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20 September 2007
Around £10,000 was raised by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service at this year’s summer gala.
Katie Gration from Yorkshire Air Ambulance received a cheque for £2,500 at a special ceremony held at the brigade’s headquarters in Birkenshaw.
West Yorkshire Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase, who is also Chairman of the West Yorkshire Benevolent Fund, received a cheque for £3,200 on behalf of the Fire Services’ National Benevolent Fund. In addition an estimated £4,000 was raised by local charities in the Birkenshaw area.
Gala organiser, Brian Hughes, who is now retired from the service but continues to devote his own time to the charity event, was also honoured at the presentation and received a limited edition bronze statue which commemorates the Low Moor explosion of 1916, where six firefighters lost their lives.
Mr Toase said: “Brian has put an awful lot of his own time and effort into making the gala a success and we very much appreciate that.”
He went on to thank everyone involved in planning this year’s gala. He said: “I would like to make special mention to Ian White from BBC Look North for coming along on the day and to the presentation, our friends at Pulse Radio and our colleagues from Cleveland.”
Next year’s gala will be held at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Birkenshaw headquarters on July 12 2008.
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For further information contact Kelly Thornham in the Media and PR Unit on 01274 655807.