Feel the Burn

Having seen it many times on television and in films, firewalking is something that I’ve always found quite intriguing. How do they do it? Is it sore? Is it something reserved for spiritualists and experts, or can anybody give it a go?

Then, when I heard about a charity firewalk taking place right here in Perth, I had to look into it. I managed to get in touch with Barry Collins – Master Firewalk Instructor for The Phoenix Firewalk – who is running the event in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council. It’s been organised in association with local charity PKAVS, but participants are welcome to do the walk for any cause that they wish.

“The Scots are always willing to step up and do extraordinary things in support of charities,” Barry told me, “and the people Perth are no exception.”

That certainly seems to be the case as spaces for the firewalk are already filling up fast. There are already 22 charities who stand to benefit from the event, the majority of which are local but there are some wider causes being supported including charities as far east as Cambodia.

Barry and his wife have organised and run over fifty firewalks across the UK, helping around 1000 people to tackle the hot coals. They’ve helped raise over £100,000 for different charities, and have been delighted by the response in Perth so far. With only 70 spaces available and over half of them gone already, at this rate it won’t be long before the event – which takes place on 28^th October – is full.

So, how do you get into firewalking? It’s not exactly a common profession in Scotland, or indeed anywhere. Barry’s journey kicked off by experiencing a buzz from a charity walk back in 2015. From there, he enrolled on a training course to become a qualified instructor.

“We had a friend who was on a fundraising campaign for Help for Heroes, and we offered to help out by organising a firewalk for her to help raise some money. In one night, the 23 people we managed to coerce into taking part raised over £4,000! I spent four of the most intense days of my life learning how to facilitate firewalking.

“The next day we were still buzzing from the night before and decided at that point it was something we wanted to do more of. I contacted the organisation that had put on the event for us and they put me in touch with the UK’s only dedicated firewalk instructor training centre. I was booked to attend the training course just eight weeks later and I spent four of the most intense days of my life learning how to facilitate firewalking.

“I was in a small group which also included celebrity Alex Reid. Six months later, my wife Marina attended the same training course and now my eldest daughter has just completed it too, making it a real family business!”

Barry and his wife Marina, both hypnotherapists by trade, clearly caught the firewalking bug and have now built a great reputation throughout the country organising charitable and corporate events. This has led Perth and Kinross Council to ask them to facilitate the event at the end of this month which is sure to provide entertainment to spectators as well as participants.

GALLERY

Having experienced the sensation of walking across the boiling hot sand in the forty degree Australian heat, my main thought about the firewalk is that is must surely be a bit nippy! However, Barry assured me that if that was the case and that once you take the first step you won’t stop halfway through.

“Having walked over 170 times personally, if it hurt I wouldn’t keep on doing it! Most people experience a slight tingling afterwards but that’s all. The texture is much like walking on popcorn – only slightly warmer!

“Firewalking is not difficult. You can probably learn the technique very quickly but it’s what goes on in people’s heads when they’re standing there looking at a bed of glowing embers that’s the most difficult. The embers can measure in excess of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit! Once they take the first step, they’re in full flow – nobody ever stops in the middle to reconsider!

“Our role on the night is to get people to take that first step. Once they do that, they’re in full flow – nobody ever stops in the middle to reconsider! To help them get ready to take the first step, we provide them opportunities to be challenged, step out of their comfort zone and pay attention to how their thinking impacts their experiences.

“Over the course of the evening, we’ll help them to expand their respective comfort zones to the point where they know they can do it!”

There you have it – Barry and Marina will take you every step of the way, making sure that you can walk over fire with ease. There’s still time for you to take on the challenge for your chosen charity, and who knows, you may develop the firewalking bug just like Barry and his wife did!

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For more information on the Perth City Firewalk or to book a place, contact Penny Lambert on 01738 477405 or at PenelopeLambert@pkc.gov.uk. 

You can find out more about Barry and Marina's firewalking expertise on their website or Facebook page.