Croydon Fire Station community event raises over £500 for Certitude Projects

Croydon Fire Station Blue Watch hosted an inclusive community day with adapted activities for children with special educational needs in aid of Certitude projects. The day attracted over 700 children and family members and raised £539.80.

Station Officer Daniel Foster, who has helped raised funds for Certitude before, had the idea after seeing how his daughter, who is autistic, struggled to enjoy the usual Open Days. He decided to create a bespoke event with activities that would be accessible for all.

The day included:

• A purpose-built ramp to access the cab of a fire engine
• A hose connected to a hydrant to give children with sensory needs an opportunity to squirt water - rather than from a hose connected to a running fire engine.
• A specially adapted zip wire to allow children to either go straight up and look around - or for the more adventurous, to fly down the zip line.
• A Breathing Apparatus chamber normally used for training purposes was converted into a ‘sensory’ room with lights and a projection of a fire on the wall for the attendees to locate.
• Quiet areas in the fire station yard for those who experience sensory overload

Station Officer Daniel Foster said it was a very successful day: “I want to pay tribute to my whole Watch who really got behind the project. It was really great to be able to support Certitude while helping our local community who rarely see these types of opportunities organised for them.”

Thank you to everybody that came and supported the event.

To find out what we do with the money you donate or raise for Certitude, click here.

If you missed the event, but would still like to support our projects, click here.