More than £700 raised in car wash to aid fire service in Poland

We have raised more than £700 in a car wash at Leek in a bid to help fund fire and rescue equipment to be sent to Poland.

On 19 August, a car wash was held and saw a steady flow of cars, SUVs, local business vans and even a minibus pass through Leek Community Fire Station.

More than £700 was raised with the money split equally between The Fire Fighters Charity and Staffordshire Emergency Services Humanitarian Aid Association (SESHAA).

The Fire Fighters Charity supports the mental, physical and social needs of all serving and retired members of the UK’s fire family.

Part of the pot will go towards funding fire and rescue equipment for the Polish Volunteer Fire Service in Sokolow Malopolski, which lies just 30 miles from the Ukraine border – as well as another car wash which is planned to take place at Newcastle Fire Station on 9 September.

SESHAA was founded in 1995 and has been active in areas of the world that are affected by conflict, humanitarian, or natural disasters, including: Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Ghana and Iraq.

SESHAA secretary, Paul McCafferey, said: "Made of up current and veteran members of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service we collect donations,  so we can secure vehicles and equipment, to supply and train the fire fighters of war-torn and less fortunate countries, in modern fire and rescue techniques.

“We are grateful for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service to have given us the opportunity to hold car washes at their premises and to be able to raise vital funds so we get four pallet loads of vital fire and rescue equipment to Poland.”

For more information about the work of SESHAA, visit our website: Staffordshire Emergency Services Humanitarian Aid Association (staffordshirefire.gov.uk)