Charity launches social media platform for Fire and Rescue Services community

My Fire Fighters Charity (MyFFC) is available to users via Android and iOS apps for mobile devices, as well as online, and aims to bring the UK’s diverse fire family together, while at the same time offering individuals access to a wealth of well-being advice and information.

Tim Beynon, the charity’s head of marketing and engagement, led on the development of MyFFC and is hugely positive about the difference that it could make to people’s lives.

Beynon commented: “This is a real ‘first’ for us and has the potential to help thousands more people with their health and well-being, as well as allowing them to stay connected with each other and with us. As a charity, enhancing the health and well-being of our fire family is why we exist. The introduction of MyFFC means that we can now complement the face-to-face support offered to thousands of individuals with potentially life-changing digital support that can be shared with hundreds of thousands.”

Extensive content library

Boasting an extensive library of health and well-being content put together by the charity’s experienced practitioner team and tailored for the Fire and Rescue Services community, MyFFC allows end users to follow topics that interest them and also explore related content.

Sharon Bailey, director of beneficiary services at The Fire Fighters Charity, explained: “Nothing like this existed for the Fire and Rescue Services community. We’ve created this content with our community in mind, which means that, while our beneficiaries may be able to find information on many of the subjects elsewhere, they can have confidence that everything they read or watch on MyFFC has taken their profession into account.”

Bailey continued: “We can do this because we have the experience to do so. Our practitioner team understands the Fire and Rescue Services community and its needs. We want to share expertise and support the fire community through MyFFC and also use this exciting new tool to hear directly from its cohort in regard to the information they would like from us.”

Engaging aspects of social media

Expanding further on this last point, Tim Beynon picked up on the diverse ways in which MyFFC users can interact with each other and with the charity through the new portal. “In essence, this is Facebook for the Fire and Rescue Services community,” he said. “Many of the engaging aspects of traditional social media sites can be found on MyFFC, with users having confidence in the fact that the site is managed and moderated by the charity. Users can, for example, follow others, join groups on specific areas of interest – including our regular fundraising campaigns – discuss content, ask questions, share their own media, run polls, share ideas, win badges, score engagement points and tell us directly what they think about it all. Indeed, we want the site to evolve and grow based on the feedback we receive from our users.”

Open to the entire Fire and Rescue Services community, including those who work for Fire and Rescue Services, those who are retired, their families and the charity’s many supporters, users can join by registering online at www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/myffc or after downloading the MyFFC app from their device’s app store.