Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade – the country’s only volunteer fire service – hosts annual dinner

Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade recently hosted their annual dinner at The Bull Hotel, in Westgate.

Formed by a group of businessmen in 1884, the Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade, stationed in Bourges Boulevard, is the only volunteer fire service in the country.

It has operated as an independent, private fire brigade throughout its 137-year history, despite events such as in 1941 when more than 1,600 separate fire brigades merged into the National Fire Service, and when the fire service returned to local authority control in 1948.

Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade said on Facebook: “The event is a long standing tradition where the present crew sit alongside the honorary members who served the brigade so well in past years.

"As always, stories are shared on how things used to be when fire calls were over four times more than currently – a real testament to the massive commitment our honorary members put in.”