Firefighter apprentices to cycle 500 miles in aid of The Fire Fighters Charity

A team of 23 firefighter apprentices from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will cycle 500 miles – the equivalent of the distance from Windsor Castle to Balmoral – in aid of The Fire Fighters Charity.

The group planned the Coronation fundraiser in memory of Scottish firefighter Barry Martin, who tragically lost his life on 27 January following injuries sustained while fighting a blaze at the Jenners building in Edinburgh.

They will complete the challenge on static bikes from two shopping centre locations in Berkshire – Broad Street Mall in Reading and The Lexicon in Bracknell.

The team chose the distance of 500 miles to mark the coronation of King Charles III. The distance is equal to that from the King’s Windsor residence to the Royal Family’s home in Scotland, and the special coronation cycle will raise funds for The Fire Fighters Charity.

The Fire Fighters Charity supports the health and well-being of serving and retired fire and rescue service personnel, their dependants and other eligible members of the UK fire services community, throughout their lives, helping them to live happier and healthier.

Station Manager, Adam Brailsford, said:

“We would appreciate your support in advance or on the day by donating to this worthwhile cause. You can donate on the JustGiving link or on the day, with collection buckets available. We would be grateful for any kind of donation, no matter the size as it all goes to a fantastic cause.”

Louise Furneaux, Community Fundraiser at The Fire Fighters Charity, said:

“We’re so grateful to the whole team for planning such a moving fundraising challenge in aid of us. To see so many of them come together in support of us, and in memory of Barry Martin, is fantastic and we wish them the best of luck.

“Fundraisers like this make a real, lasting difference to many people’s lives in our fire services community by directly funding our vital support services. Thank you to everyone involved.”

To support the team’s fundraiser with a donation, click here: www.justgiving.com/team/rbfrsreading.

With The Fire Fighters Charity relying almost entirely on donations to fund its vital work, none of the support it offers people like this would be possible without the generosity of its supporters. You can support others just like them now by donating at www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/donate.