<div>On the nights of 12th and 15th December ,1940, Sheffield burned. The German bombing killed and wounded more than 2,000 people; made nearly a tenth of the population homeless and changed the face of the city forever.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Firefighters and police officers from across South Yorkshire were thrown into the chaos. Now, 85 years later, two survivors of that era need our help to ensure they remain become a permanent reminder of those tragic events.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>• A 1932 Leyland fire engine that actually served during the Sheffield Blitz.
</div>
<div>• An original WWII police car – one of very few still on the road today.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We are keen for them to be centre-stage in Sheffield’s brand new, permanent Blitz exhibition, opening to the public on Saturday 13 December 2025, as part of the 85th‑anniversary commemorations. But neither can take their place without urgent action.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Stage 1: Save the Blitz fire engine (£9,000 target)</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This Leyland engine once stood on the front line of the Blitz. Today it is worn and faded after decades of use and later life as a training vehicle. Its paintwork is peeling, its bodywork scarred, and its wartime livery long lost.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We have less than three months to restore it before the anniversary. Specialist repair, repainting and conservation work are costly, but without them the engine cannot be ready to stand proudly before the public in December.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Stage 2: Secure the WWII police car (£9,000–£11,000 target)</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Alongside the fire brigade, the police played a vital role in keeping order and protecting people during the Blitz. This rare WWII police car is a genuine survivor of that service. Fully roadworthy and in remarkable condition, it represents another side of the city’s wartime story.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We have the opportunity to acquire it permanently for the collection – but only if we can raise the funds in time. If successful, it will join the fire engine as a permanent exhibit in Sheffield’s Blitz gallery.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>A proven exhibition with community roots:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>When the National Lottery Heritage Fund supported the first Sheffield Blitz exhibition five years ago, it proved a huge success – doubling footfall at Sheffield's National Emergency Services Museum. Thanks to further funding, we are now doubling the size of that exhibition for the 85th anniversary.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>However, the grant only covers certain areas. That is why public support is essential to help us restore and secure these rare emergency vehicles.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Our recent call‑out for additional memorabilia had an incredible response, with the offer of the WWII police car coming directly from the community. This is a rare opportunity to expand the collection even further and ensure Sheffield’s wartime story continues to educate and inspire future generations.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Where your money goes:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>All funds raised will go to the Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust, a not‑for‑profit organisation preserving the memories and stories of the Blitz, in partnership with the National Emergency Services Museum.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Every pound – whether given online or by cheque – will be used for the fire engine restoration and, once that goal is reached, for securing the police car.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you’d prefer to donate offline, please make cheques payable to:
</div>
<div>Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust and send to: Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust, 88 Abbeydale Road South, Millhouses, Sheffield S7 2QP.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Supporter rewards:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We want to recognise every person who helps bring this history back to life.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<ul>
<li>£25 or more: Name listed on our online Roll of Honour at <a href="https://www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk</a>
</li>
</ul>
<div><br />
</div>
<ul>
<li>£50 or more: Name on the physical Roll of Honour board next to the displays at the exhibition
</li>
</ul>
<div><br />
</div>
<ul>
<li>£250 or more: Invitation to a VIP special preview event at NESM when the exhibits are unveiled; Name on the physical Roll of Honour board next to the displays at the exhibition and Name listed on our online Roll of Honour at <a href="https://www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk.</a>
</li>
</ul>
<div><br />
</div>
<ul>
<li>£750 or more: Private, VIP tour of the Sheffield Blitz exhibition and wider NESM museum for up to 20 people; Name on the physical Roll of Honour board next to the displays at the exhibition and Name listed on our online Roll of Honour at <a href="https://www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.sheffieldblitz.co.uk.</a>
</li>
</ul>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>About the Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust was founded 15 years ago by author Neil Anderson, following the success of his book Sheffield’s Date With Hitler. It was clear that, despite the Blitz being one of the city’s darkest chapters, very little was in place to commemorate it.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Early support came from figures such as Terry Deary, creator of Horrible Histories, and Sheffield’s own Peter Stringfellow, alongside donations from hundreds of local people. Backing also came from The Star, Forgemasters, Atkinsons and many more Sheffield institutions.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>That early momentum opened the door to National Lottery Heritage Fund support and has allowed the Trust to deliver lasting legacies: the permanent Blitz exhibition at the National Emergency Services Museum, the Sheffield Blitz Heritage Trail, new books, a dedicated website and much more.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This latest campaign builds on those achievements – ensuring that two remarkable Blitz survivors are saved for the public, for education, and for future generations.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Help us beat the clock:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This fire engine once faced the inferno that left a tenth of Sheffield’s people homeless. This police car represents those who patrolled the streets through the bombing raids.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Together they will form the prize exhibits in Sheffield’s new Blitz exhibition. With your help, in December 2025 – 85 years on – they will stand proudly once more: restored, remembered, and ready to tell their story to future generations.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This is our chance to save them. Please join us in this race against time. We must hit our target by October 17th, 2025, to (i) allow time for the essential conservation work to be done (ii) allow time to secure purchase of the vehicle (iii) have everything ready for the public unveiling of the brand new Sheffield Blitz permanent exhibition in December. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you for your support.
</div>

Mr Spencer J D Hill

Anonymous

Kevin Titterton

Victoria Shaw

Robert Turner

Helen Parker-Drabble

James Barker

Jennifer Fox

Jon Trott

Luke Sanderson

Paul Cassidy

JANET GAMBLES

Del Pickup

Help Us Rescue Sheffield’s Forgotten Blitz Heroes

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

Eligible for Profile Share Badge

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

isEligibleForProfileBadge

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.3.0 and above

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Help Us Rescue Sheffield’s Forgotten Blitz Heroes

Still £1,470 to go. Help us build momentum.