Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) is celebrating national success after receiving two accolades at the UK Fleet Champions Awards 2025, hosted by road safety charity Brake.
The awards ceremony, held in Leeds on Thursday 25 September, recognised the service’s innovative approach to road safety education and its work with drivers across the county.
Road Safety in the Community Award – Winner
GFRS’s prevention team at SkillZONE won the top prize for their inclusive and hands-on approach to teaching road safety. Working with local partners, the team developed programmes tailored for young people with special educational needs, including the interactive Be Bright Be Seen tool, which uses visual storytelling to make safety lessons more accessible and engaging.
Public Sector Driver Safety Award – Highly Commended
The service was also highly commended for its wider road safety work with drivers through projects such as Fired Up, Biker Down!, e-Bikeability, and its SkillZONE life skills centre. These initiatives focus on high-risk groups like young and new drivers, delivering trauma-informed, practical learning to build confidence and promote safer road use.
SkillZONE Manager Madeleine Jarrett praised her team, saying: “I am a very happy manager – the GFRS Prevention Team are outstanding. They always work so hard and to win awards and be recognised nationally for this work is amazing and rewarding.”
Chief Fire Officer Mark Preece added: “This recognition is a reflection of the passion and dedication our teams bring to road safety every day. We’re proud to work with our communities to create safer roads and support people of all backgrounds to travel with confidence.”
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, cabinet member responsible for the fire and rescue service, said the accolades showed Gloucestershire was leading the way in “inclusive, forward-thinking safety education” and praised the positive impact of the initiatives across the county.
The success continues GFRS’s winning run, after the service picked up the Public Sector Driver Safety Award at last year’s Fleet Champions Awards.