Meet Graham

Name:  Graham

Occupation:  Semi-retired

What is your role as a HIWFRS volunteer? 

“I’ve been fortunate to have participated in a wide variety of activities during my two years as a volunteer with the service. I’ve represented HIWFRS at community events such as festivals and fire station open days, supported road safety campaigns, provided Safe and Well visit support, and given presentations to groups on home fire safety.  Most recently, I also helped with the Covid-19 vaccination rollout for rough sleepers in Portsmouth.”

What inspired you to volunteer for the fire service? 

“When I was taking some time out between full-time employment and retirement, a friend who works in Community Safety for a neighbouring fire service mentioned Safe and Well home fire safety visits and how volunteers sometimes support their service with this activity. That is when I contacted HIWFRS and signed up after having a chat with our Volunteer Co-ordinator.”

What do you get out of volunteering? 

“In my experience the scope of activities has been hugely diverse and therefore fascinating to be involved with.

The sense of camaraderie you get from being part of a team is a wonderful feeling, and since becoming a volunteer I’ve felt very welcome and appreciated by everyone I have met.

Volunteering is a fantastic learning experience in a whole new area and it has given me plenty of opportunities for personal development.

I have enjoyed interacting with members of other emergency services, agencies, and with members of the public.”

What difference do you feel volunteering makes? 

“There is a personal satisfaction derived from being a part of an organisation performing a vital public/community service.

I see volunteering as a valuable resource for HIWFRS because it enables more of the front-line services to continue unhindered.”

Are there any particular highlights that stand out during your time volunteering with the fire service? 

“One thing that stands out for me as a highlight is the support I gave to the vaccinations for rough sleepers partnership between HIWFRS, Portsmouth City Council and Brunel Primary Care Network.

Vaccinations were delivered to more than 80 rough sleepers in Portsmouth and the service’s Community Contact Point vehicle was used to support this initiative, which I drove around the city.

It was a pleasure to support this fantastic community initiative which was a real team effort. This stands out as a highlight for me because this project gave an immediate feeling of making a real difference to people’s lives.”

What would you say to other people who might be considering applying to become a fire service volunteer?  

“I would say to anyone thinking of volunteering that it’s a rewarding activity that allows you to give something valuable back to the communities we live in.”