LOCAL firefighter Tom Kendle is climbing Mount Snowdon in August and has already raised more than £3,500 in the process for an Essex Firefighters charity.

Tom (a local Freemason with Orsett Masonic Lodge) along with several members of Essex Masonic Cornerstone Club will undertake the challenge.

Donations from friends and family have already seen his original goal of £150 easily surpassed on the fundraising page he created with the tally already over £1,100 and still growing. Not content however, Tom has toured Masonic Centres throughout Essex from Thurrock to Shenfield to Rochford, with the donations from raffles and auctions now amassing an eye watering figure of more than £3,500.

Tom chose the charity to promote awareness its work and said: "It charity gives personalised support to the whole of the fire service community and is always invaluable. By supporting the mental, physical and emotional health of not only serving firefighters, control and support staff, as well as their families, they have a huge impact and are vitally important. To prepare myself for this, I've been doing a lot of running and walking". 

 If anyone wishes to donate to Tom's worthy there is still time and you can do this by visiting his justgiving page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tom-kendle