From olives to Alderney

A new doctor has started work at Eagle Medical Practice.

Dr John Scudamore, pictured below, who has provided intermittent locum cover at the practice since 2009, joins Dr Rory Lyons and Dr Tony Lee as a full-time partner at Stefan House in Ollivier Court.

He joins after working as a GP in Bedfordshire for 30 years. Since 1994 he has been involved with training new GPs and has also worked as a police doctor.

John, a descendant of Viscount Scudamore, who was Governor of Guernsey in 1642, said: 'I've been coming to Alderney for the past three years and the island has always appealed to me.

'Eight years ago, my wife and I retired to Spain. We've been olive farming in that time but the exchange rate has affected my pension and we decided to look at leaving.'

John, 64, has arrived in the island with wife Naomi. Between them they have five children.

'I enjoy sailing and we have four dogs, so Alderney is ideal. We're renting at the moment but if things work out, we'll sell up in Spain and move here permanently.'

John said he and Rory would share the responsibility of being on call.

'As I'm here full-time, Rory and I will be able to split our shifts.'

Rory said John's arrival would benefit patients.

'His skills will help us to improve our care of patients at the Mignot Memorial Hospital and the Jubilee and Connaught Homes, where we provide all services for our patients.'

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STAFF from HSBC took a day off from banking to help Alderney's community woodland project.

The bank is one of the scheme's main sponsors and as well as donating cash, it has also assisted with manpower.

Ten employees spent the day creating a path through a remote section of Les Rochers. Alderney Wildlife Trust, which is spearheading the project, assisted the bankers with volunteers. The new trail will open up areas of dense scrub and existing woodland which have been inaccessible for many years.

HSBC's Gail Madeley said the staff had enjoyed going to Alderney.

'It's been fantastic, but harder work than any of us thought it was going to be,' she said.

'It's great when we turn round and see what we've done. You think you're not doing anything, but you look back and see how far you've come.

'People from different parts of the organisation have been working together – people who would not usually do so on a day-to-day basis – so it's been great for teamwork.'

Gail was full of praise for the woodland scheme.

'It's a real community effort, with lots of different groups getting involved, and it's something we're proud to be a part of.'

AWT manager Roland Gauvain said: 'It is incredibly important to have large Channel Islands businesses take an interest in big projects like this. This is purely an Alderney project, but with a view to demonstrating what can be done throughout the islands.'