This evening my brother, Robert, was awarded his twenty year Fire Service medal at a special ceremony held in the County Hall in Taunton, Somerset. We took two cars up, Rob and his family in one, and Chris, Mary (my sister), Mum and me in the other; we arrived before Rob so we had no idea who anyone was. We were ushered into a grand hall and offered drinks. There were several men wandering around in their smart uniforms with rows of medals. A particularly handsome youngish chap came up to me, held out his hand and said, “Hello, I’m Lee.”

“Hello, I’m Sally,” I said shaking his hand.

“You’re rather nice and dishy,” I thought.

He chatted with us for several minutes during which he explained, rather modestly, that his medals were for long service and not bravery, “sadly”.

We girls went to the loo and conferred immediately on the subject of the handsome man in uniform.

“He was nice,” I said, looking at Mary.

“Wasn’t he handsome?” asked Mary.

“I do so like a man in uniform,” said my mum.

Back in the hall, Robert and family soon arrived and before long we were invited into another reception room for the award ceremony. Eleven brave men and women were given their medals and certificates; Rob looked especially gorgeous in his uniform and we swelled with pride that he was our beloved brother (and son, in my Mum’s case). There were some heartfelt speeches of praise and thanks; perhaps the nicest came from the Chief Fire Officer of Devon and Somerset – Lee Howell – a handsome chap….

Lee posed in photographs with us later on. He was just as nice as he looked. Rob was a bit embarrassed that his sisters were so familiar with his big boss – but we weren’t, after all, Lee had made the introductions. Oh we do like a man in uniform!