Fire fighter from Braunton runs 150 miles in memory of two fallen comrades

A Somerset fire fighter who lives in North Devon has run 150 miles in three days in memory of two colleagues who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty earlier this year.

Scott Butler, who lives in Braunton but works at Bridgwater, joined an epic endurance challenge in tribute to Martyn Sadler and Jennie Logan of Bicester Fire Station who died while fighting a fire at Bicester Motion in Oxfordshire on May 15.

While Scott ran from his ‘home’ fire station at Bridgwater, former colleague Nick Winter cycled from Great Yarmouth and fire fighters Gavin Callander and Grant Baillie cycled 400 miles from Glasgow, with all four meeting at Bicester Fire Station on August 6.

Above: Bicester Fire Station crew greet Gavin Callander and Grant Baillie after their cycling epic from Glasgow together with (right) Scott Butler from Braunton who ran to the station from Bridgwater in memory of the two fallen crew members.

So far they have raised almost £5,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity, which provides help and support for serving or former fire fighters and their families.

The loss of Jennie, aged 30 and Martyn, aged 38, as well as local businessman Dave Chester hit the fire fighting community hard, as so many had known both but especially Martyn, who was also an instructor and former colleague to many.

Scott told the Gazette: “Gavin, Nick and I were all at one point working with Martyn at some point on White Watch in our careers.

“Martyn and I both joined Royal Berkshire fire service on the same day in March 2006 as whole time fire fighters, but he had already been an on-call fire fighter and although he was the youngest of the group we all looked to him as he had the most experience. His smile, his confidence and his support shone through.

“It’s a tragic incident, there’s not many fire fighters in Britain that lose their lives any more, so to lose two in an incident is almost unprecedented and then to find out you know one of them too is terrible.”

Above: Scott during his 150 mile run and (below) the picture of him (left) with Martyn Sadler at training school helped to provide motivation when the going got tough.

The four converged at Bicester station on the same day after completing their respective challenges.

Scott continued: “It was quite emotional, I arrived and the Bicester fire crews were there, some of my ex colleagues turned, up, representatives from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and most importantly Martyn’s wife.

“She has gone through a lot and the funeral was only last week, so for her to come out and support us was really quite touching.”

North Devon readers may recall Scott from various charity challenges he has completed in recent years. He said: “Doing a challenge like this is nothing new, I like to do a challenge every year and I have rowed across the Atlantic, rowed across the Black Sea and skateboarded through Denmark with my brother, wearing capes.

“Like most of the challenges, there was a mental battle, you lock the brain into the right mode, dig deep and find a way.

“At times it was a real struggle, with 57 miles completed on the middle day. Then I hit the Mendips, it was raining, slippery and hard work. Overall I really struggled with eating this time and was just not getting the calories down me, especially the Ridgeway area, when there’s just no pubs or little villages or anywhere to stop and get something.

“I am not a natural runner by any stretch if the imagination, it’s a case of dig deep and find the energy from somewhere and be motivated by the cause in general.

“This time it was the memory of Martyn and I carried the photo with me of us at training school all those years ago, so when it got difficult, that’s what I turned to.”

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Jennie and Martyn and in recognition of the challenges completed by Gavin, Grant, Nick and Scott, you can do so via https://www.justgiving.com/page/rideandruninremembrance

Above: Scott Butler (yellow shorts) and Nick Winters at Bicester Fire Station with local fighters and an Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue representative after their respective endurance runs and cycle.