HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU..
THE Duke of Cambridge has spoken of the daily pressures that emergency service workers face – saying “one or two jobs catch you out”.
William made the comments as it was announced that his Shout text messaging helpline will provide support to frontline emergency responders.
The duke was visiting the Fire Fighters Charity’s centre at Harcombe House in Chudleigh, South Devon, to mark Emergency Services Day, and met members of the emergency services community as well as Shout volunteers.
It wasn’t all serious, however, with cheeky Joseph Dowden, 6, (pictured, left, on page one) pointing out the future king to his friend Oliver Myers, 10, with a smirk.
During the tour, William spoke with wheelchair user Richard Baldwin, a retired Berkshire firefighter, and London firefighter Dan Bills about the pressures emergency workers face.
“What I always find with the
blue light community is that you put the hat and the uniform on and you see whole families being torn apart,” said the duke, who is a former air ambulance pilot.
“You try and decompartmentalise, and one or two jobs catch you out. If the blue light community can be more open about the things that bother them, then others can as well. We are not robots and, if you are in the emergency services for long enough, you see really distressful things.
“All that weighs upon you, and if you have something going on at home – family, illness – it all gets on top of you, too many things to keep a lid on.”
The duke was taken on a tour of the newly refurbished centre and unveiled a plaque to mark his visit.
Speaking afterwards Mr Baldwin, 70, from Tiverton, praised the work of the Fire Fighters Charity. “They have been absolutely fantastic to me,” he said. “I developed PTSD after a few horrific things and then my legs came off. The charity has been absolutely lifesaving – the only word I can describe.
Mr Baldwin, who showed the duke his double amputations, added: “What an honour to meet him today. Not often that you get to show your legs off to the future King of England.”
Shout was launched by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Duke and Duchess of Sussex in May to provide a confidential 24/7 text service connecting people experiencing problems – from suicidal thoughts and relationship issues to bullying – with trained volunteers. Now members of the emergency services community, retired or serving, and their families can text BLUELIGHT to 85258 and be connected to a trained volunteer. Dr Jill Tolfrey, chief executive of the Fire Fighters Charity, said they were delighted to support the Shout initiative.