South Yorkshire residents have enjoyed a tea fit for the queen thanks to trainee wholetime firefighters.

Put on as part of their 12 week training programme, the new recruits from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue hosted an afternoon tea and dance for elderly local residents and those who may feel lonely or socially isolated. The new recruits spent all afternoon serving tea and cakes to local residents and attendees were also treated to special live performances from musicians Stevie Moore and Patricia Lynn.

As part of their training course, the new recruits have been observing and working with the service’s award-winning community safety team to understand the work they do to reduce the risk of fire for the more vulnerable groups in society.

Community Safety Co-ordinator Claire Walsh, said: “Social isolation in older people is a key area for us to address in South Yorkshire and we are working with our partners and other organisations to tackle this growing issue. This latest event is the perfect illustration of that aspiration, where fire service resources are helping to improve the lives of one of the most vulnerable groups in society whilst also providing the new recruits with an understanding of the communities they will soon be serving.”

The event was hosted in partnership with Home Instead Senior Care Sheffield.

Officers believe that events like this will benefit the fire service by providing a vital link with one of its key target groups in terms of vulnerability to fire.

A South Yorkshire station manager has been named an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Lorraine Smith, aged 47, who lives in Holmfirth, has served at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue since 1997, with most of that time spent serving in its 999 Control room.

Before joining the fire service, Lorraine had worked for the armed forces, where she attained the rank of Sergeant.

In her private life, she has been a volunteer teaching adults with learning needs, fostered several children and acted as a mentor for new foster carers. A keen runner, she has also raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities.

Lorraine has been awarded her MBE for public service.

More than 20 long serving firefighters, 999 operators and support staff have been honoured at a special ceremony in Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue staged the event at Sheffield City Hall to recognise staff members who have clocked up more than 20 years serving local people.

Chief Fire Officer James Courtney and Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire Andrew Coombe presented the fire service Long Service & Good Conduct Medal to recipients in front of their family and friends. The medal was instituted by Her Majesty the Queen by Royal Warrant in 1954. It is awarded to employees who complete 20 years of meritorious service.

A special award was also presented to communications electrician Francis Delez who, with an incredible 51 years’ service behind him, is the fire service’s longest serving employee.

Group manager Trevor Bernard was given the honour of master of ceremonies, before he retires from the service next month.

Speaking at the event, Chief Fire Officer James Courtney, said: “We aspire to make South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue a great place to work, which includes recognising the efforts and achievements of our staff. As Chief Fire Officer, I therefore feel extremely proud to see so many members of our organisation recognised for the outstanding service they have given over the last twenty years or more.

“The role of a firefighter and the role of fire service has changed considerably in that time. Our responsibilities now go far beyond simply tackling fires. But one thing that will always remain the same is the pride which we all have in doing a job that can make such a positive difference in the communities we serve.”

Firefighters joined forces with Sheffield Hallam University paramedic students for a training simulation on Saturday (19 May).

The exercise saw crews from Central, Rivelin, Parkway and Birley Moor fire stations simulate their response to a multiple car pile up.

Four vehicles were used and nine ‘casualties’, including people and manikins.

DipHE Paramedic Practice & BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science students took part in the exercise, to discover how different emergency services work together at 999 incidents.

South Yorkshire’s fire crews have taken part in a realistic water and rope rescue exercise to test their response in the event of a high-risk emergency.

The training exercise involved the rescue of two ‘casualties’ who had climbed onto a structure and were refusing to come down.

Aston Park, Edlington, Rivelin and Cudworth firefighters all took part in the exercise on the River Rother at Woodhouse Mill Regulator on the junction of Retford Road and Furnace Lane in Woodhouse, Sheffield.

Wayne Sutcliffe, station manager at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, said: “Firefighters respond to a huge range of emergencies, far beyond the house fires and road traffic collisions we are traditionally associated with. Both water rescues and rescues from height can be extremely complex, which is what makes training like this so important. The scenario was successfully completed and generated a great deal of operational learning.”

SYP Alerts is a messaging system developed by South Yorkshire Police, which allows you to receive updates from local neighbourhood police teams.

There are now over 9,000 people signed-up to receive alerts in South Yorkshire and the force is driving an initiative to reach 10k by the end of May.

Being signed-up to SYP Alerts means that you can receive messages by text, email or voice alert about policing matters specifically in your community. You can even choose what type of things you would like to receive messages about by personalising your account once you have signed-up.

If you live in South Yorkshire, you can register quickly and easily at www.sypalerts.co.uk.

A fire station based ‘memory cafe’ which aims to support the growing numbers of people who live with dementia has been launched in Barnsley

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s Cudworth fire station hosts the monthly memory cafe, with support from local dementia support services.

The events, which are held on the third Friday of every month, provide an opportunity for people living with dementia and their carers to meet in a safe, managed environment and to take part in activities to promote mental and physical wellbeing, such as chair based exercises.

The group has become the second fire service backed memory cafe to be launched in South Yorkshire, joining Woodlands Memory Cafe which has been operational at Adwick fire station for more than two years.

Officers believe the project will benefit the fire service by providing a vital link with one of its key target groups in terms of vulnerability to fire.

Area Manager Steve Helps, said: “We have already proven in recent years how the fire service is well placed to play a much wider role in terms of tackling some of the big health challenges our country faces in the future. This latest project is the perfect illustration of that aspiration, where fire service resources are helping to improve the lives of one of the most vulnerable groups in society.”

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue is also a member of the Yorkshire & Humber Dementia Alliance, which is committed to tackling the growing issue of dementia within communities.

Hundreds of its staff have also signed up to become Dementia Friends- a Government backed initiative which teaches people a little bit more about what it’s like to live with dementia, and then turns that understanding into action.

The next session of the memory cafe takes place on Friday 18 May from 10.30am to 12.30am at Cudworth fire station, Tumbling Lane, Barnsley, S71 5RZ. It is open to anyone living with dementia and their carers, or any older people feeling isolated and wanting to make new friends.