Meet Meg, the volunteer from Ryhope helping others turn their lives around with the help of the North East’s firefighters

Meg Baines, 22, from Ryhope, in Sunderland, has thanked Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service for helping her turn her life around.

Meg Bains, from Ryhope, left school aged just 13 and had reached a “crossroads in her life” when she enrolled on the Prince’s Trust personal development course with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) last year.

But after excelling in the initiative, the 22-year-old was invited back by impressed instructors to help with another course, spending 12 months helping participants improve their English and maths skills.

And she proved so successful she has now been offered a permanent job as an assistant team leader delivering future sessions.

Meg Baines enrolled on a Prince’s Trust personal development course with TWFRS in May 2022.

Metro fare dodgers to face new £100 fine - here's when it starts

She said “At first it was scary, it’s a big group and there are lots of people but it just offered me the chance to see what was really out there for someone like me.

“I always loved helping people and it was great to see the support the team leaders gave each participant on the course to make sure they got something positive out of the experience.

“I was so glad to come back and volunteer, because I love to see how confident people become on the course it’s so rewarding.

The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a 12-week programme ran by TWFRS in fire stations across the region.

The course includes a community project, a two-week work placement and a next steps training week, covering first aid, drug and alcohol awareness.

Particpants also and take part fire safety training activities alongside serving firefighters.

John Anderson, divesionary activities manager at TWFRS, said Meg had been an “inspiration to other young people at a crossroads in their life”.

After completing a Prince’s Trust personal development course with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, Meg Baines was invited to return as a volunteer.

He added: “Meg has already proven that she is an inspiring individual when it comes to helping people as part of our Prince’s Trust course.

“We can’t wait to have her as a permanent member of the team helping the next generation of participants to thrive on the course.

“Each Team course is different because of the people that attend it and we aim to make everyone who takes part really push themselves like never before.”