Congratulations are in order for two Islanders as the 2022 New Year Honours List is announced by the Cabinet Office.
Ian Lloyd (pictured left), a Strategic Manager at Isle of Wight Council has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to the community during the Covid-19 pandemic (see more).
Diane Foxley (pictured right) from Seaview was also awarded a BEM for services to the community in Seaview.
Diane Foxley BEM
Diane was an active and dedicated parish councillor with over 10 years’ service, having resigned around two years ago. She had responsibility for chairing the local planning committee and overseeing planning related decisions; this is another tension-prone area of village life to which she brings her customary sensitivity and light touch.
Within the parish council she is a vital source of institutional knowledge due to her long service and experience, and longer term residency in the village.
On the team behind community shop
The community shop, a vital community resource, was conceived and established five years ago when the last remaining shop in Seaview was at risk of closing. She was on the team which established and operates the shop on a voluntary basis.
The Seaview community shop has been recognised by a High Sheriff’s Award and an Isle of Wight Community Action Award, and is currently the only one of its kind on the Isle of Wight.
Support through Covid
Over the last year Diane has had to self-isolate and shield as a result of her age, but in spite of this obstacle she has continued to manage the community shop, providing guidance to both permanent and voluntary staff, leading management meetings remotely via Zoom, and ensuring the maintenance of a vital lifeline for the community.
Alongside these efforts on behalf of the whole village, she is also a longstanding volunteer race officer and instructor at the local sailing club, supporting many club members, and participating in the annual regatta.
Ian Lloyd
Island-born Ian Lloyd is the Isle of Wight council’s strategic manager for partnerships and support services in adult social care, led the set-up and delivery of the Covid-19 helpline and 26-strong community hub response, throughout the Coronavirus pandemic that provided tailored support to over 10,500 shielded Island residents.
The community response in the face of Covid-19 provided:
- Tailored support to over 10,500 shielded Isle of Wight residents (seven per cent of the total population);
- 10,600 calls to the helpline;
- An additional 25,000 check-in calls to those shielding with 761 individual welfare checks.
- All delivered together with bespoke support for community hubs, mobilising 1,150 volunteers, helping 3,000 residents with 395 emergency food parcels, 1,665 meals and 1,200 food parcels.
Ian said,
“Being a local Isle of Wight lad who is very passionate about this Island and its community, I am immensely proud of the amazing efforts and willingness of so many staff, voluntary community partners and volunteers alike.
“I cannot begin to describe the lengths the community response went to at such urgent pace to enable the most vulnerable of our Island community to have somewhere to turn to for assistance to remain safe, supported with access to food, medication deliveries and knowing that they were not alone and could reach out for contact support during these uncertain times.
“This honour is as much about the many people who worked with me for the Island’s response, as it is for me.
“My hope is that those vulnerable residents of our community feel that ‘we’ went some way in making a real difference to them in their genuine time of need, that we can all be proud of as a community.”
Metcalfe: Led with sensitivity and provided clarity
Chief executive John Metcalfe said,
“Ian has the ability to inspire colleagues to be the best that they can be.
“His professionalism and approachability are valued and never more so than in responding to the impact of Covid-19 on our communities.
“He has led with sensitivity and provided clarity in direction to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our community received the care and support that they have needed.”
Peacey-Wilcox: Immensely proud and grateful to Ian
Council leader, Lora Peacey-Wilcox, said,
“From working closely with voluntary sector partners, to co-ordinating activity with our local faith groups, Ian was integral to identifying how we were able to support our harder to reach, sometimes marginalised, members of the community and those at highest risk.
“His work and that of his wider team has enabled people to feel not only safe but also valued, for which I am immensely proud and grateful to him, and the extended volunteers.”
