Dr Brink joins bikers’ lockdown exit celebration
THE island’s Public Health director joined around 150 bikers yesterday as they celebrated the island’s escape from lockdown on a ‘Freedom Ride’.
Meeting at Vazon, the Guernsey Bikers group welcomed Dr Nicola Brink on their ride round the island, including the Bridge and Town, before ending up at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital to mark the end of the second Covid lockdown, and the return to normality in Guernsey.
Its purpose was to say thank you and show their appreciation of and respect to everyone who helped make this possible.
Dr Brink who enjoyed her ride said the focus of the day was the ‘fantastic community’ and what they had achieved to be living in an island with most of its freedoms.
‘It is a fantastic tribute that we’re be able to be here [for this]. I have to give a personal thanks to Colin Vaudin for giving me my first ride on a motorbike – I have to say I’m absolutely pumped, it was fantastic.’
She was joined at the PEH by Deputy Chief Minister Heidi Soulsby who thanked everyone for getting to this point, stating how lucky the island was to have worked hard to ensure its freedom and stand together.
‘This is absolutely fantastic. There’s about 150 of you here on bikes and certainly more people.
‘Well done to Nicky for riding here, I didn’t because I’ve had a neck injury, so that’s my excuse, but if we have one next year I’m happy to but that does not mean we’re going to have a third lockdown.’
GBG’s Nemer Kharroubi said it was a moment of celebration for everyone.
‘It’s been a great day, good weather, excellent turnout,’ he said.
‘The last couple of months were hard-hitting on most of us, we’ve had more patients in this lockdown and we are saddened by the loss of a life to Covid, and mental health is on the rise.
‘But on the bright side we’re out of it and we’re actually able to stand shoulder to shoulder and talk about it without any restrictions and Guernsey is one of the few places in the world where we can do that.’
A collection on the day was made for Guernsey Mind with the total ammount collected expected to be announced at a later date.
Mr Kharroubi led a clap as a thanks to the whole of Guernsey for their community spirit in successfully helping the island to come out the other side of the lockdown.
