Notice: Following the national COVID-19 alert moving to Level 4 and to help control the spread of coronavirus, the charity car washes planned for Maidenhead on Saturday, 26 September and Slough on Saturday, 10 October have been postponed until further notice. At the heart of this decision is the safety of our team and residents. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Charity car washes at fire stations in Royal Berkshire are now able to resume, with new COVID-19 safety measures in place to help keep residents and staff safe, while raising money for an important cause.
Each year, hundreds of firefighters across the UK host car washes at fire stations to raise money for The Fire Fighters Charity, who provide vital health and wellbeing support to those who are in need in the fire and rescue community.
The National Car Wash League is one of the Charity’s most significant fundraising activities, but this year COVID-19 restrictions have significantly impacted on the Charity’s ability to fundraise, with many events postponed or cancelled.
Following the completion of a risk assessment, appropriate safety measures will be in place at fire stations to keep everyone on site safe and appropriate signage will be on display. Staff and customers will be kept two meters apart at all times and during car washes, staff will be wearing PPE, including masks and gloves, and will only wash the exterior of vehicles.
If you are planning to take your car to a fire station, for a car wash event, please ensure you follow the below safety measures in order to keep our staff and yourself safe:
- Stay in your vehicle and keep your windows shut during a car wash.
- Follow staff instructions at all times.
- Read carefully the signage around the station displaying instructions for customers and notes about social distancing.
- Put your donations in the bucket at the station or alternatively, donate to the JustGiving page that has been set up for cashless donations.
The following car wash has been confirmed so far:
- 10am – 4pm, Saturday 19 September, Crowthorne Fire Station
- 10am – 4pm, Saturday 10 October, Slough Fire Station. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED
- 10am – 4pm, Saturday 26 September, Maidenhead Fire Station. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED
If you are not able to attend one of these dates or do not feel comfortable doing so, there are still ways you can get involved. You can take part inthe 999 Virtual Car Wash challenge by racing against the clock to wash your car in 9 minutes, donating £9 to The Fire Fighters Charity and nominating 9 of your friends, family or colleagues to take part in their very own challenge.
To find out more about The National Car Wash and other ways you can get involved, visit The Fire Fighters Charity website.