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Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) is continuing with its focus on raising awareness about violence against women and girls (VAWG).
DWFRS Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Andy Cole recently met with the new CEO of White Ribbon UK, Lynne Elliot, to welcome her to her post and to thank White Ribbon for their ongoing work and support.
White Ribbon UK are the leading charity in England and Wales engaging men and boys to prevent men’s violence against women and girls. DWFRS has proudly been a White Ribbon accredited organisation since October 2022, embedding its principles of allyship and raising awareness of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
DWFRS has been working with various stakeholders on an internal strategy over the last 12 months to prepare for the introduction of the Worker Protection Act. Actions included early and ongoing communications, the launch of a dignity and respect framework and bespoke resources including a toolkit. Subsequently DWFRS have been working closely with the NFCC on the creation of their Addressing Sexual Harassment Toolkit, which launched in May.
“Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are doing an excellent job at pushing for a big culture change and it’s clear they’re genuinely committed to making this happen. Andy and the team have thrown themselves into it, and their determination is inspiring and clearly having a positive impact on the rest of the staff.
“Many people across the service have signed up to be White Ribbon UK Ambassadors and Champions, which shows just how much this matters to them as individuals as well as the organisation. It’s not just about policies; it’s about people being proactive and that’s exactly what we’ve seen here. We’re proud to be working with Dorset and Wiltshire, and we’re looking forward to supporting more fire and rescue services across the UK who are ready to take the same positive steps.”
CEO of White Ribbon UK, Lynne Elliot.
DWFRS CFO Andy Cole said, “It was great to meet Lynne last month and discuss with her our plans with DWFRS and get her support and guidance. Men and boys may not always recognise and fully understand the impact of VAWG because they often don’t need to consider their own personal safety in the same way. This isn’t to say that men and boys are not vulnerable to violence. With a largely male workforce, I want to invite my colleagues, and indeed anyone, to talk to women and girls about these issues and learn from their experiences so we can support each other through White Ribbon’s approach of allyship.
He added: “I am proud that we have nearly 70 White Ribbon ambassadors and champions across our Service and that all of our Senior Leadership Team are ambassadors and champions.”
“DWFRS are enthused by this direction and excited to be an active part in the development of White Ribbon’s future resources. Initially this is with a view for further training for the ambassadors and champions, and it is hoped this will help other Fire and Rescue Services and partners in other sectors.”
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