24/08/2026
🚒 VIP on Station! 🇬🇧🇳🇿
Today we had the pleasure of welcoming Raewyn Beattie from Southern Lakes Rural Fire Brigade & 1st Responder in New Zealand to our station.
It was fantastic to spend some time together, share stories and learn about life in a volunteer fire brigade on the other side of the world. Southern Lakes is a small rural brigade based on the shores of Lake Taupō, with 18 operational members and 4 non-operational members. Despite being a small team, they respond to around 180 call-outs every year, covering around 1,200 homes across their area.
What really stood out to us was just how similar the volunteer / on- call spirit is, despite being thousands of miles apart. Their members come from all walks of life — from lodge owners and school caretakers to landscapers, contractors, bus drivers and retirees — all giving their time to help protect their community. ❤️
Raewyn very kindly brought us a photo of their station and a lovely handwritten note, reminding us that if any of us are ever travelling through New Zealand, we’ll be more than welcome to visit them. 🇳🇿
Thank you, Raewyn, for taking the time to visit us and for the thoughtful gift. It was a pleasure having you at the station, and hopefully one day we’ll be able to return the favour!
From one brigade to another — stay safe, and keep up the great work! 🚒❤️
