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The man behind the King and Queen's visit to Jersey this year, the founder of a school in Kenya, a disability champion and a Chief Minister are among those from across the Channel Islands to have been recognised in the 2025 New Year Honours List.
From Jersey, Steve Cartwright and Ruth Smith have both been made an MBE, whilst Jeaninne Carey has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the island's disabled community.
In Guernsey, Chief Minister Lyndon Trott has been made an OBE, and Mike Chapple received the British Empire Medal for his dedication to youth sailing.
Express spoke to the individuals who have done so much for their community...
Pictured: Steve Cartwright is Chief Officer for the Bailiff's Chambers in Jersey.
The key organiser of Royal Visit to Jersey this year has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the community.
Steve Cartwright is Chief Officer for the Bailiff's Chambers, and helps the Bailiff of Jersey in all aspects of his role.
Mr Cartwright was born and brought up in Jersey and after attending the University of Plymouth he served as an officer in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
He worked for the States Assembly first as International Relations Officer. After a short spell in a managerial role at the island's financial watchdog, the Jersey Financial Services Commission, he moved to his present role almost eight years ago.
He explained: “It was my responsibility to oversee events like the Royal visit or Memorial Day.
“I have to make sure the courts are functioning properly, working with the judicial greffes and ensuring we have enough judges, security staff and court rooms.
“And I work with States Members and help with their requests – like during covid, when Deputy Kovacs wanted to organise a Romanian Orthodox service in Howard Davis Park.”
Pictured: Steve Cartwright was instrumental in organising the Royal visit to Jersey earlier this year.
He said he tries to follow three guiding principles in all his work: “Keep it simple. If it feels wrong it’s because it will be wrong. When you do things well for people they won’t know that you did anything at all.”
At 43 years old, Mr Cartwright is one of the younger recipient of an MBE, and was taken aback when he heard about it.
“I couldn’t speak,” he said. “I was absolutely stunned. You don’t do the job expecting to get an honour.
“And I know so many people who work so hard. If somebody had told me 20 years ago that I would be nominated for one I would have laughed at them.”
However friends and relatives pointed out to him that he would not have been put forward if he didn’t deserve it.
Mr Cartwright added: “I’m chuffed to bits. But I’m supported by a great team, so it’s partly for the team.”
Pictured: Ruth Smith has been honoured for services to the communities in Jersey and Kenya.
Ruth Smith is a 74-year-old teacher who has spent her working life teaching in Jersey and helping to run a school in Kenya.
She has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the communities in both places.
Mrs Smith came to Jersey at the age of 23, and has spent the last 51 years in the island.
In 2014, she decided to take a gap year to visit Australia, South Africa and Kenya and spending time at a school in the Kenyan town of Malindi.
She said: “I set up my own school up in 2015 which I financed myself, intending it to be an Early Years school because so many children were not in school. Now there are almost 300 pupils and 18 staff, up to Year 6.”
Mrs Smith explained that the school does not just provide an education.
“Those children were very hungry,” she said. “I set up a porridge programme and then a lunch programme – not just beans and rice but proper nutritional lunches.”
Some of the government-run schools in Kenya can have up to 100 children to a class, so the school in Malindi is careful to control ratios of levels of pupils so that classes are no larger than 35.
It is registered as a charity in Jersey called 'The Friends of Malindi Bright Future Academy'.
Mrs Smith has been going back ever since, usually for three months at a time, and is next due to visit early in the new year.
She also supports the school with proceeds from sales of her children’s story books about 'Twinkle the Donkey', illustrated by local artist Anita Eastwood.
Pictured: Ruth Smith (right) supports the Kenyan school with proceeds from sales of her children’s story books about 'Twinkle the Donkey', illustrated by local artist Anita Eastwood (left).
Mrs Smith sees education as sure route out of poverty, saying: “If you can’t read you’re seriously stuck.”
She taught English and psychology to A level in various Jersey schools, and remembers noticing many pupils who could neither spell nor punctuate.
She realised that they had dyslexia – a difficulty less understood then than it is now. Mrs Smith went on to run the Jersey Dyslexia Association for many years.
“We had a helpline and we ran courses and conferences for teachers, parents and children,” she explained.
“We got a lot of calls from people who were told their child was dyslexic and didn’t know what to do. We ran dyslexia in the workplace conferences for 200 employers and HR people.”
Mrs Smith also set up a youth club in Trinity which grew so quickly that after two years it had to move into new, purpose-built premises. She was leader in charge for ten years.
And at a time when most teachers have long since retired, Mrs Smith’s belief in the value of education keeps her working, offering private tuition to those who need it.
“I still have my pupils,” she said.
“I’m very proud to be honoured.”
Pictured: Jeannine Carey has been given a British Empire Medal for services to the disability community in Jersey.
Jeannine Carey is the learning difficulties co-ordinator for Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled.
The 61-year-old has been given a British Empire Medal for services to the disability community in Jersey.
Mrs Carey's work began at the age of just 14, when she was asked to help out at Seaton Youth Club, which was hosting weekly sessions with the group Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied – now simply known as Phab.
“That was when it started,” she recalled. “They had people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties.”
Mrs Carey was keen to introduce them to her sport of trampolining but was too young at that age for the qualifications.
“I started to teach it on my 18th birthday,” she said.
Soon she was taking her skills to other youth clubs, many of which also had members with disabilities.
“I believe in everyone taking part in sport,” she explains. “I like to see everyone getting involved.”
Some people with learning disabilities also have physical problems, while others may be physically fit but could have some difficulty getting to grips with all the rules of sports, but she says they can be introduced gradually – and it is rewarding seeing that progress.
