Firefighters use ladders nearly every day in their work; whether for rescuing people from burning buildings, out of crashed cars or getting cats down from trees the ladder is a vital piece of equipment for their work.  It is no surprise then that firefighters used their ladder skills as a fundraising technique and crews from Manchester's fire department undertook a two-part ladder carrying challenge to raise money for Maggie's Manchester, a cancer charity based in the city.

The first part of the challenge saw crews carrying a 16 foot steel ladder through the city, starting in Sale and ending at Manchester Airport on a route that measures seven miles.  The second part of the challenge saw them carrying the same ladder up Mount Snowdon, all in full kit.  That was no mean feat in the height of summer, and probably the only time visitors to the area were wishing for a cool, possibly rainy day.

Firefighters have a reputation for fundraising activities, and when you consider that people join the emergency services in order to help people, the fact that they also donate their time to raising money for local charities and causes it is hard not to feel a sense of pride in their efforts and to support them in their activities.

As well as carrying ladders huge distances to raise money for charity, firefighters also often do ladder climb challenges, where there is a set amount of time in which to complete as many climbs up and down the ladder as possible.  These efforts have even set world records making them all the more impressive.

If you know a local charity that desperately needs funds why not contact your local fire department and see if they can help?  These events are a sure-fire way to attract a crowd, raise awareness of local issues and to support the men and women who face danger every day in their quest to help people.  You could even set up a ladder race or assault course between the firefighters and a local sporting side to attract more people and raise money for a good cause.  There are so many types of ladder available that it is possible to set up a really challenging course using multipurpose ladders, folding ladders, step ladders and combination ladders so don't hold back!