Glasses were raised in a toast, given by Lt-Governor Sir Richard Cripwell at the Royal Court, for Guernsey’s New Year’s Honour’s recipients – Helen Glencross, Gerry Le Roy, Jayne Ozanne and Alice de Freitas.
Mrs Glencross has been appointed her MBE for services to heritage in Guernsey. Lt-Governor Cripwell said her work, leadership and dedication has ensured that the memory and history of people is not lost. Mrs Glencross said the honour has come with a lot of well wishes from the community.
‘It’s all been a bit overwhelming,’ she said. ‘Huge surprise, totally unexpected. It’s lovely for the museum to be recognised and all the things that we do from a cultural and heritage perspective. To give me an opportunity to champion things a little more is great.’
Mrs Le Roy has been awarded a British Empire Medal for Services to Public Health in Guernsey.
Following a career as a cardiac specialist nurse, she has worked to raise local awareness of cardiovascular health and is responsible for the island’s first public access defibrillator. Lt-Governor Cripwell said her work never stops, and she continues to deliver more PAD sites and train volunteers to maintain them.
‘It’s just amazing to be recognised,’ she said.
‘I’ve spent my life trying to stay in the background, and now I can’t. I hope it will make a difference to the charity – we need to find a way to keep maintaining these PAD sites.’
Deputy Ozanne, who campaigns against LGBTQ+ conversion practices, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to religion and the LGBTQ+ community.
‘A lot of people have picked up on the sadness for me that my mum died just a month before I got this news,’ she said. ‘So it’s very bittersweet. But it’s wonderful having the establishment recognise work which has been about trying to challenge the establishment. It’s been very important. Personally, I’ll always continue to advocate for those who have no voice.’
Last, but not least, to be recognised was Mrs De Freitas, who was awarded the Silver Royal Victorian Medal after retiring from her position as Housekeeper at Government House after almost 24 years’ service.
Currently in her home island, Madeira, Lt-Governor Cripwell explained that she is an honorary medallist, as permission had to be gained from the Portuguese government for her to receive the award.
‘Which they did with extraordinary speed,’ he said. ‘Alice is a human dynamo. She is the exemplar of the Duracell Bunny. She has the highest of standards in everything she does and is relentlessly cheerful – even when I’m practising my Portuguese on her. We could not have done without her.’
