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The charity Rapid Relief Team (RRT) has completed another year of frontline support to fire and rescue services across the UK, delivering 18,690 hot meals at 73 separate events.
Assistance has ranged from welfare provision at major incidents and multi-agency resilience exercises to firefighter training sessions and community open days at local stations. Volunteers have provided freshly cooked meals, hot drinks and refreshments designed to keep crews energised during long and demanding operations.
Since 2023 the organisation has supplied 56,514 meals across 222 events, highlighting the increasing need for dedicated welfare support within fire services. Firefighters are facing more complex incidents, frequent large-scale exercises and protracted call-outs that place significant physical and mental strain on personnel.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has received the largest share of support, with 10,445 meals provided at 27 events since 2023. RRT volunteers were deployed to the major blaze on King Street in Kilmarnock in July 2025, where they served 75 sandwiches and hot drinks to 45 firefighters working at the scene.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has been the second-largest recipient, with 9,030 meals delivered over 25 events. Support has included Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service Awareness Days and a series of multi-agency live exercises involving partner organisations.
Fire service leaders across the country have praised the charity’s ability to mobilise rapidly and cater for large numbers at short notice. The RRT has worked with brigades including Hertfordshire, Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Bedfordshire, the West Midlands, Merseyside and South Wales.
Tony Hughes, Group Manager at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the support had made a tangible difference during demanding operations. “Throughout 2025, the Rapid Relief Team provided vital welfare support at multiple large-scale incidents across Cheshire,” he explained. “Keeping our crews and partner agencies well fed made a real difference on the ground and helped us deliver the best possible service to our communities.
“Their support has been so valuable that we have formalised arrangements with our fire control room to ensure RRT is mobilised automatically for significant incidents, helping our teams stay focused and ready to protect the public.”
The Rapid Relief Team is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and also assists other frontline organisations, including police forces. The charity works closely with Local Resilience Forums, the multi-agency partnerships responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness and response.
Ross Norman, RRT UK Operations Manager, said the milestone reflected strong relationships with emergency services. “Our volunteers are delighted to have wrapped up another successful year of supporting the vital and lifesaving work of our fire and rescue services,” he said. “Firefighters work long hours in challenging and often unpredictable conditions, and it is an honour for us to be able to even slightly ease this burden by providing a hot meal and a smile.
“Serving more than 56,000 meals since 2023 is a reflection of the strong partnerships we’ve built with fire and rescue services across the country, and we remain ready to support them wherever we are needed.”
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