PASTORAL, personal, prayer and presence are the four words that firefighter’s chaplain John Maxwell uses to describe his voluntary work with Wiltshire’s firefighters.

Having put in 14 years of volunteer work with the service his efforts have now been praised not only with a nomination for a Pride of Swindon Award, but a place on the judges’ shortlist.

Along with a number of individuals and teams who have put their all into the town over the years, he is now eagerly waiting to find out whether he has been selected as a winner. But he only has one more day to wait – as the judges will reveal who has been crowned the Pride of Swindon at a glittering award’s ceremony tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon at STEAM.

Westlea resident John Maxwell finds himself in the running for an award after 14 years of chaplaincy services to Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. Covering the northern part of the county he is on hand to offer support and guidance to the region’s firefighters who find themselves battling emergency situations on a daily basis when the pressures of the job begin to mount.

“I like to put it down to four things,” he said. “First it is pastoral – I look after firefighters and I am there to help if they need it. Then it is personal – I do lot of personal work with them, and they can come and talk to me about personal matters. Sometimes I pray with them, and finally it is about presence – I make myself known to them by visiting different stations as well as work through the Firefighter’s Charity.”

John is also a keen sportsman and not only represents the fire service at nationwide tournaments, but has also competed in the World Firefighter Games. He volunteers in his spare time with both the firefighter’s table tennis squad and the Calne Table Tennis Club.

His love of football sees him coach Cricklade Football Club, as well as taking his love of sport abroad to The Gambia with wife Christine as part of his work with football charity Kit Aid. This November the pair will be making their eleventh trip out to the country, taking with them much-needed football kit as well as living essentials. Anyone who would like to donate any unwanted kit for their next trip should call 07830609372.

John's selfless work has seen him praised with a nomination for a Pride of Swindon Award, which subsequently led to the judge’s selecting him for their shortlist.

Speaking highly of all of John’s work, his nominator told the judges: “John is an example of selfless voluntary community commitment which deserves to be recognised by the Pride of Swindon Awards.”

John will find out tomorrow whether he has won an award.