Abseiling grannies take the plunge to raise funds for Bristol fire crew

Four residents of St Monica Trust residential facilities in Bristol went ‘over the edge’ at Monica Wills House, the Trust’s new Bedminster housing facility, this Saturday (July 21st) . The four joined staff and friends of the Bristol charity in completing a 40 metre abseil to raise money for the Avon Fire & Rescue Services National Benevolent Fund as a thank you to the local fire crew who helped rescue residents during a blaze at the site last December.

Three grandmothers, Mary Densham, (90), Anne Miller, (78) and Valerie Phillips (67) along with a fourth resident Clive Cogan (64) all pledged to abseil from the roof garden of the five storey building, now fully refurbished after the fire that forced more than 60 elderly residents from their homes just days before Christmas.

Mary Densham and Anne Miller, who both live in St Monica Trust accommodation at Cote Lane in Westbury, Bristol, attempted the feat despite both using wheelchairs. For Mary, this was a second abseiling experience, the first more than 70 years ago when she helped fire crews test out a fire escape system in Bristol at the age of 19.

Valerie Phillips has been living life to the full ever since she moved into Monica Wills House in April, including planning a hot air balloon ride the night before the abseil. She says, “My Granddaughter thinks I’ve gone mad, but I’m just enjoying a new lease of life which is why I wanted to do the abseil. The fire affected so many of my new friends here, many of them losing personal possessions. I’m just really happy to give everyone my support.”

Clive Cogan, who lives in Monica Wills House with his elderly mother, was one of the many residents evacuated by the fire brigade just weeks after moving in to his brand new 2-bedroom apartment. He stayed in temporary accommodation provided by St Monica Trust for three months before returning to his home in March this year. He says, “The firefighters and staff at St Monica Trust were amazing on the day and we were all looked after really well afterwards. Although it was a difficult time for everyone, six months on we now share a fantastic community spirit. As far as the abseil is concerned, it’s just good to have a go.”

Avon Fire & Rescue Service Crew Manager and Benevolent Fund Secretary for the Avon area, Steve Quinton is keen to express his thanks to Mary, Anne, Clive, Valerie and all the abseiling team. He says, “These ladies are fantastic, what spirit. They’ve got a lot of nerve and they deserve a huge thank you.”

More than 100 firefighters attended the blaze at Monica Wills House last December, one of the biggest fire incidents in the city for many years. It broke out when a car caught fire in the lower ground car park igniting 22 vehicles. More than 30 staff, residents and friends of St Monica Trust along with six members of the Avon Fire and Rescue Service completed the 40 metre abseil on Saturday, cheered on by families and well-wishers.