The purpose of the Society

We are here when you need us, when life throws you a curve ball. We are only ever a phone call away. We have a network of people around the country who can assist you and your family in times of need. We are the Society that is here to help when you least expect it, and when you most need it.

Our Society offers a range of other benefits including financial help and holiday homes at reasonable rates for you and your family to have a break, or to convalesce.

2026 FENZ National Pickleball Championships

Dates: 12^th & 13^th November 2026

Location: Love Pickle Pickleball Club, Upper Hutt

With great pleasure we invite all FENZ employees and volunteers to enter the first ever FENZ National Pickleball Championship in Upper Hutt this November.

This will be a fun filled couple of days of socialising and competing. All skill levels are welcome, and equipment will be provided if you don’t have your own. You can enter as a pair or as an individual (individuals will be paired up on the day). Immediate family members are also welcome to play when teamed up with a FENZ representative.

The format will be finalised once we have received all registrations, with a view to give all participants as much game time as possible. The event will conclude with prizegiving held at Remutaka Fire Station on the Friday afternoon including a trophy for the best performing region.

Entry fee is $40 per person, and entries close on the 1^st of September. We expect spaces to fill up fast so don’t delay. Please complete the entry form as follows.

Questions?? Ask them on our Facebook page below.

Entry fee includes

• Tournament and Venue Fees
• Equipment hire
• BBQ & drink voucher
  (Registration night on Wed 4^th)
• Goodie bag
• Chance to win spot prizes

Some helpful links

How to Play Pickleball: The Ultimate Guide on Pickleball Rules – YouTube

Accommodation | Wellington Area

Home – Love Pickle Club Wellington

Download the FENZ 2026 National Championships Entry Form here.

When: 30 September 2026

Where: Via Team please email amanda@firefighters.org.nz for a link to attend

Time: 11am

Amanda will forward the link closer
to the meeting date. 

MOU – United Fire Brigades Association

Left: Chair NZFFWS Bill Swan. Right: UFBA Chief Executive Bill Butzbach

On 13^th of February 2026 the NZ Firefighters Welfare and the United Fire Brigade Association signed an MOU, further strengthening the bonds between our organisations. This partnership reinforces our shared commitment to working collaboratively and supporting our members.

Booking Dates for Holiday Homes

We’ve added a table to the holiday homes page that makes it easy to see when bookings open depending on when you want to stay.

You can find the table here.

Firefighters Helping Firefighters: A Personal Journey Through Crisis and Community

By Michelle Smith

For as long as I can remember, the fire service has been part of my DNA. Raised in the heart of
the fire community by my mother, Lesina Walden, and my late father, Les Peters, I’ve spent a
lifetime surrounded by those who run toward danger when others run away. Read more here.

See how we help our members

Get a true insight into the unique assistance the New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society provides to its members with this first-hand account, kindly provided by Craig Prince and his family. From the benefits of a financial contribution on the birth of a baby and holiday home stays, nothing compared to how the Station Reps and office team rallied around when their youngest child became hospitalised with an unknown illness. Read the first-hand account here.