Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service to Receive Freedom of Ards and North Down

Ards and North Down Borough Council will award its highest honour - the Freedom of the Borough - to Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) at a formal conferment ceremony this weekend. In recognition of receiving the award, the Service is holding a fun afternoon of activities and displays at the City Hall in Bangor on Saturday (12 October) from 3-5pm.

The event will be attended by Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings, together with Firefighters from stations across the Borough and will be officiated by the Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alistair Cathcart.

It is only the fourth time the Freedom of the Borough has been awarded since Ards and North Down Borough Council was established in 2015, and only the 37th occasion since the first conferral in the area, 94 years ago in 1930.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, said:

"I am delighted that we are awarding the Freedom of the Borough to NIFRS. The award is being made in deepest appreciation and recognition of their unwavering dedication to duty and selfless service. It is the highest honour a Council can bestow on an individual or an organisation - an ancient privilege, dating back to the 1600s. It is now an honorary title reserved for those the Council deems to have given eminent service."

He continued: "We are fortunate to have seven fire stations based in Ards and North Down, manned by over 100 Wholetime or On-Call Firefighters. We know that bestowing this honour on the Service will bring great personal pride to many local families. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all those who serve and we hope this accolade goes some way to recognising the bravery, dedication and sacrifice of Firefighters both locally and across Northern Ireland."

NIFRS Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Mark Deeney, said:

"We are honoured to accept the prestigious Freedom of the Borough from Ards and North Down Borough Council as recognition of our contribution to the local community. This is a testament to our Fire & Rescue Service and in particular to all of our Firefighters and support employees. We are looking forward to engaging with the community this weekend at our public display where visitors can try firefighting activities for themselves and watch live demonstrations."

The afternoon display and activities are part of a public event allowing local Firefighters to engage with local people in a fun and relaxed environment. There will be specialist equipment on display and live demonstration of firefighting skills. There will also be some opportunities for visitors to try firefighting activities for themselves.

As part of the afternoon session, the Council is putting a special call out to local Scout groups who can earn their FIRE SAFETY Badge if they attend. Scout groups can come as a collective, or individual Scouts are very welcome. All will be assisted to complete their badge on the day.

For more information, visit www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/NIFRS.