Basingstoke Rotary award carer for saving a man in fire

Emily Wigley, 30, was presented with the Rotary Club of Basingstoke's President's Special Recognition Award by the Mayor of Basingstoke, Cllr David Leeks, on Monday, October 2.

Emily received the award for her bravery and quick thinking when a fire broke out in a flat at Abbey Court, in Popley Way, Popley, on Sunday, June 18.'It was a Father's day to remember' says hero Emily (Image: Newsquest)

Emily, who has worked at Abbey Court as a care assistant for nine years, told the Gazette: "I'm really happy, I wasn't actually told I had won it, I was expecting a few other nominees to be here so this was a lovely surprise thanks to my manager.

"It was a Father's Day to remember, on June 18, I was in a flat not far from where the incident happened and I could hear an alarm going off.

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"I went to investigate and found out it was coming from a specific flat, I checked the door and entered the flat which I found was filled with smoke, and the gentleman who lived there was fast asleep in bed.

"I could hear another carer coming down with the dinners and I shouted 'fire, get everyone out' and I helped the gentleman out who jumped into his electric chair, and I made sure he was out and called the fire brigade who came within five minutes."

Thankfully, both Emily and the man in the flat came out of the fire unscathed.

"We got checked over, and myself and the gentleman were deemed okay. Every time I see him now he says 'you saved my life', but I'm just a carer.

"I do jokingly say I'm in the wrong uniform. I just didn't think of myself, I wanted everybody else safe."

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On top of the award, Emily was given a year's free membership to the Rotary Club of Basingstoke, she said: "I'm actually quite excited, they said they want fresh minds at the Rotary and I love to help people."Tunde Adelakun is the Rotary Club's president (Image: Newsquest)

President of the Rotary Club, Tunde Adelakun, said: "One of my main programmes I set out as president is to award people for excellence, selflessness and service to humanity.

"It is to celebrate the people who have done well in society and let them know that we do appreciate them.

"Our members received lots of nominations, and we shortlisted six from which our members voted and Emily's name featured the most, it was a no-brainer."