Tributes paid to Dr James Partridge OBE
TRIBUTES have been paid to the generous and inspiring Dr James Partridge after he died peacefully but suddenly at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital on Sunday.
Dr Partridge was instrumental in starting the global face equality movement.
After sustaining life changing burns at age 18 in a car fire, he married a Guernsey girl and devoted his life to sharing the insights he had gained from facial disfigurement.
In 1992 he founded the charity Changing Faces, which is still the UK's leading charity supporting people with disfigurements.
It provides specialist psycho-social support for individuals and their families and was the first tailored support of its nature to be recognised in UK healthcare.
A fond and defining moment for him was the success of a campaign which saw posters of people with distinctive appearances appearing across the London underground. This no doubt laid the foundations for the move towards broader representation of differences in contemporary advertising, which before then, was unheard of.
His ground-breaking work and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others will no doubt continue on through the countless friends and allies he has made.
In 2017, Dr Partridge stepped down from Changing Faces to found Face Equality International; an international alliance of NGOs working with people with disfigurements; united by the purpose of securing solidarity and global attention for the campaign for face equality.
When the announcement of his death was made by his family on his social media channels, islanders who knew Dr Partridge paid their tributes.
The island's most senior politician Deputy Gavin St Pier said he was so very sorry to learn of the passing.
'A fun-loving gentle giant of a man who was unfailingly courteous with everyone he met and with boundless energy,' he wrote.
'He leaves the world a better place than he entered it and very few can claim that mantle.'
Deputy Barry Brehaut said it was a tremendous loss and the island and wider community will miss him.
'Love to all who loved him,' he wrote.
Equality Guernsey wrote: 'One of the most generous, inspiring, passionate people ever.
'We were truly blessed to have shared so much time with this amazing Equality Ambassador.
'Such devastating news - his integrity and commitment to equality will live on through so many.'
Karen Blanchford from Equality Guernsey added: 'In Guernsey we were so blessed to feel his influence and drive for equality and know it will live on through so many of us as individuals, groups and charities.'
