Pandemic brought the best out of islanders, says Sir Ian

Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder was speaking at the Bailiff’s New Year’s Day reception, which recognised an upside of the pandemic.

‘I don’t know what you think, but I actually think that the Bailiwick feels closer together and more united than it has done in any time during my four-and-a-half to five years here.

‘I know that is not a complete compensation for the hardships the pandemic has brought about, but I think it’s certainly something to celebrate.

‘Undoubtedly, I think the experience has by and large brought out the very best in people.’

Tributes were paid in his speech to the Bailiwick’s four most recent recipients of Queen’s honours.

Ronald Cairnduff was awarded the BEM for his decades of service to entertainment and culture in Alderney, in particular his work to put on the Covid-compliant Alderney Week 2020, which was described as a ‘hugely joyous week of fun, laughter and shenanigans’.

Nikki Harrison, the chief operating officer at St John Ambulance, received the MBE because she coordinated the island’s third sector during the pandemic, and set up a number of initiatives such as Volunteer Guernsey.

Dr Sue Fleming received the MBE because she headed up the team to protect care homes, which had become Guernsey’s frontline in the fight against the virus.

Sir Ian said that she sprang into action with a ‘no nonsense, roll the sleeves up, get on and get the job sorted approach to leadership’, and at the height of the PPE shortages she even managed to ‘blag’ 35,000 face masks from the beauty industry.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby was awarded the MBE because of her logical leadership, good communications and political courage.

‘In essence, you were the political leadership that had to make the call that this was a full-blown national medical emergency, with all that it meant in terms of shutting down society and shutting down the economy, and that’s a big call for anybody to make, but Health & Social Care under Heidi’s leadership did not baulk at the decision.

‘You stayed a step ahead all the time and retained the public’s confidence’.

In total, there have now been six individuals who have been named in the Queen’s birthday and New Year honours lists.

Sir Ian explained that they stood on the shoulders of many.

‘There have been literally thousands of people involved in managing the Bailiwick’s response to the pandemic, we clearly can’t recognise everybody.

‘I hope that the system has managed to recognise all or the very great majority of all those bodies that came together and cooperated so fantastically to manage this.

‘Obviously I think each of the six recipients are outstanding in their own right, but they do carry a responsibility to accept these awards on behalf of their colleagues and all the people who work for them and with them and I hope this is seen as recognition of everybody who helped support this. It was certainly intended in that spirit.’