Oxfordshire firefighters take on Three Peaks Challenge in memory of colleagues
Teams are climbing the UK's tallest mountains to honour friends lost in the Bicester Motion fire
Firefighters and support staff from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service are taking on the Three Peaks Challenge this weekend to honour the three people who died in a fire at Bicester Motion last May and to raise money for charity.
Participants will be climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales while remembering the lives of firefighters Martyn Sadler and Jennie Logan, and local businessman Dave Chester.
Ruth Price, one of the firefighters leading the event, says the aim is also to uplift people after a difficult time.
"It's a chance to join together, take some positive action, keep us together as a team and do a physical challenge while raising money for The Fire Fighters Charity," she said.
Fellow firefighter and leader Tom Harper said he hopes the climbs will strengthen connections between colleagues a year on from the tragedy.
"A lot of us were affected in different ways," he said. "We wanted to show unity throughout the brigade and give everyone the opportunity to talk about their experiences and how they got through it."
Both Ruth and Tom praised The Fire Fighters Charity for its wide range of physical and mental health services.
Tom said: "They support firefighters when they're injured on the job and they support their families as well.
"If firefighters or their families are affected by something they've gone through, the charity helps them get back to the best place they can be."
The challenge has attracted support from fire stations across the UK, with crews near each of the three mountains coming to cheer on the Oxfordshire team at the bottom.
Ruth said: "I think everyone was affected across the country a year ago. People were reminded of what firefighters do and every single brigade around the country came together to support us then.
"It's a nice way of carrying on that support. We're one big family really."