Firefighters in Honiton will be taking on their most ambitious challenge to date - raising a whopping £40,000 for charity.

From now until December 2015 they will be hosting a range of fundraising events for the Fire Fighters Charity and CLIC Sargent.

So far these include, monthly car wash events, supermarket bag packing, quiz nights, a 2015 charity calendar, static displays, sponsored bike rides, a Boxing Day swim and a fire engine pull.

“Both the charities are great causes and do lots of valuable work,” says firefighter Chris Jenkins, who is helping to organise the challenge with Ed Lidster. “This is the first time we have attempted to raise this much. We have set the bar really high but with the support of local people, I think we can do it.”

The firefighters at Honiton Fire Station are no strangers to fundraising and regularly hold events for charitable causes.

Chris added: “Everyone involved is volunteering their own time and other stations are already pledging to support Honiton station with its attempt to complete the challenge.”

Their fundraising challenge will end in December 2015 with a sponsored Fire Engine to Africa Trip which involves travelling more than 4,000 miles in three weeks in an old fire engine from Plymouth to Banjul in the Gambia.

They will have to negotiate the challenging road conditions and overcome any problems they encounter on the unsupported trip.

Once in Africa, they will be travelling to local schools in the area – donating stationery and offering fire safety advice.

The fire engine and its contents will then be handed over to The Gambia Fire and Rescue Service.

Any local businesses who would like to support the firefighters’ fundraising challenge, or sponsor their Fire Engine to Africa Trip is urged to contact Chris by emailing cdjenkins@dsfire.gov.uk or calling 07825 201759.

For more information about the challenge visit www.fire-engine-to-africa.org or visit Honiton Firefighters Facebook page. To make a donation go along to any of the fundraising events or visit www.justgiving.com/fireenginetoafrica/

Join the firefighters for their first fundraising car wash this Saturday (August 30), at Tesco car park, from 10am until 2pm.