We’re constantly developing and diversifying our health and wellbeing services and we’ve reached more of our beneficiaries in 2024 with new programmes, workshops and more – all thanks to your support.
Here, we look back at some of the many highlights:
First anniversary of our Crisis Line
In its first year since launching on November 1, 2023, our Crisis Line received 217 calls, each one a chance for someone in the fire service community to find connection and strength when they need it most.
The 24/7 Crisis Line – 0300 373 0896 – was created because we saw a need. A gap that had left too many fire service members and their families without the critical support they needed at the height of a crisis. Now, whenever someone experiences suicidal thoughts – day or night – help is just a call away.
Self-assessment tool launched
Over the summer we launched a self-assessment tool to help you better understand your mental wellbeing and determine the best support for you.
The tool, developed in partnership with Rightsteps, aims to help anyone experiencing feelings of anxiety or low mood and to decide whether you’d benefit from further support and information.
Once you finish, you’ll see your results along with some personalised advice and links to useful information, to help you take further action on your health and wellbeing, if you decide to do so.
New residential programmes
We’ve held a number of residential programmes at our three centres throughout the year and have more planned through the start of 2025, focusing on your physical health, mental health and social wellbeing.
From kickstarting your fitness and a week focused on menopause, to one on living with trauma and a Falls Management Exercise Programme (FaME) at Jubilee House – which saw a group of beneficiaries supported both digitally and face-to-face over several months – we tailored each to focus on your specific needs.
Launch of our Beneficiary Experience Panel
We were excited to launch our 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.
Relaunch of our Shout! Podcast
We released the first in a new season of episodes of the Shout!Podcast, where we heard from three men who have faced mental and physical health challenges.
More Hope Programmes
We continued to support more individuals on our online Hope Programmes, which are designed to help build resilience and combat stress and anxiety.
The programmes, which we run in partnership with social enterprise Hope for the Community, are six-week online group self-management programmes which cover topics like: managing stress, smarter goal setting, gratitude, character strengths, physical activity, eating well, coping with fatigue, practicing mindfulness, communication and relationships.
Wellbeing workshops and webinars
We’ve offered a series of online wellbeing workshops throughout 2024, covering everything from managing stress and mindfulness and relaxation, to nutrition, menopause awareness and more.
These workshops provide a crucial resource for those who may want to take proactive steps to improve their wellbeing, or those who may live and work more remotely.
We’ve also worked alongside our fundraising and engagement teams on mini-resilience workshops, to be delivered hand-in-hand with their own talks, as well as rolling out a second year of our pre-retirement workshops for those approaching the end of their careers.
We’re now midway through a winter series, which you can sign up to here: