28 March 1933 – 16 July 2025

George Clarke, a former Chief Fire Officer of Hampshire Fire Brigade, passed away on 16 July 2025, aged 92.

His career began with Lancashire Fire Brigade in 1953. By 1956 he was promoted as an Instructor at the Home Office Training Centre.

George’s rise up the promotion ladder continued within Lancashire; in 1959 Sub Officer, 1964 Station Officer, 1965 ADO, 1968 DO III and in the same year, DO I.

He moved to Wiltshire in 1971 as Deputy Chief Officer and in 1974 became Chief Fire Officer of that Brigade.

George took over as Chief Fire Officer of Hampshire Fire Brigade in 1978 and in 1982/3, was elected President of CACFOA.

In 1984, he was appointed Commandant of the Fire Service College and retired from there in 1991.

George was a well known and much respected colleague and this is just a brief resume of his long and varied fire service career.

His funeral took place on 4 August 2025.

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service are currently carrying out an exercise to identify any current or former on-call/retained firefighters who could be eligible for additional pension amounts through the Matthews Remedy.

This applies to ‘on-call’/’retained’ firefighters who were employed:

• Any date between 7 April 2000 to 30 June 2000 inclusive; or
• Any date between 7 April 2000 to 30 June 2000 inclusive plus any date between 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006 inclusive; or
• Any date between 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006 inclusive and were eligible to take part in the first options exercise but were not given the opportunity to do so 

Full details and eligibility are available on the HIWFRS website www.hantsfire.gov.uk/matthews-pensions-remedy/.

This is a very genuine opportunity open to particular group of on-call/retained firefighters and could involve life-changing income for those eligible. There is the need to buy-back pension contributions, but all of this may be taken from the amount potentially owed and open up possible back-payment to the individual and an ongoing firefighter pension scheme.

There has been some coverage by the BBC and Moneybox recently
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn5k5gykvklo

There is also a Fire and Rescue Service Association (previously known as the Retained Firefighters Union) podcast involving a Local Government Association senior firefighter pension advisor here: Second Options Exercise Walk-Through

Our advice is that all those who served in the periods shown above would be wise to consider what it may mean for them and to register interest for more detail/consideration.

This is a very real and genuine opportunity which may be simply missed by colleagues not realising they were/are eligible. Some may have applied before and rejected and it may be prudent to consider the options again, as they have increased in number.

Two Oxfordshire firefighters and a member of the public lost their lives in a large fire at the former RAF Bicester site. Our sincere condolences go out to their families, friends and colleagues at this sad and difficult time.

Our heartfelt thoughts are also with the families of the firefighters who suffered serious injuries at the incident.

The Firefighters Memorial Trust is pleased to relaunch its Book of Remembrance, in tribute to those members of the fire service who have died in the course of their duties, following a period of absence due to the original online hosting company
ceasing trading.

Our new version of the book is still in the process of being built but that process has reached the point when we can once again remember and pay tribute to those we seek to honour.

Further work will in due course permit us to once again record those members of the fire service who died as a result of military service, dating back to the Second Boer War and those ‘Fire Guards’, and ‘Fire Watchers’ who died as a result of their duties during World War 2, in addition to our main listing of those members of the fire service who have died in the course of their duties.

A future project will be to provide a listing with images of any memorial, plaque or
tablet around the UK, commemorating members of those who have died in the course of their duties, before the passage of time masks their existence. Such a project has never been attempted before. You can help if you know of any. A photograph would be even better.

Firefighters Remembered | Book of Remembrance. Please share the link.

Below are the relevant details to copy and take to your doctor’s surgery to be added to your medical records.

If you were a serving firefighter this will highlight the fact that you may have been exposed to contaminants in the past.

“Come to Brighton for the Day”, I said….

You may remember that back in April we posted a message from former Hampshire Fire Officer, Frank Bowen, who was fundraising for The Fire Fighters Charity by cycling from London to Brighton on 18 June 2023.

Well Frank has completed his challenge and below is a message from Frank, along with a link to a very entertaining account of the event.

