Awards for Biggleswade and Sandy firefighters

Awards were given out for excellent service, to recognise courageous cadets, and in appreciation of fundraising efforts from the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue team.

The Service Cadet Challenge Award was handed to Sandy.

The annual cadet competition was held in April. After an extremely hard fought battle between cadet units from Kempston, Leighton Buzzard, Luton and Sandy, it was Sandy that managed to go one better than their previous year and take the win!

The day was split into water drills in the morning and competitions in the afternoon, all counting towards the final score. The cadet leaders have stated that “It was great to see the competition was taken in the right spirit with all the units cheering each other on. The true winners were the cadets themselves who went home with big smiles on their faces.”

Sandy cadets collecting the award were Jade Allaway, Jessica Fountain, Reuben Matheron, Kieran Stevenson and Ben Watson.

The Endeavour Award went to Biggleswade Community Fire Station in recognition of its outstanding effort in planning and undertaking a third fire engine pull event through the town raising £4,500 for good causes, including The Fire Fighters Charity.

The award was collected by On-Call Watch Commander Eddie Wing, On-Call Firefighter Ryan Phillips, and Michelle Collings.

On-call Sandy firefighter Destry Branum received a 25-year long-service award.

Councillor Colleen Atkins, Chair of Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Authority, said: “It was an honour to present the awards that recognise the tremendous achievements by members of our Fire & Rescue Service whose dedication and commitment helps keep the people of Bedfordshire safe.

“The array of awards is impressive and they are well deserved. It is right that we recognise and reward our staff properly for the contribution they make to our community.

“Many of these achievements demonstrate Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s ever widening role in the community and how we are working closely with our blue light partners, embracing collaboration and continually driving forward improvements to help make the service even more efficient and effective.

“In paying tribute to all our Operational and Support staff, I want especially to mention our ‘on-call’ firefighters and the employers who release them to do their important lifesaving work in our community.

“We are always looking for more on-call firefighters and would urge people to give back to their community by considering joining our firefighting family.”