Roger Allsopp, the Guinness World Record Holder for the oldest person to swim the Channel, founder of Hope for Guernsey and charity fund raiser extraordinaire was named Guiton Group Ambassador of the Year 2011 at the Guernsey Awards for Achievement Gala Evening held at Beau Sejour, St. Peter Port, Guernsey on Thursday 9 February 2012.
30th August 2011 was the day that local Guernsey man and retired breast cancer surgeon, Roger Allsopp created a new Guinness World Record when he became the oldest man to swim the English Channel at the age of 70 years and 115 days.
His achievement, made even more inspiring by the fact that it was the second time that Roger had completed the infamous Channel swim, was covered comprehensively by local media, UK media and much further afield including Thailand and Australia. His swimming feats are what have recently propelled Roger to the top of local, regional and international media headlines, but it is his tireless work and commitment to Hope For Guernsey and Wessex Medical Research that provides the real motivation in his life. The objective of Roger’s 2011 Channel swim was to raise £750,000 to buy a mass spectrometer for Southampton University that will help with early diagnosis of cancer.
The two runners up in the 2011 Guiton Group Ambassador of the Year Award were international bowls sportswoman Alison Merrien and the Guernsey Football Club. Alison has had another stellar year in 2011 by winning two world titles, a silver medal at the World Indoor Cup in Australia and a bronze medal at the World Outdoor Champion of Champions in Hong Kong. She was also nominated for the 2011 Sportingbet Sports Personality of the Year Award and was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to sport.
Guernsey Football Club was launched in 2011 and has recorded an impressive tally of home and away wins before they have even completed their first season. The Club, a registered charity, was established to give Guernsey’s top footballers an opportunity to compete regularly at a higher level in the Combined Counties League in England. Combining professionalism and passion on and off the pitch, the players, officials and fans have been “ambassadors” for the Bailiwick be they playing at home or away.
The judges for the Guiton Group Ambassador of the Year Award are Robert Shepherd of Mourant Ozannes, Gary Burgess of Channel TV, James Bentley of Island FM, Louise Hall of Chamber of Commerce, Mark Palfrey of the Institute of Directors (Guernsey branch), Mike Tanguy of Les Bourgs Hospice and Suzanne Heneghan and Mark Lewis of the Guernsey Press.
“The achievements of all the short-listed individuals and all nominees for this year’s Ambassador of the Year were once again deeply impressive in the depth of their commitment to their chosen field of endeavour” said John Averty, Chairman of the Guiton Group. “I know that the judges had a difficult time even creating the short-list and it was only after much discussion that the winner was identified. To have such admirable individuals as ambassadors for the Bailiwick of Guernsey truly endorses the credibility and importance of the Ambassador of the Year Award that the Guiton Group is proud to be the sponsor of.”