Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service often welcome members of the community into their fire stations.

Team members are delighted to get to know residents and help them learn more about the service.

One such visitor who has made a lasting impression is four-year-old Ella Cooper, who was recently invited to be a mascot for the service’s football team during a semi-final match.

Ella, from Ashton, suffers from a very rare genetic disorder called Wiedemann Steiner syndrome. The syndrome is characterised by developmental delay, with added effects on Ella’s growth and weight gain.

Kay Garratt, Ella’s mum, said: “We live just across the way from the fire station in Ashton, and the children with Wiedemann Steiner seem to have something for the colour red so quite a lot of these children are close to the fire brigade in their area.

“We took Ella over one day and it was then something she had to do every day.

“The staff there have really taken to Ella, they can’t do enough for her - whether they’re busy or not, they’ll always take the time out and nothing is too much trouble.

“They let her have a look around the fire engines and around the yard, they let her spray the water hoses.

“It’s really just like a second home for her. They’re just amazing to her; she’s made some really lovely friends there.”

It was on Thursday, March 16, that Ella had the opportunity to be a part of the football team, in their match against the service’s Merseyside team.

Ella was also presented with her own Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue football shirt which Kay described as a ‘wonderful surprise’.

Kay added: “She loved having her own football shirt that matched the lads and she fell in love with all the boys that were playing on the pitch that day.”

In an aim to raise as much awareness as possible to their daughter’s condition, Kay and Scott tirelessly produce various ideas to help the fundraising efforts of the Wiedemann-Steiner Syndrome UK charity.

They are currently organising a celebrity football match at Hyde United which will be taking place on Sunday, June 11.

The celebrities will be up against Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue football team.

If you would like to donate you can follow the link: https://wiedemann-steineruk.com/donate/ 

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