A new award acknowledging the tireless efforts of a young person has been launched in memory of Sir George Carteret, the most celebrated Jerseyman in the Island’s history.
Launched Island wide today, on the first anniversary of the unveiling of the Sir George Carteret statue in the parish, the Sir George Carteret Award is the brainchild of the Constable of St Peter, John Refault and is supported by leading Jersey financial services firm JTC.
Sir George Carteret ensured Jersey’s allegiance to the Royalist cause during the English civil war and helped to safely shelter the future King Charles II in the Island during his exile. Organisations and individuals across the Island are invited to nominate a young person under the age of 19 who has demonstrated the same personal qualities as this key historical figure – most notably loyalty, endeavour and a tireless determination to a particular cause or personal project.
His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor, General Sir John McColl KCB, CBE, DSO, has kindly agreed to judge all the entries alongside the St Peter Constable, John Refault and JTC’s Group CEO & Chairman Nigel Le Quesne. The overall winner will be awarded £1,000 in recognition of their achievement – half of which is to be donated to a charity of their choice.
Constable Refault said that the award was not necessarily designed for someone who always excelled at everything, but sought to acknowledge a young person living in Jersey who had given their time to a well-meaning project selflessly and consistently and regardless of any personal reward showing a determination to succeed which was beyond the norm. He was also delighted that JTC, a long established local company, was supporting the initiative.
Nigel Le Quesne added: “JTC’s business has been successfully built on a number of guiding principles which include a ‘can do attitude’ and ‘above and beyond service’ and we will be looking for similar qualities in the applications received. To acknowledge the remarkable career of this leading figure from Jersey’s past in a way that helps ensure he will not be forgotten, while awarding the extraordinary efforts of a young Islander from the present is an inspired and worthy initiative which we are delighted to support.”