Female pupils from high schools across Wrexham and Flintshire visited the Ambulance and Fire Services Resource Centre (AFSRC) this morning in a bid to encourage them to consider a career in the emergency services.

The event saw year 8 and 9 pupils taking part in activities organised by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and North Wales Police, designed to give them a taste of working in the blue light services.

The young women were invited as part of International Women’s Day celebrations – keep an eye out for a video from the event which will be released on social media on Sunday (International Women’s Day March 8th).

Stuart Millington, Senior Training and Development Manager for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We were thrilled to host this event to give these young women a glimpse into how the emergency services work.

“The pupils were split into groups and had the opportunity to take part in sessions on fitness, to test out equipment and learn more about what a career in the emergency services would involve.

“International Women's Day 2020 campaign theme is #EachforEqual - an equal world is an enabled world.

“Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day. We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women's achievements.

“We want young women to realise that anything can be achieved – there is no such thing as a typical firefighter. Presently the number of our firefighters who are female is significantly lower than we would like for a modern fire and rescue service.

“The number of female firefighters is increasing, with events like this and other initiatives we run throughout the year helping to reduce the amount of women who may deselect themselves based on misconceptions, old stereotypes or myths.

“However there is still more work to be done - we want a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community, and which in turn helps to deliver the best possible fire and rescue service to the people of North Wales.

“We hope that this event will help inspire these young women to pursue the career of their dreams.”

Welsh Ambulance Service Locality Manager for Wrexham and Flintshire, Wayne Davies said: “International Women’s Day is a very positive event and one we encourage as pro-active equal opportunities employer.

“It was a pleasure to welcome these young women to the event toady and discuss all the careers available within the Ambulance Service.

“I hope the visit inspired the next generation of life-savers to take steps towards a rewarding career in the emergency services.”

Assistant Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett said: “We fully support this worthwhile initiative to encourage young women to think about a career in the emergency services .

"At North Wales Police  we have many women carrying out a wide range of roles, from constables to the senior ranks, as well as civilian support staff.  We are keen to encourage  a diverse  workforce as balance drives a better working world and better represents the communities we serve. I would encourage anyone interested to also visit our open days, join us at career fairs or look at our website for opportunities. The emergency services is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do and it makes a real difference to the people in North Wales.”