Gloucester families can tour their local fire station and try hands-on safety activities at a free open day later this year. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service will welcome the public into Gloucester South Community Fire Station and the adjoining SkillZONE centre on Saturday, 22 August 2026, from 11:00am to 3:00pm.
The event at the Shepherd Road site will include demonstrations, have-a-go sessions, family activities and refreshments. Community Safety Co-ordinator Amy Brown is organising the day, and no booking is needed. The fire station and SkillZONE form part of a project built under a 26-year Private Finance Initiative contract with Gloucestershire County Council, and the station is crewed full-time to help meet an eight-minute emergency response target.
SkillZONE itself is an interactive safety education centre that runs practical life skills training for schools and community groups. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Geoff Sallis said at its official launch: “Prevention is just as important as our emergency response, and SkillZONE is a perfect way of promoting all our safety messages and life skills training to some of the most vulnerable people in the community.” Further details are available on the Gloucestershire County Council website.
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