FIREFIGHTERS from Liphook presented a cheque for £1,150 to the Fire Fighters Charity, form the proceeds of the Firemen’s Ball at Old Thorns Manor Hotel in March.

The total was boosted by a raffle collection as well as donations from the Liphook Carnival committee. The charity supported one of their local men, who was injured in Grayshott last year, when his fire engine was involved in a serious collision.

Retained firefighter Mark Wilson, who was on duty at Grayshott, was badly injured last September on a call-out in Alton, when the tender hit a tree on Headley Road, near The Waggoner’s Wells turn off.

Mark had to be cut out and airlifted to Southampton General Hospital where he was treated for a dislocated pelvis and broken leg.

“I had pins and plates inserted into my hip and leg and was out of action for six months,” he told The Herald. “The Fire Fighter’s Charity was enormously supportive during this time and got me a place at Harcombe House in Devon, where I underwent intense treatments and a severe rehabilitation programme.

“The boys from both Liphook and Grayshott stations organised transport for me for the two stays I had there, each lasting about two weeks. They also arranged for my wife and daughter to come and visit me over a weekend, which was crucial to my recovery.”

“All of this was funded by the Fire Fighters Charity, who also supported my family, and I cannot thank them enough for their help and support.”

Mark has now made a full recovery and returned to his day job – but has not yet been able to resume his firefighting duties at Grayshott station.

The charity’s regional fundraiser Kerry James added: “Firefighting can be dangerous, stressful and traumatic. When firefighters suffer injury they can be laid up for months, in pain and unable to work.

“Dealing with life or death situations every day often takes its toll emotionally too.

The Fire Fighters Charity is here for every one of the UK’s 65,000 serving firefighters, fire service support staff – and their families.”

The charity is the UK’s leading provider of services that enhance quality of life for serving and retired firefighters, fire personnel and their families.

Over the years, they have helped hundreds of thousands of individuals by providing world-class treatment and support services. It costs more than £9m per year to keep the charity running, which is completely reliant upon donations and fundraising.

The charity has three centres in Devon, Cumbria and West Sussex, which offer a range of support programmes including physical rehabilitation and recuperation to members of the fire and rescue community in times of need.

For more details, visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk.

Pictured are Greg Shaw (general manager, Old Thorns), Kerry James (regional fundraiser, Fire Fighters Charity), Paul Illman (Liphook watch station manager), Jed Meekins Craig Morgan (Liphook Watch), Mark Wilson Phil Adams (Liphook Watch), Andrew Barnes (Old Thorns sales manager), and Malcolm Freemantle (Liphook Watch group manager).