Pictured (L-R) is Community Rescue Service Regional Commander Sean McCarry OBE, firmus energy network’s Laura Cassley and Lisa McCarthy, and Community Rescue Service volunteer Hazel Gallagher.
Community Rescue Service (CRS), Northern Ireland’s leading charitable search and rescue organisation, has been announced as firmus energy networks’ Charity of the Year for 2025.
The exciting partnership marks another important milestone in CRS’s mission to provide life-saving services to reunite vulnerable missing people with their loved ones.
CRS was voted for by staff at firmus energy networks, with various fundraising initiatives already confirmed, including a Pancake Tuesday-inspired breakfast and a voucher raffle. Fundraising efforts are already well underway, with staff taking on an abseil down Ramore Head in Portrush later in April this year.
Further individual and group-based challenges are planned over the coming months as staff aim to engage with, learn from, and raise funds for, this great cause.
Lisa McCarthy, firmus energy networks’ Transportation Services and Business Planning Manager and the current chair of firmus energy networks’ Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, said:
“I am delighted the Community Rescue Service will be our Charity of the Year for 2025, and I look forward to working with them and its Regional Commander.
“Everyone based at firmus energy networks is keen to play their part in helping to raise much-needed funds to support the incredible work of this charity and all its volunteers.
“The role the Community Rescue Service performs is extremely important and in addition to a world-class search and rescue service, it also delivers suicide prevention initiatives and safety patrols in towns and city centres as well as crisis intervention,” added Lisa.
Community Rescue Service Regional Commander Sean McCarry OBE explains his role and the work of the charity to firmus energy network staff during a visit to the company’s head offices in Antrim.
Founded by Sean McCarry OBE, CRS is a member of the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) and is the province’s only fully accredited Lowland Rescue partner. It currently operates six units that cover all six counties and eleven super council areas.
“Everyone at the Community Rescue Service is excited about our year-long charity partnership with firmus energy networks– it is important to CRS and the communities that we serve,” said Sean. “It provides us with vital support as we continue to deliver our lifesaving and life-changing services across the province.”
Sean added: “firmus energy networks understands the importance of supporting our entire community and they do this daily with their extensive energy network – we are so grateful to be chosen as their Charity of the Year. As firmus energy networks’ charity partner, we will work closely with them so that we keep delivering for our communities.”
As part of the partnership, CRS will work with firmus energy networks to raise awareness of their services through educational talks in schools and local communities, ensuring the public knows how to respond in an emergency and how they can assist the charity.
For more information on firmus energy networks’ work in the 10 Towns area, please visit here.