Paul Thomas, the Service Chaplain, was an operational Firefighter for almost thirty-four years. He started his career with Liverpool City Fire Brigade in 1968 before transferring to Flintshire/Clwyd Brigade in North Wales and then to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in 2002.

Paul completed a Theological training course whilst still in the Service and jointly led a church in the Cardiff area at the same time. On his retirement from the Fire and Rescue Service, Paul entered full-time ministry, continuing his work in the Cardiff area and then in the Rhondda Valley. Two months after his retirement, Paul was invited to become the Service Chaplain.

Paul is highly involved in Missions ministry in Uganda, where he has been able to build a school, with classrooms called Cowbridge and Pontyclun, named after the Fire Stations that helped raise the money for their construction.

Paul has also worked with Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter project in Durban, South Africa, where he helped build homes for the homeless, and Operation Christmas Child in Albania.

His latest project was to organise the building and opening of a baby rescue unit called Tŷ Cariad in Uganda in 2005.

Paul also works part-time with the British Red Cross as their Emergency Support Service Manager.