British Empire Medal for terminally ill charity fundraiser

Colin Taylor (62) was presented with the medal by the Lieutenant-Governor, General Sir John McColl, who described him as a man with ‘a great gift to inspire others’.

Special arrangements were made for Mr Taylor to receive his award, which is usually only presented as part of the Queen’s Birthday or New Year honours, as he is terminally ill

Mr Taylor was previously heavily involved in the Caring Hands charity, which operates the Sanctuary House men’s shelter in St Aubin, and now fronts a new charity, Love Thy Neighbour, which runs an alms house in the village.

The schemes help vulnerable men by providing support, meals and leisure activities and encouraging them to participate in community projects.

Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Taylor said: ‘I’m honoured to get this award.

‘I would never have dreamt of this in a million years. How often does this happen in your life?

‘The anonymous donors and the community that’s growing now – that’s the movement behind everything.

‘There is a great board of trustees at Sanctuary House and they have secured it on a long term basis.’

Politicians including Chief Minister Ian Gorst and Deputy Murray Norton, as well as former Chief Minister Frank Walker, who is a Caring Hands trustee, attended the ceremony and praised Mr Taylor’s work.

‘He has delivered a service in Jersey for vulnerable men which didn’t exist before. It’s a fantastic achievement,’ said Senator Gorst.

Deputy Norton said Mr Taylor had helped many people and added: ‘The incredible work he has done was from a standing start. He proved there was a need and it could be done.’

Meanwhile, Mr Walker said that Mr Taylor had ‘literally saved hundreds of men in Jersey who had no home and no hope’.

He added: ‘His energy and determination has enabled them to turn their lives around.’

Some of the men who have used Sanctuary House attended and praised Mr Taylor for turning their lives around.

‘If it wasn’t for Colin’s drive we don’t know where would be,’ said Mathew Baudet (34), one of the first men taken in by Sanctuary House.

‘I had been in trouble since I was 17 and not long come out of jail when Sanctuary House took me in. It gave me a platform to push on in my life and if I didn’t have that, I would be back to square one.’

Sean Gallery (25) met Mr Baudet in Sanctuary House and they have remained friends since their time there.

‘I was in Sanctuary House about three years ago after I was released from prison,’ he said. ‘Colin took me in and opened up doors for me. He got me back on track, got my head straight and a few months later I had a flat and a job and ever since I have progressed.

‘To me personally, Colin had a father role.Whenever I had a problem or needed someone to talk to he was always there.’

  • The British Empire Medal (formally British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown.
  • The current honour was created in 1922 to replace the original medal which had been established in 1917 as part of the Order of the British Empire.
  • Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters BEM.
  • Between 1993 and 2012, the British Empire Medal was not awarded in the United Kingdom, although it continued to be awarded in some Commonwealth realms during that time.
  • The practice of awarding the British Empire Medal in the United Kingdom was resumed in June 2012 to coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, although only in the civil division.
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