"Very humbling" to receive MBE

Saturday 28 December 2019

David Swiffen, who has spent years working to improve Les Cotils Christian Centre and its offering to the local community, will be awarded an MBE for his services to Guernsey.

He bought the site with his wife, Jane Swiffen, back in 1996 with plans to invest in the community.

Mr Swiffen said it was "an honour" and "very humbling" to be mentioned in Her Majesty The Queen's New Year's Honours List for 2020.

"It's really for all the hard work that's been done by everyone to make Les Cotils the community centre it is," he added.

Pictured: Les Cotils is open to people of all beliefs and circumstances.

"It is used widely in a lot of aspects - not just wining and dining. It holds weddings and other family get togethers, then there's the educational side with exams, the business community use it for meetings, the States use it for a lot of their meetings, St John is based there now, we have a school there and there is also a retirement unit. It takes in all aspects from the young children to the elderly.

"It is extremely hard work."

Mr Swiffen thanked the current Manager, who has been in the role for the past seven years.

He is awaiting an invitation to be awarded with his Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Pictured top: Image from lescotils.com.