The annual firefighters’ solidarity calendar turns ten this year. To mark the occasion, a special edition has been printed offering a visual tour of these last ten years of solidarity. The calendar features the cover photos from all previous editions in gratitude to the children who took part, the entire human team behind the initiative and the families and collaborators who make the project possible every year.
The director of the Barcelona Fire Prevention, Extinction and Rescue Service, Sebastià Massagué, took part in the presentation of the calendar Bombers amb Causa 2021, which took place on 1 December and adopted a virtual format. Others attending included the Minister for the Interior, Miquel Sàmper, the director of the Obra Social de Sant Joan de Déu, Oriol Bota, and the director general of the Fire Prevention, Extinction and Rescue Service of the Government of Catalonia, Manel Pardo.
Numerous firefighters from fire stations around Catalonia and Andorra have taken part in the photo sessions over the ten-year history of the calendar, along with numerous children being attended to at the different Sant Joan de Déu centres, sharing moments of fun and days full of joy and collaboration. These moments were captured by professional photographers, who selflessly immortalised them to illustrate their stories of overcoming difficult situations.
Safety was a priority for the 2021 edition, with the number of photo sessions cut to just four: in Andorra, the Vall d’Aran, the fire station in El Vendrell and the Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona, where two members of the Barcelona Fire Service were involved.
Aleksandra Dynas (front cover), Montse Altimiras, Ariadna Creus and Francesc Plana Rafi are this year’s photographers. The children featured in the 2021 edition are being helped by the Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona and the Sant Joan de Déu – Terres de Lleida.
Where does the money raised go?
The Catalan Fire Service and the Obra Social de Sant Joan de Déu have been promoting this solidarity project since 2011, based on the initiative of three volunteer firefighters with the Government of Catalonia seeking to raise money for research into children’s illnesses. The money raised in the first editions allowed for the creation of the Bombers amb Causa research grant, awarded every year through a competition, with a jury made up of experts, for researchers from the Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu.
In 2018, part of the money raised started going to social projects supporting children at risk of social exclusion, benefitting various Sant Joan de Déu centres in Catalonia. The calendar has so far helped raise over half a million euros and funded seventeen projects by Sant Joan de Déu.
Where to find the solidarity calendar?
Given the health recommendations, people are advised to buy the calendar in the online shop for the Obra Social de Sant Joan de Déu. Even so, as usual, the Abacus cooperative, some Bonpreu supermarkets and various local establishments will also be collaborating.
The calendar costs 10 euros and as usual includes illustrated stickers, on this occasion by Mariona Tolosa Sisteré. The stickers are lots of fun and can be used to personalise and decorate the calendar.