Firefighters close to finishing 150-mile sponsored walk in memory of much-missed colleague
A group of Leicestershire and Rutland firefighters set off from the Melton Mowbray station this morning (Friday) on the penultimate leg of a gruelling fundraiser aiming to raise money in memory of a much-loved former colleague who died earlier this year.
It all started with the first leg on October 9 at Billesdon Fire Station, where Jon Partridge was Watch Manager before his sudden death aged 38 on February 24, and it finishes back there tomorrow.
The ninth of 10 legs today saw the firefighters walking 32km from Melton to Oakham Fire Station and then on to the Uppingham station.
Different groups of local firefighters are taking on the different legs, many of them clad in full firefighting kit.
They will cover more than 150 miles and visit all 20 local fire stations and they hope to raise £10,000 in his memory, to be split between the Fire Fighters Charity and Jon's family.
Posting on the fire service Facebook page today, they said: “Our Firefighters set off this morning from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Melton Mowbray Fire Station with a belly full of bacon cobs.
“We’re joined today by Firefighter Marman, from Melton station, and area manager Bee for the longest day of walk, a whooping 32km to Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Oakham Station and then Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Uppingham Fire Station.”
Jon was laid to rest in his hometown of Billesdon, with a full guard of honour from his Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service colleagues.
Billesdon Fire Station Watch Manager, David Hurst, commented: "This walk is in honour of Jon Partridge, who was a colleague and friend and is dearly missed.
"We we wanted to do something in his memory, and for his family.
"We've organised several teams of firefighters to undertake the various stages between all 20 of our fire stations finishing back here at Billesdon Fire Station on Saturday."
Go online to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rememberingjonpartridge to contribute money to the fundraising effort.
You can follow the progress of the firefighters on their Facebook pages as they get nearer to their destination back at Billesdon Fire Station.