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The most standout members of Guernsey's community have been congratulated at the 2018 Community Awards.
Three short listed businesses, charities or individuals from seven different categories all attended, and the winners were announced by the awards' sponsors last night.
Past winner of the Charity of the Year award, Steve Byrne, Manager of the GSPCA, also spoke about the progress the GSPCA has made since winning the award and how it has changed the way the local animal charity do things. Now, he said, they had big plans for their wildlife hospital to be developed.
Pictured: Steve Byrne speaking to the evening's compere Jim Delbridge.
And the Charity of the Year award goes to.... Guernsey Mind!
— Community Foundation (@GuernseyCF) 13 November 2018
For their vital role in raising awareness of mental health awareness and striving to improve mental health generally.
Thank you State Street Guernsey for your continued sponsorship.
But this year, the winner of the main award of the evening was Guernsey Mind, which was given the Charity of the Year title because of the range of services it provides for mental health.
"Guernsey Mind's vision is of a society that has a positive attitude towards mental wellbeing and where the community embraces respect for all. It works towards this by promoting positive mental health for all islanders and raising awareness of mental health issues" the Judges said.
"In the last year, the employee wellbeing service has trained 944 members of staff at 32 different companies in mental health awareness - far beyond their expectations.
"[They] are increasingly reaching of it [their] key objectives to become a hub for mental health and wellbeing in the Bailiwick."
Each winner not only receives a coveted Community Awards Trophy, but also a check for £2,000 to go toward their future work.
The first award to be presented last night was the award for the organising committee of the year, which went to Floral Forest, who after being around for 21 years represented Guernsey in 2018's Britain in Bloom awards.
"Team work is especially event with the Forest Wombles - a group of 16 dedicated ladies who are responsible for deadheading the many parish displays. Floral Forest has made every effort to engage with the community, especially with schools such as Forest Primary and Le Rondin, and youth groups such as the 17th Guernsey Forest Brownies. As part of this, they have run competitions to promote wildlife and conservation."
Pictured: The Forest Floral Team getting their award.
For Fund-raising team of the year, the judges had to decide between Ernie's Angels, the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation and Trevor Mahy and his family - a decision they all agreed was a difficult one.
But Ernie's Angels took the award despite being a new charity, because of the way the campaign was so embraced by the local community.
"The focus of the charity is specifically on covering the costs of palliative and respite care, and also assistance with funeral expenses caused by illness or accident of a child in the Bailiwick. Ernie's Angels differs from other children's cancer charities in that they focus specifically on the time after a terminal diagnosis has been given. The charity was set up in memory of Ernie, the founder's inspirational son, who sadly passed away from leukaemia last year.
"A unique fundraising campaign launched the charity, when Ernie's im-mature cheese went on sale just before Christmas 2017 with all profits going to charity. regular trips to the Guernsey Dairy, thanks to Ernie's love of cheese, forged a lifelong bond between him and the Dairy's Production team."
The other winners were Jon Honour, who was awarded the Outstanding Individual Achievement Award, Investec Guernsey, which won the award for Corporate Social Responsibility, the Innovation Award, which was given to the Pollinator Project, and the Youth Award, which went to Charlotte Horsepool.
More can be read about all of the shortlisted candidates for each award here.
Pictured top: Investec's Michelle Le Clerc receiveing their CSR award.
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