London Fire Brigade

For Control Officer Helen Rea, supporting Fire Fighters Charity had always been part of the job, bringing colleagues together to fundraise and give back. But like many of us, she never expected to need that support herself.

After foot surgery left her facing a slow recovery, Helen was encouraged by colleagues to get in touch.

“I’ve spent my whole career encouraging other people to reach out, and I don’t think I ever stopped to consider that I should go,” she said.

Helen was invited to Marine Court, the charity’s centre in West Sussex, for a week of rehabilitation and recovery support.

“I was absolutely blown away,” she says. “From day one you’re made to feel so comfortable.

“It was all so beneficial, I had a brilliant week. Why don’t more of us think to get in touch?”

Since then, Helen’s daughter, Laura, who also works in LFB Control, has accessed support at Marine Court while managing a long-term autoimmune condition.

Laura said: “My time on Fire Fighters Charity’s residential programme was a great experience that helped me focus on my personal recovery and wellbeing.”

Since their experience, Helen and Laura have been encouraging colleagues to reach out for support, helping to break down the hesitation that can come with not knowing what to expect.

To find more information on the support available to help with your physical health, click here: https://firefighterscharity.pulse.ly/froruacmnl

Fire Fighters Charity have provided support for Sub Officer(D) Sam Hayward at different points in his life, for both physical recovery and mental wellbeing, and for his family too.

Sam first accessed the charity following a car accident on his way to work.

“I got in contact with the charity and fairly sharply they offered me a stay at Harcombe House,” he said. “It was a week’s rehabilitation programme to get me moving again.

“The combination of everything at the centre was amazing. We had the hydrotherapy which is great, then the physios help a lot and just being in a comfortable space with people that knew what they were doing.”

Sam’s wife, Nicole, also received support through the Reset Programme after experiencing stress and anxiety following her move from New York just before the pandemic.

More recently, Sam reached out again after noticing his own mental health was being affected during a challenging period.

“I contacted the charity pretty much immediately and just said I needed a bit of help, and they were so fast in getting back to me,” he said. “I’ve done six psychological therapy sessions online and they were amazing. She gave me tools to work forward with.”

Reflecting on his experience, Sam encourages others not to wait.

“The job we do is hard – it’s stressful – and I think it’s just so important to keep an eye on your mental health,” he says.

“It’s quite easy just to be like, ‘I’m fine…’ but if you do need help, get it. The charity is there for us.

“It’s done me the world of good. I’m better at home, I’ll be better going forward and I’ll be better for my daughter.”

Sam also ran the London Marathon in 2025 to raise money for the charity.

To find information on what mental health support is available, click here: https://firefighterscharity.pulse.ly/fcosswcphs

As part of this week’s focus on Fire Fighters Charity, we’re sharing real stories from Brigade staff who have used their invaluable services.

Merrick contacted the charity about a shoulder injury, but ended up getting support following the loss of his mum, including time on the Reset Programme to support his wellbeing.

The programme combines physical activity with workshops focused on areas such as sleep, stress, mindfulness and relaxation.

Merrick said, “What I liked about the programme was how varied it was, we did some physical activity like work in the water led by the physiotherapy team. It was nice because it was a bit more relaxed and we got ourselves moving.

“We were there for all different reasons. Mine was bereavement, there were some with relationship issues and stress-related issues. We all just got together and enjoyed some bonding time.

“The biggest thing is knowing that it’s actually there to help you. Not just other people. I’d always paid in to Fire Fighters Charity, but never considered it would one day help me.”

Fire Fighters Charity offers a wide range of support for serving and retired colleagues, as well as their families. This includes:
- Physical rehabilitation and recovery support
- Mental health and wellbeing programmes, including Reset
- Support through life events such as bereavement or injury
- Advice, guidance and practical help when you need it

Find out more about the Reset Programme here: https://firefighterscharity.pulse.ly/kyadi8xrbw

Happy Father’s Day! ❤️

As we celebrate dads, step-dads, granddads, and father figures today, we wanted to shine a spotlight on a very special dad, our very own Station Commander Andy Lewington.

Andy will be retiring soon after a fantastic twenty-six year career with London Fire Brigade. He joined the Brigade in 2000, the first of his family to join the service, after a friend joined and told him it’s the best job in the world. Andy says, “He was not wrong.”

Twenty-six years later, he is very proud to say that 2 of his 4 children have followed him into the job, with Amy becoming a firefighter in 2017 and Josh following after in 2024. Andy says, “I’m so proud that my children wanted to be firefighters, and I get to live the moments again listening to the jobs they go to and their excitement about the job.”

In his career, Andy says his proudest moment has been, of course, watching his children complete their training, but as Station Commander for Finchley and Barnet, he is also immensely proud of the Brigade’s response to all people in need, especially most recently, to the Jewish community in Barnet.

