Lt-Governor presents MBE and BEMs at special investiture
THE day before David Swiffen and his wife were due to travel to Buckingham Palace for him to receive an MBE they were told that the ceremony had been cancelled.
That was in March this year, when the coronavirus pandemic lockdown started in the UK.
And while Mr and Mrs Swiffen were unable to celebrate his achievement, there were three other Bailiwick residents who had been named in the New Year’s Honours list who also had to wait.
Alderney’s former President Stuart Trought was due to receive an MBE for his services to the island, while Guernsey residents Brian Brehaut and Elizabeth Hutchinson were due to attend a garden party at Government House to receive British Empire Medals.
However, on Saturday their wait came to an end with a special ceremony at Government House, which featured the unusual, though not unprecedented, presentation of an MBE by Lt-Governor Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder.
Watched by a gathering of friends and family, with 13 households viewing the proceedings remotely via Zoom from the UK and in the island, the three Guernsey residents received their awards.
These were ‘three extraordinary people who have made an absolutely huge contribution to our community,’ said Sir Ian, adding that in their own way their achievements extended beyond the shores of the island.
And while the venue may not have been quite as grand as the Buckingham Palace Great Throne Room, it was lovely that awards for services to the community could be presented in the community.
Mr Swiffen was awarded his MBE for his work in the development of Les Cotils Christian Centre and for ‘service to wellbeing and inter-faith dialogue in Guernsey’.
After the presentation Mr Swiffen said he had finally started to relax after about a year of build-up between learning he had been given the award to receiving it in person.
‘It was so nice to have it here,’ he said of the ceremony.
Only three friends or family could have joined him at Buckingham Palace, but by having it in Guernsey more were able to attend, as well as several watching online.
Services to libraries were behind the BEM being presented to Mrs Hutchinson, whose career has ranged from being a school librarian to the head of the Schools’ Library Service. Among her many other activities are as an international speaker, vice-chairman of the #GreatSchoolLibraries campaign, a committee member for the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals School Library Group, renowned blogger and a regular columnist in the group’s publication, Information Professional.
‘Overwhelmed, of course,’ she said after the ceremony. Her interest in libraries started as a child at Jesmond Library in Newcastle and libraries were more important than ever today, she said. Librarians could use their expertise and knowledge to spot fake news and misinformation.
Bryan Brehaut’s BEM was for services to young people in Guernsey through The Boys’ Brigade, with which he has been involved since joining the 2nd Guernsey Company as a ‘Lifeboy’ at the age of seven in 1950. He recently retired as Senior Officer of the Junior Section but continued as Battalion Secretary, post which he has held for more than 10 years.
‘I’m humbled,’ he said after the ceremony. ‘I wondered if the citation was about me. It was very kind.’
n Sir Ian said that arrangements were going to be made for him to go to Alderney to present Mr Trought with his MBE.