“People take small steps and then the penny drops,” she said.
Mrs Carey said she has seen major changes for the better over her 47 years of involvement.
“When I started out there were no sports opportunities for people with learning difficulties,” she explained.
“With inclusion and diversity, all the sports clubs now have inclusion policies. And many schools do a lot more. There is so much more on offer, whether it’s for people with physical or learning disabilities. People are far more aware of it.”
Mrs Carey fitted in her community work around her job at Standard Bank and raising two daughters – both of whom now also help people with disabilities.
Her older daughter, Zoe, works with Les Amis while the other, Josie, is head coach with Jersey Special Gymnastics.
Mrs Carey did not expect the honour and says she is “totally humbled” by it, but said: “At the end of the day, you do it because you enjoy it.”
She added: “There is a whole team of people involved. It’s not just for me, it’s for everybody.”
Pictured: Lyndon Trott is Guernsey's Chief Minister.
Guernsey's Chief Minister Lyndon Trott – who, like his similarly-named Jersey counterpart, took on the top job earlier this year after his predecessor faced a vote of no confidence – will become the island's first sitting politician since Roger Berry to receive an OBE, a span of 22 years.
He will be made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Guernsey.
Deputy Heidi Soulsby was the last Guernsey politician to receive recognition from the crown, following her work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Deputy Trott’s nomination, his long service to politics is highlighted, first appearing as a part of the political theatre back in the year 2000, and becoming one of the islands longest serving deputies.
His work with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Leadership Council of TheCityUK, as the Chair of Guernsey Finance, and being an Independent Trustee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Trust Funds, all get a special mention in his nomination, which lists his accolades and achievements, and his donated time.
Pictured: Deputy Lyndon Trott sat next to the Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starmer.
In a statement, Deputy Trott says the honour is a great one, and one to be shared with his closest friends and family.
"To be awarded an OBE for is of course a great honour and I am enormously grateful.
“This is really recognition of the many people I’ve worked with, political members, public servants, business colleagues and many other people in the Guernsey community. It’s a very special community which I’m deeply proud to have served for so many years and it has been a team effort.
“In particular, it is my family who deserve recognition because they - like the families of all those who enter public political life - give a huge amount in terms of support, patience and understanding. Politics in a small and passionate community is often intense, it seldom makes you popular and it takes up a lot of your life, and that’s fine as a personal choice but it’s harder to ask it of your family. My family has been incredibly supportive and I can’t thank them enough.
“I’d also like to thank my own political mentors from whom I learned a great deal in my early years - in particular former Deputy Roger Berry who was himself honoured with an OBE, 22 years ago to the day.
“I hope this honour adds to the recognition for Guernsey’s government as a whole, and to the jurisdiction’s reputation for professionalism, stability and security, which is what we have been known for over my long career in public service.
“But I’m very conscious that this award comes at a time when many people are frustrated with the political process. I share those frustrations - our public finances remain unbalanced, cost of living rises have made life harder for many people, and we are still investing far too little in our island and our economy. So while I am hugely grateful to receive this honour, my focus remains on the very big workload that we have to get through in the remaining months of this political term."
Previously Deputy Trott has said this term will be his last in public office. When asked if the addition of letters to his name will mean a change in plans, Deputy Trott chose not to comment.
Pictured: Mike Chapple has has been recognised with a British Empire Medal for Services to Youth Sailing in Guernsey.
Mike Chapple’s enthusiasm for guiding young sailors remains undimmed after more than 30 years.
He never dreamed of being involved for so long when he set out instructing and then coaching.
Now his dedication has been recognised by the award of the British Empire Medal for Services to Youth Sailing in Guernsey.
"Initially I was totally shocked at the announcement, then humbled and felt very privileged," he said about the Honour.
Mr Chapple started instructing sailing 30 years ago driven by a passion for racing.
"I was hopeful that my own very young children would want to share my passion when they were older," he said.
"I thereafter found that instructing was quite formulaic and therefore I worked to get my coaching qualification.
"This allowed me to be more expressive which suited my character. Coaching lends itself to be more flexible and dynamic, aiding me to deal with a wide range of personalities attributable to children ages five to 18."
Pictured: Pirates on the Pond. (Guernsey Yacht Club)
In that time he helped launch Pirates on the Pond in conjunction with the Guernsey Sailing Trust as well as the Optimist Winter Academy for promising young sailors.
He has guided teenagers in the ILCA Class, with every summer weekend dedicated to coaching.
Keen to encourage participation off-island, he often hires a RIB at his own expense to get up close to the action to then be able to provide coaching between races and debriefs afterwards.
Many of his students have been selected by the Royal Yachting Association to train and compete in Laser, Feva and Optimist fleets with Regional and National Junior Youth Squads.
They include a bronze medallist in the Laser Radial dinghy U21 Europeans who was selected for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Trials, as well as gold medalists in the NatWest Island Games.
"Never did I think that I would be doing this 30 years later," he said.
"I am still enthused to continue for another 10 years at least.
"I have been blessed to have coached some very hard working dedicated junior and youth sailors who have gone on to achieve some notable accomplishments putting Guernsey on the sporting map."
After being told about the BEM, he said that keeping the secret from his family had been one of the most difficult things to do.
"Naturally, you want to share the news especially with those that are close to you. My late wife would have been so proud and without her support I wouldn't have entered coaching."
Guernsey CM and sailing coach named in New Year Honours list
Trott praises "very special" community after being made an OBE
Chapple recognised for over three decades of dedication to youth sailing
REVEALED: The Channel Islanders recognised in King’s Birthday Honours 2024
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