'I didn't know if I'd get out the flames' - Farmer who helped tackle North York Moors wildfires receives community award

The 33-year-old was one of a number of farmers who selflessly helped others during serious fires on the North York Moors in August last year. He led a team of people who worked with firefighters, using their tractors and tankers to get gallons of water to the flames, in the hope of keeping fire away from villages, farm buildings and residents.

Chris, who lives in Glaisdale, initially responded to a call out from the agricultural community for help tackling a blaze off the Whitby to Scarborough Road. After that was brought under control, he spent several weeks helping firefighters at the the Langdale Forest and Fylingdales Moor wildfire – the biggest fire in the history of the North York Moors National Park.

Chris, who earnt the nickname water boy, coordinated the effort from farmers, showing extreme bravery. “We had some dodgy moments, some very scary moments,” he reflects. In one incident, he found himself driving through a wall of fire which appeared from nowhere. “All of a sudden, every tractor window was covered in flames. There were 40 foot high flames surrounding me. You couldn’t see the road, couldn’t see anything…I honestly didn’t think I was getting out of that.”

"I try to help with anything I can,” he says. “I just felt like I was doing what needed to be done like everybody else there was doing. It was a huge team effort…We don’t really think what we did was very special. But when you stop and think, every single person that was there stopped that fire from getting to those villages, stopped it damaging any farms, it’s a massive achievement…Nobody died and nobody lost their house which for a fire of that size was unbelievable.”

Chris, who has since created a gadget which makes it easer for firefighters to get water from farm tankers and recently attended a wildfire event at Downing Street, was one of eight remarkable individuals to be honoured at this year’s BBC Radio York Make a Difference Awards. He was recognised with The Great Neighbour Award, commending his outstanding contribution to local communities.

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Among those who joined him in receiving recognition was 33-year-old Louise Prashad, who was presented with the Active Award. Ten years ago, Louise was diagnosed with a rare condition whilst pregnant, sadly lost her baby twins Mia and Leo and underwent an emergency liver transplant which saved her life. Since then, she has competed in more than 300 races and represented Great Britain at the World Transplant Games, not only raising thousands of pounds for charity, but also highlighting the importance of organ donation.

Louise, who lives near York, was 37 weeks pregnant in 2016 when she started experiencing worrying symptoms and was diagnosed with a rare liver disease. When she was put on the transplant list, she likely only had a matter of hours left to live. “At the 11th hour, the phone rang and a donor organ had become available,” she says.

Around two years ago, Louise, who is also mum to Ava, eight, and Nico, five, managed to make contact with the family of her donor – a 52-year-old woman called Sarah. Louise recently met Sarah’s relatives for the first time, when they joined her for the last stretch of a 200-mile run to mark her ten year liver anniversary. “I was absolutely exhausted and they just wrapped their arms around me and her son whispered in my ear ‘Sarah’s home’. It felt such a lovely moment for us to meet and I just felt like I’d found an extended part of my family. I feel very connected to them.”

Louise, who is set to take part in the London Marathon and World Transplant Games next year, began running in 2018 and soon discovered that exercise was helping her to process the trauma she had been through. Since then, she has raised £360,000 for liver-related charities and has delivered hundreds of talks about organ donation, in particular urging people to speak to their loved ones about their wishes.

Her award, she says, is also recognition for Sarah’s family “who saved my life”. “I wouldn’t be stood here talking today if Sarah’s family hadn’t said yes to organ donation. I have had the opportunity to really take life by the horns and live it…. I feel a responsibility to Sarah and I feel like we’re living together not apart. This award was definitely in honour of Sarah, her family and the twins.”

Graham Porter says he accepted The Community Group Award on behalf of all of those involved in Dads Behaving Madly. He set up the group, in Scarborough, to help male carers raising children with disabilities. Designed to tackle social isolation, connect men to others who understand, and support with mental health challenges, it runs monthly breakfast meet-ups as well as activities including football, yoga and sea dips. It became recognised as a charity earlier this year and Graham and his team are soon to move into their first premises.

The 46-year-old, who says he wanted someone to talk to after receiving a diagnosis for his now 18-year-old twins, became emotional when presented with the award. “When I heard Dads Behaving Madly read out, I just cried my eyes out, I couldn’t get my words out. It’s recognition for our trustees, our volunteers and more importantly our dads and carers.”

BBC Local received thousands of nominations across the country for its Make A Difference Awards, now in its fifth year. Other BBC Radio York winners, selected by a panel of local judges, were: Norma Jenner, the table tennis playing nonagenarian who supports people who might be lonely; Autumn Boyle, a four-year-old who has one of the UK's rarest genetic conditions; Bronte the black Labrador therapy dog who helps people with dementia and loneliness; Darren Mancrief, who brings people together through a food growing project; and the late Cain North, who raised tens of thousands of pounds for brain tumour research.