A former Lichfield councillor will leave a lasting legacy following his death by sponsoring two specialist nurses at St Giles Hospice.

Councillor John Wilks during his time as chairman of Lichfield District Council
John Wilks during his time as chairman of Lichfield District Council

John Wilks, who was also a Mayor of Lichfield, was a keen supporter of the Whittington-based charity.

His god-daughter Pam Moore has worked with St Giles Hospice to help fulfil his wishes following his death in 2014.

“Leaving a legacy meant the world to John,” she said. “It meant he could continue to do good for local people.

“It was his way of ensuring the good work of St Giles Hospice continued after his death.

“John’s legacy will help to serve and support the people of Lichfield, which is in essence what John did throughout his life.”

During his time as chairman of Lichfield District Council, John chose St Giles Hospice as his charity of the year and raised money to buy equipment for in-patient care in the Compassus Centre.

He was one of the VIP guests invited to the refurbished Day Hospice for its official opening by Princess Alexandra in July 2014, just two months before he died.

Donations given at his funeral were used to provide items for the hospice’s sensory garden.

Specialist nurses Katherine Hill and Charlotte Keast with Pam Moore
Specialist nurses Katherine Hill and Charlotte Keast with Pam Moore

Pam added: “John was an ambassador for local charities and wanted very much to support local people.

“As someone who was passionate about the community, John felt an affinity to St Giles Hospice.”

The bequest will be used to sponsor two specialist nurses at the hospice for 12 months, who will work under a job-share arrangement in both St Giles’ Community Team and the Compassus Centre to improve the transition of patient care between services.

Neil Antcliffe, from the hospice, said: “We are so grateful to John for his generous gift to St Giles Hospice and to Pam, who has worked so hard with us to ensure that John’s wishes are fulfilled.

“This kind of donation is vital to the work we do. Bequests from our supporters – however large or small – help to ensure that St Giles Hospice can continue to provide specialist care for local people for years to come.”

For more information about St Giles Hospice, visit: www.stgileshospice.com.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.