Community Awards ceremony postponed
EVENTS have started to be postponed, as the number of Covid cases continues to rise.
Over the weekend 156 new cases were identified in the Bailiwick, 62 on Friday, 41 on Saturday and 53 on Sunday.
With 120 recoveries, the number of active cases now stands at 435. All bar five of these are in Guernsey and Herm.
The increase has led the Guernsey Community Foundation to postpone its 2021 Community Awards ceremony, which was due to be held this afternoon.
The event would have been attended by more than 200 people, including many who are vulnerable and a greater number representing charities and organisations that work with, and provide essential services to, people who are at risk.
The organisers said it would not have been possible to maintain social distancing, and the planned afternoon tea would not work with mask wearing.
The foundation’s chairman, Sir Richard Collas, said they had not taken this decision lightly.
‘But we think it is the right thing to do given that the island is being encouraged to take all reasonable steps to ensure that our health and social care services are not overwhelmed at this difficult time,’ he said.
‘We bitterly regret the disappointment this will cause to those who were looking forward to an evening where their exceptional service to our island community would have been publicly recognised.’
The intention is to reschedule the event as soon as possible, when Covid risks have reduced, but ticket holders can be reimbursed.
The Guernsey Tourism Partnership had also planned to hold a conference and AGM on Thursday at St Pierre Park.
However committee member Chris Meinke said that as it would have been a large gathering in a confined space, it had decided to postpone the event until after Christmas.
