It’s that time of year again and we’re delighted to share a host of new articles, real-life stories, advice pieces and much more in our latest issue of Shout! magazine – while looking ahead at the different ways we can support you to live happier and healthier in the coming months.
This issue was written and produced amid the sad news breaking of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, our loyal Patron for the past 69 years. Our Chief Executive, Dr Jill Tolfrey, says: “Her loss is felt by us all, across the UK’s fire and rescue services community and here at The Fire Fighters Charity. We have always been incredibly proud to call the Queen our Patron, grateful for the affection in which she held the fire services community and for the support she showed to us over so many years.”
We have shared a special tribute to Her Majesty in this issue, looking back on the loyal support she gave to us and to the fire services community throughout her long reign – as well as sharing a letter she wrote to us in our Diamond Jubilee year in 2002. You can read our tribute, as well as memories from some of our beneficiaries, here:
Our Queen and Patron: A tribute
Elsewhere in this issue, our Welfare Services Lead, Carrie Pearce, has detailed some of the ways we can support you in the coming months as we face the pressures of the cost of living crisis – as well as outlining where and how you can access further help.
We will also be sharing a wealth of information and supportive content in the coming months, to help inform you of where and how you can find support. You can read our introductory article and tips here:
We want to ensure every one of our beneficiaries is aware of the support on offer to them, and so we’ve included a special pull-out poster which details many of the ways we may be able to help you, as well as your colleagues and family. Please do pin it up on your noticeboards on station or in your office.
Meanwhile, on page 10 we share a closer look at a service many of you may not know about, or realise is available to you – a chance to take a break at one of our centres to rest and recharge, when life has taken an unexpected turn.
These stays provide you with the space and opportunity to unwind, relax and reflect on your wellbeing and yourself. Our tranquil and peaceful surroundings provide the perfect setting for recovery, building resilience and finding those initial steps to help you move forward. Find out more here:
Take time out to rest and recharge
And we also introduce our new health awareness programme, focusing on Women’s Health, which will cover four key topics over four weeks: menopause, female cancers, ageing healthily and osteoporosis.
As part of that, we take a closer look at one of the four topics – women’s cancer, and share some of the risks and symptoms of ovarian and uterine cancer. You can keep up with all the news and updates, as well as exclusive articles and videos, on our dedicated page here:
We have also taken a closer look at our 2022/23 Winter Appeal… and we’re asking you to do something wonderful this winter, by giving what you can to help members of our fire family struggling with their mental health.
A few of our beneficiaries have shared their moving and powerful stories of how we’ve supported them with their mental health over the years – all with the same key message: it’s okay not to be okay, and it’s a sign of strength to ask for help.
Elsewhere, we have included a photographic Flashback page in this issue, which looks at a few moments in time shared by our retired beneficiaries, as well as revealing our latest news for retirees in our fire services community.
We also celebrate 20 years of the Fire Fighters Lottery by looking back over the last two decades and how you’ve helped us raise £20million – all of which has gone so far to change people’s lives.
Sarah King, Sonia Cox and Robert Cowie share how they’ve been supported by us, thanks to kind-hearted donations, and we also hear from winners of our Lottery over the years.
Finally, we reveal our Christmas card collection, share Russell Davies’ story of why he’s kindly remembered us in his will, look at some of our corporate partners’ kind-hearted donations and events recently, reflect on the positive progress we’ve made and some of the challenges that still lie ahead and much more.
