Pride of Guernsey: Proud to be back

TODAY the Guernsey Press is launching Pride of Guernsey 2017, marking the second year of our unique Bailiwick-wide awards series celebrating those who make us proud, yet who rarely get a mention.

Following last year’s inaugural campaign – which brought hundreds of nominations, (including today’s page one cover stars Jessica Pearce and George Garnett) and attracted 20,000 votes – we are expecting another huge response to a local set of honours that islanders have instantly taken to their hearts.

Our 12 awards will again reflect those doing extraordinary things every day and who deserve a special public thank-you. For some it will be for family, friends or neighbours, for others it will just simply all be in a day’s work.

The accolades will finally be a way for us all to acknowledge and mark their often quiet, yet wonderful achievements. Without them our home would not be the special place it is. And with that in mind, these awards will have the Bailiwick at their heart.

The popular categories stay the same and include Emergency Hero of the Year (aimed at our 999 responders), Angel of the Year (for our medics and nurses), Neighbour of the Year, Carer of the Year, Parish Champion of the Year and Teacher of the Year.

We will also be searching for the Bailiwick’s grandparents of the year, parents of the year, young achievers, those who make great contributions to our arts community, or who have overcome adversity, or those who – on behalf of our islands – roll out the welcome mat in style.

The Guernsey Press has also again teamed up with an exclusive group of local businesses who have each become our official partners to sponsor the categories.

All have chosen an award which has relevance for them and each will be donating a prize worth £1,000 to the chosen winners.

Over the coming weeks, readers will be asked to nominate their favourites and we will feature every one of them in our newspaper and online. And any islanders who were unsuccessful last year can be nominated once again in any category.

You will be involved again in the voting process too, helping to ensure all the winners are your winners.

As last time, the top three entrants in each category will go forward to our special ceremony on 7 October where the eventual 12 recipients chosen by our judges will be revealed.

Guernsey Press managing director Mark Lewis said that as the community’s champion, the newspaper was delighted to once again be celebrating the best of our Bailiwick.

‘We realised last year, when so many nominations flooded in, just how many people deserved acknowledgement for their quiet contribution to making Guernsey such a great place to be.

‘We were also so proud to host the very first Pride of Guernsey Awards, which ensured the finalists themselves were the stars of the show and which received tremendously positive feedback.

‘This year we know the process and ceremony will be just as good and we can’t wait to give our 2017 nominees their chance to shine in the spotlight and to share their stories and achievements.’