Last respects for Birmingham firefighter John Giles
HUNDREDS of well-wishers have paid tribute to a Birmingham firefighter who helped families who lost loved ones in the Warwickshire warehouse blaze.
John Giles, from Coleshill, died from a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Jamaica last month.
The 44-year-old dad-of-two had been a volunteer member of the trauma support team with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service.
And he provided invaluable emotional support to the colleagues and families of the four brave firefighters who lost their lives in the Atherstone tragedy in November 2007.
More than 200 people filled St Peter and St Paul’s church to pay tribute to John at his funeral on Thursday.
He has been described as a “pillar of the community”.
Mr Giles was stationed at Coleshill Fire Station and lived nearby in Skye Close with partner Karen Moore, and her daughters Sian and Paige and son Ciaran.
She said: “There was a magnificent turnout which I know John would have been pleased by.
“I’m very humbled by how many people were here with us.
“The number of people at the church and outside showed what a busy man he was in the community with all the work he did for the fire service as well as the friendly, lovable man who still couldn’t say no to anyone outside of work.”
In recognition of his efforts to help the families of Ashley Stephens, Darren Yates-Bradley, John Avenis and Ian Reid, who died in the Atherstone warehouse blaze, John was handed an award at Warwickshire County Council’s recent Gem Awards.
He also volunteered to run the Coleshill branch of the Young Firefighters Association, organising fundraising events to pay for annual adventure holidays.
Outside of work he coached the Coleshill United U8s football team and ran local mini-soccer clubs having recently earned an FA coaching certificate.
For the funeral, the hearse travelled between two fire appliances.
Tributes were paid at the funeral by Glen Ranger, assistant county fire officer, Paul Bagnall, station manager at Coleshill, and 20-year-old daughter Katie who gave a moving eulogy, Remembering Dad.
