Award winning staff members at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue have generously donated a cash prize to a local animal rescue charity, after receiving the money at an awards event.

Fire Community Safety Officers and the High Risk Coordination Team were presented with the prize at the Cutlers’ Company Police and Fire Service awards. The team members decided to donate their £250 award to Barnsley Animal Rescue, which provides care and shelter for 100s of abandoned animals across South Yorkshire.

Claire Walsh, Community Safety Co-ordinator at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, said: “We were really pleased to win the award and couldn’t wait to present Barnsley Animal Rescue with the donation. We wanted to help a local charity and felt that Barnsley Animal Rescue was a very worthy cause.”

“Often in our line of work we come across vulnerable persons who unfortunately have to give their beloved animals up for re-homing and Barnsley Animal Rescue help to do this.”

Kath Bailey, founding member and trustee at Barnsley Animal Rescue, said: “The staff and animals at Barnsley Animal Rescue would like to say a big thank you to South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue.  Every penny of the £250 donation will go towards helping the stray and abandoned animals in our care to find a forever home and a second chance in life.”

Fire Community Safety Officers and the High Risk Coordination Team fit tens of thousands of smoke alarms each year, helping to reduce the number of accidental dwelling fires in the homes of some of the most vulnerable people in society.