On-call Firefighters Needed for Sevenoaks Fire Station

Press Release - 5 August 2013 

Kent Fire and Rescue Service is launching its largest ever recruitment campaign for on-call firefighters by urging residents to consider whether they could join one of 27 stations across the county.

Recruitment is now underway until 30 September at New Romney, Cranbrook, Tenterden, Wye, Charing, Hythe, Dymchurch, Lydd, Hawkhurst in the south of the county, while Headcorn, Borough Green, Southborough and Tunbridge Wells are looking for new staff.

There are also vacancies being advertised in west Kent at Sevenoaks, Swanley, Swanscombe, Westerham and Edenbridge with on call posts at Hoo, Sheppey, Sittingbourne and Eastchurch available in the Medway/Swale areas. And in the east of the county, new firefighters are needed at Whitstable, Wingham, Sandwich, Ramsgate and Margate.

On-call firefighters are paid to be available for an agreed number of hours and during that time they can go about their normal life at home. However, if they are called, they must be able to drop what they are doing and get to the station, to be ready to respond operationally within five minutes. The contracted hours KFRS will offer will be based on what the station needs to deal with the risk in the area.

All kinds of people can be on-call firefighters. Most have other jobs, so it may appeal to men or women who are looking for extra shifts, want to take on an extra challenge, or perhaps want something to fit in with childcare.

Requirements include being over 18, physically fit, with good levels of reading and writing and candidates must be able to be operationally ready within five minutes. Full training is provided. Anyone interested can find details of the stations, hours needed, recruitment criteria and a film showing the fitness tests on http://www.kentfirejobs.info/

Sean Bone-Knell, Assistant Director at KFRS said: “We want to challenge the stereotype that only a certain sort of person can be an on-call firefighter; this could be a great job for all kinds of people. So if anyone is looking for extra shifts, or perhaps an additional challenge over and above the day job, then this could be for them.

“Over the last couple of years we have made major changes to the Service to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. We are now able to recruit on-call firefighters to work exactly when and where we need them, based on local risk in individual areas. This not only applies to time of day, but also the time of year, for example busy periods such as a dry summer when there are traditionally more fires.”

Details of any information sessions or open evenings will be posted on the KFRS Facebook and Twitter sites. Become a Fan of KFRS on Facebook www.facebook.com/kentfirerescue or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kentfirerescue

The British Family Fayre - A FREE Family Day Out

Press Release - for immediate distribution

The British Family Fayre - A FREE Family Day Out Celebrating British Manufacturing & Production

The British Family Fayre is the ambitious brain child of James and Emily Bradshaw, who have hit the headlines consistently throughout the year for their project to survive, as a family, on only British goods and services.

The fayre, organised in just 3 months, brings together over 40 stalls by well known British brands around the country to celebrate just how great British manufacturing and farming is. The businesses themselves are coming to engage with families to tell their story in a fun and child friendly way. For example; Lush Cosmetics are giving a unique, hands-on and messy insight into making some of their products, Kings of Shaves will be giving the dads shaving demonstrations and the Derwent Pencil Company will be running workshops with world renowned children’s author and illustrator Shoo Rayner. Other workshops are provided by businesses from across the UK and in every sector of UK production, including; Cahoonas UK Ltd, Comins Tea House, Deltec Precision Audio, Doulton Drinking Water Filters, Ebac Ltd, Farrington’s Mellow Yellow, Gopack Ltd, Great British Sauce Co., Helen Gordon, Jacksons Fencing, Nelsons Brewery, Roadii Firegrills, Superstitchers , The Shave Doctor , Mr Singh's Sauce, Tudor Oak , W Hamond & The Original Whitby Jet Shop.

As well as the interactive stalls there will also be a diverse range of entertainment from around the British Isles including; a welcome by Traditional Highland pipers, the 30+ strong members of the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir and an all British set by the phenomenal Rock Choir. The event is also supported by The National Farmers Union (NFU) who will be bringing their own fun, but educational, entertainment including animals and farm based activities aimed at entertaining the kids.

Additional to all of this, the event is all in a good cause and will be attended by The Prince's Trust to celebrate 30 years helping young people in enterprise in the UK. The centre piece of this will be a live auction of products donated by British industry. This will include a British made Union flag signed by celebrities and eminent business people, such as Mayor of London - Boris Johnson.

With just a few weeks until the big day, they are still adding more to this fantastic line up. See the website to keep up to date - www.britishfamilyfayre.co.uk

Details: 

British Family Fayre - 31st August 2013 from 11am until 6pm.
Entrance Price - FREE!
Squerryes Court, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1SJ. (25 miles from London, Junction 5 or 6 of the M25) Website - www.britishfamilyfayre.co.uk

About the Bradshaws and their one family campaign to help British manufacturing:
In January 2013 the Bradshaws, a normal British family from a small town in Kent, started their New Year's resolution, which sparked an unexpected chain of events. They set themselves the challenge that for one year they would see if it was possible for a family to live entirely on British goods and services. This simple act has generated national headlines, features on TV and international media attention. The family blog about their adventures buying only British on their website; www.britishfamily.co.uk.

The British Family would like to thank Lincoln West for their assistance in organising this great day. 

James (34), Emily(29) and Lucan(3) are available for interview and comment as are the businesses and organisations involved. They appeal to the members of the press to help them make this event go off with a bang.
Contact: James Bradshaw
jbradshaw@london.com
07725940351

Free press photos and resources are available for download here: https://picasaweb.google.com/111492095436758572014/TheBradshawsFreePressPhotos?authuser=0&feat=directlink