Personal protection equipment has been donated to the newly-formed Pontarddulais Fire Cadets.

The group have become proud owners of new uniforms including a fire kit thanks to the support from Western Power Distribution, which were presented to members during a weekly drill meeting last week.

Formed within the last 12 months, the Pontarddulais Fire Cadets Scheme provides training for young people between 12 and 16 years old. The training including operational drills, first aid, fire safety education and leadership.

Cadets are encouraged to make the most of their physical and mental capabilities to become more responsible, safer and caring members of their communities. Those who successfully complete the scheme also gain a BTEC qualification.

The group wasted no time in putting the new equipment through its paces and wanted to thank Western Power Distribution for the donation.

Fire cadet Sam said: “The uniform is really smart and keeps you warm.

“I’m looking forward to wearing the uniform when we represent Pontarddulais at competitions with other Fire Cadets.”

Fire cadet Katie added: “I feel proud and a part of something when I’m wearing the uniform. Thank you WPD.”

Watch Manager Anthony Mathias said: “The Pontarddulais Fire Cadet Scheme has only been running for a few months, and we already have ten children enrolled in the Scheme.

“The support we have received from the community has been overwhelming, all our instructors are made up of operational on-call firefighters who offer their time voluntarily, whilst parents also volunteer their time to help.

“The generosity shown by WPD is unbelievable. With the Scheme still in its infancy, WPD have come along and fully sponsored the Fire Cadets Scheme, which is fantastic for the young people and allows the Scheme to flourish in the future.”

Phil Davies, WPD’s Network Services Manager for Wales said: “We were pleased to support the Cadets. We believe businesses like ours should play a full and active role in the communities they serve.

“We hope the values and behaviours the youngsters receive during their training will help them develop valuable expertise in terms of communication skills and team working, which will be useful in their future careers.”