Charter Night (28 May 2021)

Paul Harris Fellowship Award - Pat Child

In 2008, Pat Child became a founder member of Home-Start Guernsey, which recruits and trains volunteers and paid staff who visit and support families with young children who are experiencing challenging and difficult times.  Pat played an active role within the charity until she stepped down in 2014.

She is a founder member of the Guernsey Cancer Support Charity and is well known as the founder of Bright Tights.

Pat was instrumental in the creation of The Guernsey Cancer Support Charity. Again this was an area where she saw a need to support individuals and their families in some of the most challenging times. She also become aware that the supporters needed support too and in liaison with The Macmillan Charity this has been achieved through regular get togethers of the supporters to share and discuss personal difficulties and to have access to a dedicated counsellor too.  In 2021 she stepped down after 10 years as Chairperson but remains on the Committee as Secretary.

Pat started Bright Tights after being treated for a gynaecological cancer in 2008.  During this difficult time, she realised there was no specific support for women suffering with these types of cancers.  She began in 2011 by giving personal support and friendship to sufferers, this grew to such levels that in 2013 she registered Bright Tights as a Charity and formed a committee to help with the workload.  She continues to Chair this committee.  The Bright Tights Charity raises awareness and funds and provides support to many Guernsey women in a variety of ways that are needed from friendship to financial and practical help. It is a credit to Pat and her team that over the last 10 years the charity has raised over £172,000 and the figure continues to rise.

She was one of the facilitators for the “HOPE” course in 2011; HOPE stands for Helping Overcome Problems Effectively.  A programme encouraging psychological help focusing on strengths and resiliencies for people living with cancer.

In 2015, she was a founder member of the Guernsey Branch of the University of the Third Age (U3A).  An exploratory public meeting was held to gauge interest in the project and was attended by over 200 people.  As a result, U3A Guernsey was registered as a full member of U3A UK with Pat as Vice Chairman and Interest Groups co-ordinator. She is still an active member and continues to have innovative ideas for new courses. U3A Guernsey now has over 900 members locally.

Pat has been an active member of The Inner Wheel Club of Guernsey since 2002.  She was President of the Club in 2005/6 and will take on the Presidency again in 2021/22 and she is an active and involved member of the Club, having held various committee positions over the years.

She is a volunteer for the Walking for Health initiative run by Health and Social Care and leads regular weekly walks, which offer a suitable level of activity along with companionship and support for the walkers.

Pat sees a need in the community, and she commits herself with energy, enthusiasm and good humour to putting that right. Her vision and commitment have helped hundreds of islanders through many trying and worrying times in their lives. Much of the work she has undertaken with the Charities mentioned above was done concurrently as she is dedicated to enhancing the lives and well-being of others.

As can be seen from the tributes to her contribution to our community her award was well deserved and reinforces the Rotary motto of Service Above Self.”

Centenary Year

Brian Acton provided members with a potted history of the Rotary Club of Guernsey from its first meeting in October 1922 with anecdotes from the club minute books. Including a reminder that members who did not meet the required level of attendance would be summoned to meet the club President and be recorded as “delinquent” until their attendance improved.

The club has been providing Christmas parcels for the needy in the island since 1936 and still that need exists today.

Brian explained to members how the community project to restore the Japanese Fishing Hut in Saumarez Park has been delayed following the discovery of roosting bats, but he was sure that when the project is allowed to procced it will provide a lasting memorial for the club’s centenary.

to Paul Watts & the Sports & Social committee for organising the evening and the raffle which raised funds for the centenary fund.