A TEN-year-old autistic boy will be in Wirral next week as part of a fundraising mission to visit every fire station in the country hoping to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.

Andrew Impey from Portsmouth in Hampshire will be given a tour of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service’s marine rescue unit and meet with chief fire officer Dan Stephens and deputy chief Phill Garrigan.

So far he has visited 865 fire stations including every station in Isle of Wight, East and West Sussex and Cumbria, as well as stations in Copenhagen.

His journey started when his parents took him to Havant station on Christmas Eve 2014.

Andrew said: “Two years ago I could not read or write, I had very poor social skills and I struggled to communicate with people I didn’t know.

“Through my fire station journey and support from my new school I’ve now learned to read and write, I’ve become outgoing and I communicate well – especially with firefighters and support personnel.

“I have had a fascination with the fire service for quite a few years and I’m on a mission to visit as many fire stations as I can, including every single one of the 2,330 in the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies.

“During my visits I have met many firefighters who have been injured and received help and support from The Fire Fighters Charity.

“This has made me want to help too and I am now raising money for the charity.

“Also on my journey I have raised awareness about autism and told lots of people that the fire services do so much more than just fighting fires.”

He has raised £1,700 and hopes to spend next week exploring all the county’s fire stations.

Andrew – who is known by his first and middle names Andrew Dane on social media – has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the fire service and 
even reads the trade press to keep up to date.

Anyone who would like to sponsor Andrew should visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oneladschallenge