Nigel Dorey, PHF with sapphire pin (1 March 2025)

At our Charter Night Celebrations, on 1st March, I had the pleasure of awarding a Paul Harris Fellowship with sapphire pin to one of our longstanding members, Nigel Dorey.

Nigel joined our club in August 2005, and he hit the ground running and has carried on running. It’s been quite difficult to put together a list of his activities because there have been so many of them. Nigel was our President in the 2013-2014 Rotary year, and before that he spent some years as chair of the Youth Services Committee. Since his time as President he has also spent some years as chair of our Sports & Social Committee. Ever since I’ve been involved with Rotary, Nigel has been our health and safety guru. The fact that he’s qualified to do that is clear from the fact that he received a lifetime achievement award from the Guernsey Occupational Safety and Health Association.

In addition to these positions Nigel is a tireless worker on particular projects, often working as a team with his wife, Jocelyn.  He was responsible for maintaining the Rotary garden at Delancey, until its maintenance was handed over to the States, he sourced and arranged for the erection of the Christmas tree which was traditionally placed outside the Town church, he was a member of our centenary committee, and was the project manager for the rebuilding of the Japanese Pavillion at Saumarez Park.  For 10 years he helped organise the Hearts & Smiles charity golf days which raised over £130,000 for Wessex Heartbeat and Smile4Wessex.

Nigel has been involved for many years in the organisation of the Saffery Rotary Walk (which last year raised over £90,000 for local charities) and has been the Deputy Chair of the Walk Committee for some years. Perhaps above all, he and Jocelyn are known as Mr and Mrs Tree of Joy, as together for many years they have taken on most of the responsibility for this significant project which not only delivers the Christmas light tree at the roundabout at the bottom of St. Julian's Avenue (the tallest light tree in Europe) but ensures that around 700 children each year who might otherwise not receive Christmas presents do. This is a really big project. Nigel has been responsible this year for arranging the installation of an independent electricity supply for the light tree which has meant that it has survived the elements far better than in previous years.

Simon Howitt

President 2024-25

(Photos provided by Mariechen Faurie)