Firefighters give Shrewsbury mayor a lift

Shropshire firefighters boosted the Shrewsbury Mayor’s charity appeal to buy defibrillators for schools by carrying a ladder to the top of Snowdon.

Firefighters from Red Watch Shrewsbury gave a lift to Shrewsbury Mayor’s defibrillators for schools appeal with their charity efforts to take a ladder to the top of Snowdon. L to R: Matt Dickenson, Graham Oliver, Lee Roberts, Steve Westley (kneeling), Kent Hallihan and Luke Grant, who all carried the ladder up Snowdon.

It was a “thank you” from Red Watch to Ioan Jones, the mayor, who works as a cleaner at Shrewsbury Fire Station in between a packed schedule of public commitments and voluntary efforts.

Crew Manager Dave Allen said: “You don’t expect the mayor to be cleaning your fire station. He’s a lovely bloke. Nice to chat to and he’s done so much for the community.”

Firefighter Graham Oliver said: ““He does such a good job at the fire station and so much for the local community that we wanted to do something for his charity. I don’t think many people at the station know that he is the mayor as he quietly goes about his cleaning job.”

Ioan, 73, who this week comes to the end of his mayor’s year, worked as a supervisor for a cleaning company when he suffered a heart attack and retired a decade ago.

But fed up of “playing computer games” he decided to go back to work as the fire station cleaner working a 20 hour week.

“I dust, hoover, empty the bins and clean the toilets and showers, twice a day, five days a week,” said the mayor, who also regularly visits a frail, elderly couple in their 90s to do odd jobs as part of North Shrewsbury Friendly Neighbours’ project.

Of his mayoral role, Ioan said: “It has been a fantastic job and I’ve met some lovely people. My aim has been to take mayorality to the people and get out and meet people and make a difference to their lives.”

Red Watch will share the £1,000 proceeds of their Snowdon effort between the Firefighters’ Charity and the Mayor’s Charity for defibrillators for local schools.

Chief Fire Officer Rod Hammerton said: “Once again I find myself proud and humbled to be part of a service where individuals are so willing to put themselves out for charity for such worthy causes.

“I am also pleased we have been able to add another nine metres onto Wales’ highest mountain even if it was only for long enough for the team to catch their breath.”