Mid Suffolk Rotary has reached a major milestone in its fundraising for Suffolk’s most vulnerable residents, raising more than £100,000 over the past decade to support the purchase of smoke alarms fitted during Home Fire Safety Visits carried out by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between SFRS and Mid Suffolk Rotary, which began after three Rotary members volunteered with the fire service’s Prevention team. Seeing first-hand that equipment budgets were under pressure while demand for smoke alarm installations was rising, they were inspired to act.
In response, the club launched the Making Suffolk a Safer Place to Live project, bringing together all 24 Rotary Clubs across the county to raise funds for smoke alarms and essential equipment used during visits.
Since its inception, the project has benefitted from matched funding from the Rotary Grant Team, doubling the impact of club donations. It has also received significant support through Suffolk Community Foundation, which has coordinated grants including £5,000 from the Lovewell Blake Grantmaking Programme, £5,000 from the Pargeter Trust Grantmaking Programme and £2,000 from the David and Jill Simpson Grantmaking Programme.
To mark the occasion, Mid Suffolk Rotary members were invited to SFRS Headquarters at Endeavour House in Ipswich. During the visit, they heard from Chief Fire Officer Jon Lacey, Area Manager for Prevention and Protection Allie O’Neill, and Prevention Manager Mel Buck, who demonstrated the range of fire prevention equipment funded through the project.
During the visit, SFRS was presented with a further £2,000 towards smoke alarms, bringing the total raised to well over £100,000.
Lee Wilkins, Head of Prevention at Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“Our long-standing partnership with Mid Suffolk Rotary has helped us extend the reach of our prevention work, enabling us to support even more vulnerable people in our communities.
“This project is a wonderful example of a community pulling together to achieve a positive outcome, helping us protect the most vulnerable residents among us. We are incredibly grateful for their commitment and the real difference it continues to make.”
Peter Andrews, Project Leader at Mid Suffolk Rotary, added:
“Reaching the £100,000 milestone during the 10th year of our partnership is something we are incredibly proud of. Working alongside Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has shown us just how vital this support is for the most vulnerable people in our communities. It’s a privilege to contribute to work that makes such a real and positive difference across Suffolk.”
Mid Suffolk Rotary has confirmed that the project will continue for the foreseeable future, reinforcing a partnership that has already made a significant and tangible difference to community safety.
In response to this news, Councillor Tristan Gale, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Devolution and the Fire Service, who thanked the group in person during their visit, said:
“This remarkable achievement demonstrates the impact that a partnership built on a shared sense of responsibility and community spirit can have on people’s lives.
“By bringing together the commitment of Mid Suffolk Rotary with the expertise of our fire and rescue service, this initiative has helped strengthen community resilience and deliver practical support where it is needed most. I’m delighted that this work will continue to benefit residents across the county.”