“I was very grateful to you all for publicising my fundraising effort for the Firefighters’ Charity through the PMA, and I’ve been able to raise a total of £650 for them which is brilliant! 

Attached is the narrative I’ve written after riding the British Heart Foundation’s London to Brighton bike ride with Mike Stead and his family on Sunday (18 June), you can read this by clicking the link: Frank’s account of his London to Brighton Cycle Ride in aid of The Fire Fighters Charity.“

On Sunday 18 June 2023, Frank is going to cycle from London to Brighton on behalf of The Fire Fighters Charity.

It’s a 54 mile+  ride and includes the infamous Ditchling Beacon hill climb just before the end, (it gets steeper as you ascend and seemingly goes on forever!) 

If you would like to support Frank please visit his justgiving page, where you can read more about his story and also donate: Frank Ian Bowen is fundraising for The Fire Fighters Charity (justgiving.com).

Shout! Magazine Winter 2021

The Winter 2021 issue of the Shout! Magazine is out now and available to read online and in the new app, MyFFC – along with new, exclusive videos.

This issue introduces the new wellbeing, fundraising and social media portal for the fire services community – giving readers a step-by-step guide on how to get started, while highlighting what they can expect to find once registered. It also covers all the latest news, shares more powerful stories from beneficiaries, introduces the new Covid Recovery Programme and shares expert advice on looking after joints and musculoskeletal health.

Read Shout! Magazine Winter 2021

Money raised from clothes recycling

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service has supported The Fire Fighters Charity by collecting over 469 tonnes of clothing for re-sell, re-use or recycling since 2010, generating an amazing contribution of £93,183 for the Charity.

Table 1 in the Clothes Recycling Performance Report (see link below), highlights the total income generated and total weight collected, since the clothing bank was first placed at the fire station.

View HIWFRS Clothes Recycling Performance Report 2010 to 2021.

‘The Book I Hope You Never Have To Read…’ has been written by Chris Pearson, the son-in-law of Philip Griffiths, our Association’s former Treasurer.

Chris (and Phil) hope that this book might bring support and guidance to any of our members, their families and friends finding themselves in a similar situation. 

Phil gives some background to the book:

“Two years ago, two months before Christmas 2019, my then 3 year old granddaughter was diagnosed with leukaemia. This necessitated a long stay in Southampton General with her father continuously with her. Her father took the brunt of staying with her as my daughter was looking after an 8 month old sibling and keeping their business going.

My granddaughter is making progress but there is still a long way to go. Her father decided to write a book with the aim of getting some information, thoughts and guidance into the hands of people to hopefully help them through similar traumatic events by sharing some of his personal experiences and challenges.”

The book is only available to buy online through Amazon (£3.99 paperback version) or via the Amazon Kindle (£2.99). 

Seventy pence from every purchase will go to either of the charities ‘Cure Leukaemia’ or ‘Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group’. No monies are taken or received by anyone other than Amazon and the charities.

To purchase from Amazon

Click the link to purchase or find out more about ‘The Book I Hope You Never Have To Read’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Hope-Never-Have-Read/dp/B099TH7654/ref=kwrp_li_std_nodl

To purchase via Amazon Kindle

From your Kindle, go into ‘search’ and enter the title: ‘The Book I Hope You Never Have To Read’. This will bring the book up and if you wish to purchase click on ‘buy’.  

The Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust have launched their new website. Chair of the Trust, Alan House, said that that although there is still work to be done on the site, the decision was made to launch it as a source to provide heritage information related to the Fire and Rescue Service and to the Constabulary. It is hoped that this can be a useful portal for anyone doing research or who are just curious about the proud histories of both public services and how they have served the communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight over many decades. The Trust has strong ties with the PMA, with a number of its members involved on the weekly work days, building the exhibits and renovating the many artefacts in the collection.

There have been many changes and additions in the Trusts home at the Solent Sky museum as a whole over the past 6 months. The Fire and Police team are busy creating their third display room and they have been instrumental in the creation of a brand new World War 2 ‘Home Front’ experience area. Work on this is ongoing and it will be open to the public later this year – Covid restrictions permitting.

