Grandparents step up to help NHS family in Covid crisis
LAST year’s Grandparents of the Year winners in the Pride of Guernsey Awards looked after their three grandchildren and taught them about the Occupation while their son and daughter-in-law stayed in England as essential NHS workers.
Peter and Helena McGovern cared for their three grandchildren, aged between one and five, for six weeks last year.
They were named Grandparents of the Year at last year’s Pride of Guernsey Awards.
‘It was lovely to win the award,’ Mr McGovern said.
‘It was a tricky few weeks for them so we decided to step in.’
Daughter-in-law Lucie said: ‘Looking back, it was absolutely a stressful time for us, but at the same time really special for the kids’.
Both Lucie and her husband work as NHS doctors in Exeter.
Lucie was faced with the prospect of having to quit work entirely to look after the children, when Peter and Helena offered to step in.
The children stayed with their grandparents for a total of six weeks.
Lucie said that Malachi, now 6, Freya, 4, and Caspar, 2, hold special memories of their time in Guernsey.
‘I think they will remember it forever.’
Lucie, her husband and all three children are back in Guernsey at present visiting Peter and Helena. They will spend a week in Herm, followed by a few days in Sark, if the weather holds out for them.
n Everyone loves a grandparent. Say thank you to yours by nominating them for this year’s Pride of Guernsey Awards. The grandparent category is sponsored by the Channel Islands Co-operative Society. Nominations must be made by Friday 6 August.
