This Christmas, Brigade staff have gone the extra mile to celebrate the magic of Christmas, with firefighters and staff getting together to support communities across London. December is a busy month for crews; there’s charity fundraising, children’s hospital visits, winter coat collections and much more.
Firefighters from Euston Fire Station are once again visiting children at Great Ormond Street hospital. They will be handing out gifts and bringing some festive cheer for children who sadly have to spend the holidays in hospital.
Elsewhere, for the third-year running, Lambeth Red Watch will be transforming their fire engine into a mobile Santa’s grotto, with the crew magically turning into Santa and his elves. Their mission is to deliver gifts to Evelina Children’s Hospital. The hospital collection means children staying on a ward get an extra special surprise in the days leading up to Christmas Day.
Station Officer and Head Elf, Adam Hills, said: “Every year we’ve received a great response from patients and their families. Lots of children won’t get a chance to leave the hospital so we bring Santa and his team to them on the ward to make things extra special.
“It’s also our way of showing appreciation for the work that staff do there - looking after children from all over the UK, all year round.”
At Tooting Fire Station, firefighters and officers have donated hundreds of presents for children and their families at St George’s Hospital and the whole station will come together to deliver the gifts to families spending Christmas on the wards.
Firefighter and Christmas fairy Leoni Munslow said: “Delivering presents to the wards is a small gesture that brings big smiles during a difficult time. It’s a Tooting Fire Station tradition the crews are proud to continue.”
Firefighters in Chelsea are collecting funds to buy toys and gifts they will drop off at the Royal Brompton Hospital and Chelsea & Westminster Hospital on Christmas Day.
Hayes firefighters are also collecting donations for gifts for young patients on the Bumblebee Ward and the Paediatrics A&E at Hillingdon Hospital. And in Greenwich, firefighters are doing a collection for teens and younger children, including arts and crafts sets and sensory equipment, on the wards of Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Fire stations across London have also collected pyjamas in recent weeks for the charity, Children’s Hospital Pyjamas (CHP). The donations ensure children in hospitals across the country will be cosy during the holidays with warm and festive pyjamas.
Station Officer Liz Crisp who now runs the CHP project for the London Fire Brigade, said: “I love getting involved with this charity. Earlier this year a family member was diagnosed with leukaemia. It really brought home the difference this project makes to people going through one of the worst times in their lives.
“Essentially its support for not only the child but also their loved ones. It makes me feel happy to make even the slightest difference to someone’s life in such a positive way.”
This is the sixth year of London Fire Brigade’s partnership with Wrap-Up London, and the most successful so far, with 8,000 pre-loved coats and jackets dropped off at 24 fire stations around the capital. They will be going to a multitude of frontline charities including women’s refuges, homeless organisations and family centres.
Station Commander Paul Anstey from Paddington Fire Station praised the collective effort, he said: “It’s incredible, we’ve collected over 8,000 coats this year – the most we have ever received in the six years we’ve been doing this. This year the campaign was expanded, and coats were collected over a four-week period. I never expected such an astonishing result, and I am totally bowled over by the generosity Londoners have shown to this project.
“By opening up our fire stations as donation hubs there will be over 90 good causes that stand to benefit. A huge thank you to all the stations and staff involved—this couldn’t have been achieved without their hard work.”
Hammersmith Fire Station will be holding a Christmas Open Day on 20th and 21st December between 11-6pm. Visitors will be able to visit Christmas stalls from local craft makers, enjoy festive games as well as see London’s first fully electric fire engine on display. Santa is also set to be in town and local children can book a visit to his fire station grotto.
London Fire Brigade’s choir is always busy at this time of year and have already performed with the Blue Light Symphony Orchestra in West Hampstead and at St Paul’s Cathedral at the Brigade’s annual carol concert. For those who’ve missed out, there’s another chance to hear them at Paddington Railway Station between 2 and 4pm on Monday, 22 December, in aid of the Fire Fighters Charity.
Finally, Stoke Newington and Whitechapel firefighters are organising a toy collection so no child feels forgotten by Santa. Fire stations across Hackney and Tower Hamlets have organised toy drop-off points, after which they will be wrapped and distributed to those in need by Hackney Social Services and Sister Christine’s Neighbours in Poplar charity.