King’s Birthday Honours List: Magazine editor from Worthing dedicates achievement to late firefighter - 'He would have been proud'

Andrew Ledgerton-Lynch has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to The Fire Fighters Charity and to fire safety.

The long-time editor of FIRE magazine celebrated 25 years earlier this year.

"I got a letter from the cabinet office last month,” Andrew said. “I recognised it instantly but didn’t expect to get that particular honour.

"I was just stunned. It was a great shock but a very pleasant surprise. I thought it was impossible, they must have made a mistake surely and sent it to the wrong person.

"It was a lovely honour to get. As an editor and journalist, you work with so many supportive people. It’s a real privilege to get that honour. I feel a part of the service and sector.”

Andrew has been the Editor of FIRE magazine for the last 23 years and chaired The Fire Fighters Charity from 2016-2020, the first non-fire service trustee to lead the charity.

In his tenure as chairman, the organisation saw a significant turnaround with the Harcombe House centre undergoing a £1.8 million refurbishment and being repurposed to provide physical, mental and social wellbeing support.

Andrew dedicated the achievement to his late friend, Paul Fuller CBE – who served as a firefighter in West Sussex whilst a resident of Aldwick, before becoming the chief fire officer of Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service. He sadly died from cancer weeks before he was due to retire in 2021.

"I was nominated by my best friend,” Andrew said. “He was a rather indiscreet person – he called me to say he put it in and was just about to retire as he was receiving treatment for cancer.

"I asked what he was doing and said not to worry about that kind of thing as he was just starting chemo.

"He passed away about three weeks later. That was two years ago. One of the last ever acts he did was completely selfless.

"It’s a real bittersweet occasion because he’s sadly not around to celebrate with me. I’m sure he would have been proud.”

Andrew said Paul’s ‘selflessness was really touching’, adding: “I remember saying at the time I won’t get anything but it was a beautiful gesture.

"I forgot all about it and two years later I got more than I ever could have expected. That is still a surprise to get that honour.”

Andrew said it has been the ‘privilege of a lifetime’ to edit FIRE magazine and to have chaired the Board of Trustees of The Fire Fighters Charity.

"I find this recognition truly humbling given the calibre of personnel I’ve had the pleasure to work with and report on over the years,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the selfless and hardworking volunteers and staff at the charity, and the supportive and inspiring colleagues and friends I’ve worked alongside.

"I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked in the fire sector and played a small role in giving something back to a truly remarkable group of people.

"I do not use the word privilege lightly – it has been a great honour to hold these responsibilities and to have worked collaboratively with such exceptional and generous personnel.”

Andrew has served as communications director of the Fire Sector Federation and officer of the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group. He has also been editor of International Fire Professional – the journal of the Institution of Fire Engineers – since 2012 and founder and host of the Excellence in Fire & Emergency Awards since 2014.

He is currently a trustee of the Fire Service Research and Training Trust, and media and communications tutor on the International Brigade Command Course.

In 2020 Andrew received the Coronavirus Journalism Excellence – Best Comment accolade from the Press Gazette and in 2021 he received international recognition with the Tabbies Editor’s Column Silver Award.

“I became a journalist to change the world,” Andrew said. “Or at least to contribute something and I’ve had the opportunity to do that over the years.

"My drive is to promote fire safety and reduce deaths and injuries through the magazine and working with people in the fire service. It’s been a real pleasure and privilege to do that.

“It would be remiss of me not to thank the many mentors and trusted allies who have helped me along the way – especially those on the board

of trustees of The Fire Fighters Charity and colleagues past and present on FIRE magazine.

“My close family and friends have been magnificent in supporting me through thick and thin, especially my wife, Toni, who has somehow tolerated my fire obsession and whose support has been priceless.

"Sadly, my father and best friend are not here to celebrate but I know they’d be proud and I am immensely grateful for all they have given me: my dad for making me what I am and former Chief Fire Officer Paul Fuller CBE for inspiring me to do more than I ever thought possible.”

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