SWINDON firefighters will head to Wembley Stadium on Friday hoping their fundraising efforts will be recognised.

Drove Road fire station has been nominated in the Fire Fighters’ Charity Spirit Of Fire Awards after raising £65,000 in a year-long 50-4-50 campaign.

The campaign aimed to raise at least £50,000 in honour of the fire station’s 50th anniversary.

Staff at Drove Road, who believe this is the most ever raised by one station, are up for the award in the Station Of The Year category.

Watch manager Clive Hall – who led the Swindon 50-4-50 campaign and did a sponsored skydive to raise cash for it – is shortlisted as the Fire Fighters’ Charity Supporter Of The Year.

Wiltshire Fire And Rescue Service has also been shortlisted for Brigade Of The Year and will compete alongside Buckinghamshire, Cumbria and Oxfordshire.

The awards recognise bravery within the fire community and dedication to The Fire Fighters’ Charity.

Mr Hall said: “To be recognised for this is quite exceptional, to be nominated for three awards, it really is up there.

“This is a special year for us, we all banded together and really pushed the boat out.”

The money raised will go to the Fire Fighters’ Trust, a charity set up to help injured firefighters and the families of firefighters who die in the line of duty.

Some of the Drove Road team also walked from Swindon to St Mary’s stadium in Southampton a month ago to raise funds for the families of two firefighters killed in a tower blaze.

During the year the group arranged 19 different events, which included car washing, a ladies’ driving challenge, a New York Marathon run, a ladder climb and rowing the distance of the River Thames.

Originally the firefighters came up with a target of £10,000 then decided to raise that to the previous fundraising record for a station of £26,000.

But then they they went for £50,000 instead, but thought the recession could really hamper their chances of making that total.

Mr Hall said: “We’re very grateful to the public in the Swindon area who have donated the money.

“We would like to make this an achievement that others can try and beat because all firefighters by their nature are up for a challenge.

“We would be pleased to be beaten because its our charity that benefits.”