Hitchin fire station manager has been busy training in a bid take on one of the toughest physical challenges on the planet for charity.

James Rossano Bull has been preparing for Morocco's Marathon Des Sables, which is considered to be the toughest footrace on earth.

Athletic James, who manages the Hitchin fire station on Newtons Way, as well as the Royston set up too, had been due to take on the challenge in April, but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis.

With the tortuous race now re-arranged for next year, James has been readying himself for seven marathons in six days that covers more than 250km of the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco.

If that incredible feat of human endurance in searing temperatures wasn't enough all participants must remain self-sufficient, carrying their own supplies and food.

Modest James said: "I stay physically fit as part of the job and I'm always training for events as part of my fitness routine – but I've had to step it up for this event.

"My mileage has increased. I have to run with heavy loads to replicate my backpack in the desert and get my muscles used to the extra stress.

"Running on a variety of terrain is also helpful, because the Saharain terrain is one of the most challenging to be found anywhere on the planet."

James is taking part in the grueling event to raise funds for the Fire Fighters Charity – which helps many thousands of serving and retired fire service personnel and their families in times of need.

The marathon to beat all marathons is as much a mental challenge as a physical one – meaning James has also been gearing up for the psychological challenge.

"We will reach some dark places and endure a lot of suffering over the week, so it is vital to create a robust mindset capable of blocking that out – or at least keeping it under control.

"This is perhaps one of my biggest challenges, as one of the reasons I'm putting myself through it is to raise awareness of mental health issues within the emergency services."

Mental health impacts more than one in six people, and those in the emergency services are more likely to be affected because of the stressful, even traumatic nature of the work.

For James, this has been a personal battle, and one that he's keen to see recognised on par with physical health.

"20 years in the fire service has enabled me to experience the best of humanity. It is also true, however, that I have experienced some of the worst tragedies, and seen things that will stay with me forever. For me, depression, anxiety, and PTSD are a daily battle that I have been forced to seek help with. Many others will not."

To help other firefighters who need support to manage their mental health, James is taking on this challenge to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.

The Fire Fighters Charity provides important rehabilitation and recovery programmes for serving and retired firefighters.

As well as working to rehabilitate those with physical injuries, the charity runs vital mental health programmes that, in James' words, 'have brought many people back from the brink'.

Like all charities, fundraising is essential for the Fire Fighters Charity to continue its important work.

Usually, fire services across the country undertake a programme of fundraising events throughout the spring and summer months to support the charity, but with lockdown measures in place, these events couldn't take place.

The charity needs support more than ever. That's why James' fundraising efforts are crucial.

You can support the charity by sponsoring James on his JustGiving page.

Taking on a challenge like this is a community effort.

While all the money James raises on his JustGiving page will go to the Fire Fighters Charity there are numerous costs associated with taking on the challenge, from medical insurance to equipment and supplies.

"I have been made an Athlete Ambassador by Sundried who I will be representing during the challenge. They are a fantastic activewear brand with a very ethical approach to all they do.

"Their range is constructed using recycled materials including coffee granules, and they are focused on reducing their carbon footprint whilst using sustainable means in their production.

"Anyone reading this can use the code JAMESBULL on their website for a 50 per cent discount at checkout.

"I am also being supported by GoVox an online mental health platform.

"They work with numerous elite sports clubs and organisations providing a wellbeing check-in portal for employers and employees alike. It was important for my cause to partner with an organisation focused on improving mental health and wellbeing awareness and standards to align with my own goals."

James is also backed by Hitchin-based House Gardens Ltd, a landscaping firm run by a friend.

As well as his corporate sponsors, James has been supported by his family, friends, and colleagues.

"My employer and colleagues have also been supportive of my challenge and my reasons for doing it. I have taken part in case studies for Hertfordshire County Council and the Fire Fighters Charity, which is all part of raising awareness of the cause," James explains.

"This has been an incredibly difficult part of the journey because it is my own very private story.

"Prior to this, I hadn't shared my mental health experiences with anyone other than my therapist.

"However, I've had to learn to get used to it, because I've come to realise that you only increase awareness if people can relate to your story. If others are able to seek help off the back of it, that makes opening up worth it. I don't view it as a weakness anymore: I have nothing to be embarrassed about."

James says his family have been his biggest supporters adding that he has had to make a lot of sacrifices in order to train and prepare for an extreme event like this, and it has been an emotional rollercoaster for them as well as it has for him.

"More than anything, I want to make my family proud and give my son an example of what he can achieve if he sets his mind on something," he says, adding: "I have heard a lot that the person that goes into the desert is a different person to the one that comes out, and I hope that to be the case.

"As well as raising awareness and funds for an important cause, this challenge will be a form of therapy for me.

"It gives me a chance to have some freedom from my negative thoughts whilst focusing on my strengths and what I am capable of. It is about reminding myself of all the things I have in my life to be thankful for."

You can support the charity by sponsoring James on his JustGiving page.