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| LFB staff have been recognised in the New Year's Honours list |
London Fire Brigade Group Manager Nigel Hall has been awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal (QFSM) and Kelly Fairman has received the MBE for services to the Fire and Rescue Service.
Nigel's award recognises his 30 years service with the Brigade and his instrumental role in setting up its flagship youth engagement scheme - the Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE) programme.
The LIFE programme was established in Tower Hamlets in 2002 where Nigel was Borough Commander at the time. This highly successful scheme works with young people at risk of social exclusion to raise their self esteem by getting them to carry out fire brigade related activities. Since it began, around 4000 young people across the capital have benefited from LIFE courses.
Nigel joined the Brigade in 1980 and was first stationed at Heston. Since then he has spent most of his career serving in East London including Bow Fire Station, where he was a Watch Manager between 1990 and 1997. He then moved to Bethnal Green as Station Manager until becoming Tower Hamlets Borough Commander in 2001. He is currently based at Brigade headquarters in the Community Fire Safety team.
Nigel (49), from Gidea Park, said he was "surprised and delighted" to be recognised in such a way.
He added: "I'm extremely proud to work for London Fire Brigade and to be part of the UK's fire and rescue service. Being involved in the LIFE programme has been very rewarding. Its success is down to everyone who works on it and receiving this award is also recognition for all their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment."
"I'm extremely proud to work for London Fire Brigade and to be part of the UK's fire and rescue service" |
London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: "This award is a reflection of the tremendous work that Nigel has done throughout his career with the London Fire Brigade - particularly his role in establishing the LIFE scheme which has put thousands of young Londoners on the right track since it was established. I'm delighted that Nigel's work has been recognised in this significant way."
Kelly Fairman of Windlesham, Surrey, joined London Fire Brigade in 1989 and recently received a 20 year long service award. Her career has seen her work in the Brigade's personnel and public relations departments. She also spent three years as staff officer to the Brigade's then Commissioner Sir Ken Knight. In January she will be returning to London Fire Brigade after a two year secondment as Senior Fire and Rescue Advisor within the Government's Fire and Rescue Advisors team.
She said: "I'm absolutely delighted to have received this award and it has been an honour to have supported the work of the fire and rescue service over the last 20 years - as well as the work of the wider fire family including the fire industry and fire charities."
