City firefighters play it forward. The City of Cape Towns Fire & Rescue Service handed over a R50...
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Last Updated: 09 May 2022 - 19h39
City firefighters play it forward.
The City of Cape Town's Fire & Rescue Service handed over a R50 000 donation to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.
The money will go towards The Children's Hospital Trust's therapeutic playground project.
Firefighters raised the money at their last annual ball in 2019
and only now had the opportunity to hand over the gift.
Our firefighters are at the coalface, saving lives every day, and see first-hand how young lives are impacted by fire.
They are the ones who run in to take the children out of burning homes and despite this heartbreaking task, they continue to follow up with the little ones when they're in hospital,' said Alderman JP Smith, the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
The City's firefighters have been fundraising for the hospital's burns unit since 2009, but in 2012 they decided to grow their initiative with most of the funds being raised at an annual firefighters' ball.
The R50 000 they raised in 2019 was due to be handed
over the following year, but Covid-19 regulations halted it.
At the head of the project is Platoon Commander Anthony Hughes, who retires at the end of July with 40 years' service.
We used to visit the children in the wards, not only to follow their progress, but to brighten their day and ours.
They crept into our hearts as they are the ones who suffer most when there's a fire.
Many of them are scarred or maimed for life and have to stay in hospital for years.
I've had help from my fellow firefighters who came on board, and although shift work made it difficult, those who could, lent a helping hand,' said Commander Hughes.
The donation is earmarked for the therapeutic playground project, which is an inclusive play area where children of all abilities can grow and learn through physical, sensory and social experiences.
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