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Welephant is used by almost every fire brigade in the United Kingdom to teach young children about the dangers of playing with fire. Welephant was created in 1978, when the Greater Manchester Fire Service decided to run a competition in the schools of Greater Manchester. Children of the schools were asked to draw something that could be used as a mascot by the fire department.

Going National
In 1984 Greater Manchester County Fire Service decided to launch a Welephant Club for children and received 250,00 requests to join in one month! The Club continued to grow and in 1985 eighteen other Fire Brigades had also asked if they could use Welephant. Permission was given and in 1985 Welephant went National. The Welephant Charity was established with the aim of educating children in fire safety and easing the distress of burns victims. A donation of £25,000 from the National Westminster Bank got the Charity off to a good start. Since then hospital equipment has been purchased to help in Children's Burns Units throughout the U.K. Various individual children have had specialised equipment bought for them when they have been seriously ill. Fire Brigades take Welephant to primary schools to help teach the children between the ages of about four years to eleven years the dangers from playing with fire.

Change of Charity Name
In 1996 the name of the Charity was changed from the Welephant Club incorporated to The National Fire Safety Charity for Children. The use of the word National when used in a Charity is considered to imply prestige and status and is subject to control by regulations. The use is only approved by the Secretary of State where a Charity demonstrates pre-eminence in the sphere of activity suggested by the name. Following examination of Welephant's charitable activities since establishment as a registered charity in 1985, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry approved the change of name.