the best places to go are. You know, it’s nice. Yeah.

Rebecca: I know we hear from a lot of people that have been here how lovely it is to they feel welcome the minute they walk through the door. Is that really important to both of you? Just to ensure every Terry mod

Lucy Milton: Ve you’very much notice it on a Sunday Monday, if you do the two around how anxious people are and you say to them m by tomorrow you’ll be grand, you’ll be fine. And the look at yours, if you’ve got two hands do. And then by the next day, they’re like, oh, yeah, you were right. That is why I sit.

Rebecca: And is it EMP imported to by.

Sandra Harrison: Just very much, I thought very much so, yeah.

Lucy Milton: And I find on our side as well sometimes when one of our clients comes for the first time and if a partner comes with that can be quite nervous about letting us help and then you can see them sort of relax and let us do a bit more. And I think that’s a nice sign there. Trust us to look after their loved ones.

Rebecca: That was actually gonna be another question for you, Lucy Obviously, you work a lot with the nursing team primarily now. we do. We sort of invite carers and partners to come along. for some m of our nursing clientses, is that quite a nice break for them that you find? Yeah.

Lucy Milton: So some like to just have the break at home, some like to come but like us to do everything and they can just enjoy. Cause they have a hard life at home looking after their loved ones 24 7. So it’s nice that the meals are made for them and they can just spend some quality time with their, partners rather than doing the everyday care for them.

Rebecca: So, just in terms of. Over the time you’ve been here, how has the charity support changed for people coming through the door?

Lucy Milton: So originally it was just for physical problems that you could come for. And then we did start introducing a stress awareness course it was called then. So there wasn’t counselling or anything, was. No, just.

Sandra Harrison: It was bltishah on it.

Lucy Milton: but even back then you had to come with a physical problem to access that. Ah, you can come primarily with a mental health issue, whereas now they look at the bigger picture out there with welfare and psychological services. That’s saying supporting the family as a whole, not just the individual thoughts.

Sandra Harrison: Really good.

Lucy Milton: So there evolves quite a lot as an E over the year.

Sandra Harrison: It has. It’s whole, like a whole package. It’s the whole person thing. It’s recognised that, you know, if you’re going to have mental. Mental health problems, you’ve got physical issues as well. So, yeah, it has evolved a lot over the years.

Rebecca: Huge thank you to Kath, Tess, Sandra and Lucy for chatting in this month’s episode. If you have a story to tell, whether it’s from receiving our support at Jubilee House or as a woman in the fire service, you can find details on how to get in touch with us in the show notes. There are also details on how to access support there too. We’ve got another show coming up later this month as we launch a new survey into the impact of life in the fire service, on partner relationships. So keep an ear out for that and don’t forget to follow or subscribe. See you then.