Very fittingly, our Lieutenant-Governor, Lieutenant-General Andrew Ridgway, who is approaching retirement from his present post, has been made a Knight Commander of the British Empire.
The award no doubt relates to his service as a soldier as well as to the role he has played here in Jersey. That said, it will be generally recognised that he has acquitted himself magnificently as the monarch’s representative in the Island, making every conceivable effort to exercise his duties not only conscientiously but also with great dignity and personal charm. In this he has been ably assisted by his wife, Valerie, who is most certainly entitled to a share of her husband’s honour.
Islanders, meanwhile, will be delighted that Dr Lee Durrell has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her work with the renowned wildlife conservation organisation that bears the name she shares with her late husband, Gerald. That she has taken up the conservation torch that he handed on, carrying it with skill and determination, is as evident as it is valuable and praiseworthy.
Michael Wilkins – who has served and continues to serve as Judicial Greffier and Viscount – might not be a conspicuous public figure, but he has laboured long and hard for the general wellbeing of the Island and Islanders and richly deserves the MBE that has been conferred on him.
A more readily visible figure is Senator Paul Routier, not least because of his distinguished record of service as a senior politician. However, his MBE also recognises work accomplished largely behind the scenes in his roles with Jersey Mencap and Les Amis. Those who know him will understand that the quiet but highly effective approach that he adopts to politics is mirrored in his charitable endeavours.
Last but by no means least, an accomplished musician and charismatic leader, Nick Manning, the musical director of the Band of the Island of Jersey, has also earned an MBE. Since joining the band as a 12-year-old cornet player 39 years ago, he has devoted a large part of his life to honing not only his own skills but those of a group of talented musicians who are such a credit to this community.
The Jersey Evening Post offers it congratulations to these five people who, in their separate and different ways, have contributed so much here and in the wider world.
