Community champions to receive Royal Honours

Saturday 12 June 2021

Five people who "have touched the lives of most islanders" have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Four Guernsey residents and one from Sark have been honoured for their work.

Stuart Falla MBE is awarded the CBE for services to the community in Guernsey; Dr Richard Axton is awarded the MBE for services to heritage and the environment in Sark; Tony Creasey is awarded the MBE for services to charity and sport in Guernsey; and Pat Child is awarded the BEM for services to the island's health and voluntary sectors. 

Clare Sealy, who is the Head of Curriculum & Standards for the States of Guernsey, is awarded the OBE for her achievements in the UK, where she worked as a headteacher and educational blogger.

Pictured: Stuart Falla MBE has led on £360m plans to create a third commercial harbour in Guernsey. Those proposals will go to the States next week. 

Mr Falla helped to establish the Association of Guernsey Charities and played a key role in establishing the Guernsey Community Foundation.

The current Guernsey Ports Chairman has almost 20 years’ service as Chairman of the Guernsey Sports Commission, led on the transformation of Guernsey’s King George V Memorial Playing Field and formed the Health Improvement Commission to support the delivery of key public health strategies. 

With his late wife, Marie, Dr Axton saved countless manuscripts, books and documents to establish a history of Sark life, legal proceedings and feudal land tenure, where no academic record existed.

He has led La Société Sercquaise since 2005, has been an enthusiastic fundraiser for the island's 16th century buildings and has worked to create sustainable businesses for Sark residents, including a brewery and a new community dairy.

Pictured: Dr Axton was instrumental in the creation of the Sark Observatory, which secured the world’s first Dark Sky Island status. 

Mr Creasey, who is well-known as the Chairman of the eponymous Creasey's Department Store, has worked for almost 40 years in support of the Bailiwick’s third sector and sporting community. 

He was the Chairman of the Lloyds Bank Foundation for 12 years, heads up the Management Committee of Les Bourgs Hospice, and has been President of St Martin’s Lawn Tennis Club for 30 years, where he has improved coaching standards and competition for young players. 

Mrs Child moved to Guernsey from the UK in 1974 to teach primary age pupils, becoming Deputy Head Teacher of Vale Infant School and Head Teacher of Hautes Capelles Infant School.

She was one of the founding members of Home-Start Guernsey, was instrumental in creating Guernsey Cancer Support, and personally launched Bright Tights.

Pictured: Patricia Child co-founded Home-Start Guernsey in 2008. 

Mrs Sealy's nomination originated from the UK, where she was Headteacher of St Matthias Primary School in London for 22 years.

She had been a classroom teacher there for six years before that, working in a very deprived cohort with predominantly Bangladeshi-Muslim students, whose first language was not English.

Her perspective changed after an Ofsted inspection in 2014 led her to discover an interest in education blogs and influencers, developing an audience of tens of thousands of people. 

The Lieutenant-Governor, Vice-Admiral Sir Ian Corder, commented: "I’m really delighted that these five exceptional individuals have been recognised with national awards. 

Pictured: The quintet have been named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. 

"Between them their work has probably touched the lives of most islanders in one way or another, and far wider in Clare’s case, and there’s no doubt that the Bailiwick would be a poorer place without their sustained and inspirational work.

"It’s also pleasing to see the award of the CBE, which is a senior Honour, for work within our community. That’s a significant acknowledgement of conspicuous leadership."

Any individual or group may nominate someone for a national Honour by contacting the Bailiff's Chambers and requesting an Honours Nomination Form. The form, together with guidance notes, is also available at www.governmenthouse.gg.

Pictured top: Buckingham Palace. Left to right: Clare Sealy, Tony Creasey, Stuart Falla, Pat Child and Dr Richard Axton.