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7
FIREFIGHTERS
NEWS
From Tyne and Weir Fire and Rescue Service
Fire and rescue service helps David to turn
his life around
Kent Firefighting Museum to Re-Open
Kent Firefighting Museum
David Wood’s life has been turned around after
completing the 12-week Princes Trust Team
Programme ran by Tyne and Wear Fire and
Rescue Service.
David, aged 20 from Thorney Close, Sunderland
joined the course having had a troubled life using
alcohol and drugs. The course gives young people
the opportunity to meet new friends, try out new
skills, get a taste of the workplace and plan for
the future. It includes a team building residential,
a community fundraising project, a work
placement, CV writing skills, interview technique
training and a team challenge involving helping
others in the local community. David completed
his programme at Farringdon Community Fire
Station. His presentation speech was so emotive
and inspiring that it has been chosen to be
published on the National Prince’s Trust website
this week.
Princes Trust Team Leader, Alan D’Arcy, Tyne and
Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: “David has
been truly inspirational and he has shown that
you really can turn your life around. We wish him
all the best for the future.
If you are aged 16 to 25 and unemployed and
would like to find out more about the course,
please contact Princes Trust Team Leader Alan
D’Arcy on 01914441175 or go to
David Wood presented with his certificate from
Chief Fire Officer Tom Capeling
When the museum at Kent Fire & Rescue Service
HQ (Tovil – Maidstone) closed and went into
storage in 2011, the future of the collection was
uncertain. But a Stakeholder Group of former
volunteers and supporters of the museum was
formed to consider options for the future. After
much hard work, arrangements have been made
to occupy new premises and a charity has been
established to run the museum. The new charity
is called the Kent Firefighting Museum. The Rt.
Hon. the Baroness Blackstone has agreed to be
the Patron. A Friends Association has also been
formed.
The main museum site open to the public will be
at the Woodlands Garden Centre at Ash Lane,
Ash, near West Kingsdown, not far from Brands
Hatch. The museum will also use the former
Chatham Fire Station as a storage and
maintenance site, with some access by the public
by appointment.
Commenting on progress to date with the
charity and Friends, Chairman of Trustees and
former Chief Fire Officer of Kent, Jeremy Beech
said: “We have a team at The Woodlands and we
would be delighted to welcome anyone with an
interest in fire service history to become a
volunteer. Volunteers will be our “game makers”
and will supervise visitors and hopefully have a
very enjoyable time being involved in developing
the museum as a visitor attraction and a learning
resource. We also need as many members of the
Friends as possible. So even if you are unable to
enrol as volunteers, we hope that there will be a
large take-up of membership of the Friends to
help us with our running costs.
Mr Beech also thanked KFRS for the support
which has been given to the new charity – he
hoped that the Museum would, in turn, try to
support the Service by promoting fire safety
generally and other key initiatives.”
The formal opening of the museum by Baroness
Blackstone took place on Saturday, August 30,
2014. It was a fun day full of activities and special
exhibits to mark this important occasion.
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