Warwickshire News Mine

Les has been a firefighter with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service since 1981, when he joined as a junior firefighter at the age of 16.  After two years of training; he then progressed to become a shift firefighter in 1983.

During his time with the service Les has worked in Nuneaton, Atherstone and Rugby and therefore has a real advantage when it comes to understanding the issues communities affected by arson face. 

In addition to his day job, Les is involved in many community initiatives. He’s a regular marshal for the Nuneaton Carnival and has been heavily involved with the Duke of Edinburgh award, Young Firefighters Association, local school outward bound trips and a volunteer reparation worker for Warwickshire justice Service.

Arson Reduction Officer, Les said: “My goal is to ensure that the communities we serve are as safe as we can make them and to focus our efforts on protecting the most vulnerable, whilst at the same time being a positive role model for our young people.

“I’m keen, with the aid of my colleagues and partner agencies to reduce the occurrence of arson and anti-social behaviour that affects our County and I would like to actively encourage the communities we serve to come and speak to us about any concerns or information they may have to help to make our communities safer.”

Arson Reduction Manager, Roland Bayley said: “We are delighted to welcome Les to the team. He already has strong links with residents in Nuneaton through his voluntary work and we hope that this will help to encourage more members of the community to become actively involved in keeping their communities safer.”

Based at the Nuneaton Justice Centre the Arson Reduction Team works with a wide range of partners including; Warwickshire Police, Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Police Community Support Officers and Warwickshire County Council’s Community Safety Project Officers. The main aim of the team is to tackle nuisance fire setting, arson and anti-social behaviour.

Link to WCC