As Andy approaches his retirement, his advice to Amy and Josh is, “I want them to understand that you need to talk and share your worries, stress and fears about the job. Always ask for help when you need it”.

Although there will always be an element of worry at the back of his mind simply because he is their Dad, he knows they are well trained and surrounded by excellent officers. To be a good firefighter, he says, “You need to turn up everyday with energy and enthusiasm for the job, be professional and look after your crew. They have that in abundance.”

We want to congratulate Andy on his fantastic career, thank him for his service, and wish him a lovely dinner out with Josh, who is “allegedly” treating him.

Happy Father’s Day to all celebrating today.

We recently launched the consultation phase of the Grenfell Memory Project.

The purpose of the consultation is for the wider Grenfell community to be able to get in touch to make their opinions heard, understand whether the proposals are supported and any concerns there may be.

Fill out the questionnaire here: https://london-fire.pulse.ly/6qyshvyven

We are delighted to announce that London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith has been awarded the King's Fire Service Medal.

In the King’s 2026 Birthday Honours, the Commissioner received the honour in recognition of his 26 years of service as a firefighter and for his leadership of the busiest and largest metropolitan fire and rescue service in the UK.

Commissioner Smith began his career as a firefighter in 2000 with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service before transferring to Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2008. He then moved to the Brigade in 2019 as an Assistant Commissioner, taking on the responsibility of reforming procedures in Brigade Control in response to the Grenfell Tower Fire. He also later served as Assistant Commissioner for Fire Stations, overseeing the day to day running of the Brigade’s 103 fire stations.

Later, as Deputy Commissioner, he represented London at national strategic forums, and acted as the National Fire Chiefs Council’s strategic lead for Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA) and how the fire service would respond.

Since joining the Brigade, he has led the operational responses to numerous high-profile incidents, including the New Providence Wharf Fire in 2021, and was Brigade Manager for major national events, such as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III.

On receiving the award, he said: "I am genuinely humbled to have received the King's Fire Service Medal and privileged to be leading this fantastic organisation. The fire service has given me a career and life experience I could only have dreamt of when I first started over 26 years ago.

“I am grateful to the brilliant people in London Fire Brigade who make it what it is - and without whom this wouldn't have happened. There is more for us to do together so we can continue to meet the challenges of today and the next few years, but we will meet those challenges with confidence, pride and genuine ambition to be the best."

We have launched our very first interactive water safety map: https://london-fire.pulse.ly/jb6iqhn8lc

As part of Drowning Prevention Week and as the weather begins to warm up again, we are asking for support from teachers, parents and guardians to ensure children are aware of the dangers of open water.

This follows the concerning number of accidental drownings, many involving children, that occurred across the UK during the recent heatwave.

While thankfully none occurred in London, in April the tragic deaths of a mother and son in the River Brent brought the number of accidental drownings in London, attended by LFB, to 112 people since 2020.

To support parents and guardians with speaking to children about the dangers of open water, we have launched our interactive water safety map showing the locations where firefighters have attended water-related incidents.

We hope that Londoners, particularly parents and guardians, use the map to identify high risk locations along waterways and talk to their children about the risks of swimming in these areas.

The map shows over 1,500 water-related incidents which were attended by the Brigade since 2020 and has several interactive features, including the ability to:

- Search for specific waterways, parks and other locations to see incidents in that area by year and incident type
- Filter by year to see how risk has changed over time
- Filter by hazard to see specific dangers at certain locations

We also ask that you please pay attention to information displayed at waterways about designated swimming areas, water quality and other aspects of safety, and to familiarise yourself with water safety advice on our website.

In addition to the interactive water safety map, last month, London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith joined Deputy Mayor for the Fire Service Jules Pipe and Robin Mortimer, Chief Executive, Port of London, in writing to schools across London to ask them to share water safety advice with parents.

We are also continuing to deliver water safety workshops to year 2 and year 5 classes in primary schools across London through our Education Team, and from September 2026, we are pleased to see that water safety education will enter the curriculum for secondary schools in England, an important step in embedding water safety in schools.

Water Safety Map This map shows every non-suicide related incident related to water attended by London Fire Brigade since 2020, totalling over 1,500 separate callouts and, sadly, 112 accidental drownings.

Speaking on the ninth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: “Nine years on from the Grenfell Tower fire, the memory of that night and its devastating consequences remain with us. Today, we remember the 72 people who lost their lives, as well as the survivors, their families and the wider community.

“For London Fire Brigade, Grenfell remains a defining moment. It continues to shape our work, and we remain committed to learning from the lessons of the tragedy and ensuring that the needs of residents remain at the heart of everything we do.

“This year, we are also working to create a Grenfell Memory Project that honours the 72 lives lost, makes a lasting difference, and supports the collective healing and recovery of the community.

“As we reflect on this anniversary, we remain committed to doing everything within our power to help prevent a tragedy of this kind from ever happening again.”