South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
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Sheffield firefighters prepare for charity challenge

A team of eleven firefighters are embarking on South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s latest charity challenge in support of Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS and Charity.

Lowedges Watch Manager (WM) Tom Robjohns (pictured with son Alfie) will be leading the team six miles across Sheffield as they carry a 10.5 ladder from Lowedges Fire Station to Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

WM Robjohns son, Alfie, was born in 2019 and at three weeks old contracted viral meningitis. He was rushed to the Emergency Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, where the nurses and doctors cared for him around the clock, ultimately saving his life.

Now five years old, Alfie has made a full recovery and is none the wiser of the ordeal his parents went through back in 2019.

It is the incredible work and care that the nurses and doctors showed Alfie that has led to WM Robjohns wanting to organise this epic ladder carry across Sheffield as part of the service’s wider fundraising for Sheffield Children’s.

Setting off from Lowedges Fire Station at 10:30am on Saturday 31 August, WM Robjohns and team will pass by:

  • 11:15 – St James retail park where a Lowedges Blue Watch with their fire engine
    will be giving fire safety advice and taking donations.
  • 12:00 – Through Woodseats
  • 13:00 – On to London Road and up St Mary’s gate.
  • 14:45 – On to Western Bank on the final stretch up to Sheffield Children’s Hospital led in convoy by a Fire Appliance from our Central Station.

(All times are approximate)

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Area Manager, John Billings, said: “Since April of this year, I’ve asked my teams across Sheffield to raise as much money as we can for Sheffield Children’s. So far we have walked to every Sheffield fire station wearing breathing apparatus and climbed the equivalent of the Yorkshire three peaks using our 32m turntable.

“This is another huge challenge set by Lowedges and I couldn’t be prouder of the team.”

The Children’s Hospital Charity’s Community Fundraising Officer, Emma Maskrey, said: ‘We are so grateful to each and every member of South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue for their support.

“The stations across the Sheffield District have shown such commitment and generosity in their campaign to fundraise for us this year. They’ve taken on some incredible challenges, with the ladder-carry at Lowedges being no exception. We’re so proud to have such a vital part of the Sheffield community supporting our charity.

“The Children’s Hospital Charity supports Sheffield Children’s to provide life changing care for children from the UK and beyond, and that is only possible thanks to the fundraising and support of organisations like South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

“Our team will be cheering them on and we hope that supporters from across Sheffield and beyond, can get behind their campaign and donate.”

You can donate towards this challenge here or meet WM Robjohns and team across the route outlined above on Saturday 31 August.

This content was last updated on August 28th, 2024