Being an independent museum, the restrictions over the past months have had a significant financial impact and as these restrictions lift, everyone looks forward to welcoming new and returning visitors.

Visit The Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust website.

Hampshire Pension Services (HPS) are changing the way that they contact you, in order to lower the environmental impact of their business and to reduce costs.

Future payslips, P60s and newsletters from Hampshire Pension Services

You will receive your April and May 2021 payslips by post as usual. You will also receive a P60 by post if you paid any tax during the tax year 2020/21. However, HPS will not post you a payslip when there is a change to the amount that they pay during the year.

In future, HPS will not automatically send you paper copies of payslips, newsletters, or P60s by post. Your payslips and P60 will be available online. You will be able to view these through the Hampshire Pensions Member Portal and you will be able to print a copy from the Member Portal at any time if needed. The next annual newsletter will continue to be available on their website.

Opting out of online communications

You will need to write to HPS if you wish to opt out of online communications and instead receive paper copies as HPS cannot accept requests to opt out of online communications by telephone.

To register or sign in to the Hampshire Pensions Member Portal

To register or sign in to the Hampshire Pensions Member Portal, visit: https://upmliveportal.hants.gov.uk

If you have any issues registering or signing into the Member Portal, please contact Hampshire Pension Services by phone on 01962 845588 or by email to pensions@hants.gov.uk

Future changes in the Scheme Regulations

In addition, HPS will no longer send you written advice of future changes in the scheme regulations that may affect you. This information will be publicised via:

• The Member Portal
• Hampshire Pension Services website

If you have provided HPS with an email address, they will send you an email to advise that a change in regulations has been made and that details can be viewed through the Member Portal or on their website.

It’s that time of year when the NHS makes available the flu vaccination for the at risk groups across the nation. With Coronavirus still lurking in the background it’s perhaps more important this year than any other for us ‘Baby Boomers’ and the retired youngsters from ‘Generation X’ to join the queue for the flu jab to protect each of us from this debilitating illness.

Clearly everyone has their own choice to make and it’s only right that, whether you do or do not wish to have the jab, you at least give it some clear thought right now.

The government wants to increase the number of people receiving the flu vaccination this year amid fears coronavirus cases could coincide with cold and flu season. In July, plans were announced to double the amount of people who receive the flu jab, from 15 million to 30 million.

Flu can be unpleasant, but if you’re otherwise healthy, it’ll usually clear up on its own in about a week. But flu can be more severe in certain people, such as:

• anyone aged 65 and over
• pregnant women
• children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease)
• children and adults with weakened immune systems

Anyone in these risk groups is more likely to develop potentially serious complications of flu, such as pneumonia (a lung infection), so it’s recommended that they have a flu vaccine every year to help protect them.

Whatever choice you make please stay safe and we look forward to times when communicating with each other includes actually being together again.

More information on the flu vaccine can be found on the NHS website.

A committee member spotted this in yesterday’s Daily Echo, read the full article on the Daily Echo website.

Photo copyright Daily Echo

The Fire Fighters Charity has launched its strategic plan 2017-2020 outlining that over the next three years it will focus its work across four key areas:  .

• Increased mental health support
• Increased access to advice, information and support
• Strong, healthy and connected communities: built through combining the strengths of online interactions and face to face contact
• Enhanced physical activity and rehabilitation programmes.

Retired Hampshire firefighter Arthur Stubbington and his wife Susan accessed the Charity’s services through their community-based Advice, Information and Support Service. Listen to Arthur and Susan’s story.

Read The Fire Fighters Charity Strategic Plan 2017-2020, or find out more about the services offered by the Fire Fighters Charity.

Hampshire Police invites all serving and retired HFRS golfers to join any of their group membership schemes which offer great value, 7 day access to some of Hampshire’s best courses for a fraction of the normal cost. You can also join up with a spouse, relative or friend playing partner.

A new scheme at Alresford Golf Club is being proposed, which adds to established schemes at East Horton (Fair Oak), Hamptworth (New Forest), Tylney Park (Hook), Waterlooville and Petersfield. For more information visit the Hampshire Police Leisure and Sport (Golf Schemes) website.