A friends and family affair for Eleanor Foundation MBE
SURROUNDED by friends, family and supporters, Allister Carey was presented with his MBE at Government House on Saturday.
The Eleanor Foundation founder could have received the award from a member of the Royal Family in London.
But with a limit of guests if he did that, he decided it would be nicer to get the award from the Lt-Governor in Guernsey.
‘It’s really quite a moving occasion,’ he said.
‘I want to thank everyone for coming. I am extremely humbled to receive this. But I want to make the point that without the support of all of these people, we would not be in the position we are in today.’
Mr Carey, a retired stockbroker, was awarded the MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours List for services to sustainable development in Africa. He established the Eleanor Foundation following the death of his daughter Eleanor, an international development student, in a cycling accident in London in 2011.
The charity works within communities in Africa to improve public access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare, hygiene and education.
That has included shipping more than 2,000 unwanted bicycles for distribution across Africa and installing more than 100 improved water sources, with local maintenance training, benefitting 100,000 people.
Lt General Richard Cripwell said that MBEs were awarded for service or achievement outstanding in its field and that had delivered sustained and real impact.
‘This charity is a wonderful tribute to the young woman for whom it was named, with a great many people in the developing world continuing to benefit from the selfless work of Mr Carey and his team,’ he said.
‘The Eleanor Foundation is something of which the Bailiwick can be very proud. It’s clear that Mr Carey is thoroughly deserving of this award.
‘His work stands out as an example to us all.’
