Tristan da Cunha Government News

MBE for Anne Green

Report from the Editor

Anne with school pupils at her retirement assembly in May 2018

We are delighted to report that Anne Violet Green has been appointed as a MBE by HM The Queen for services to the community in Tristan da Cunha in the 2019 New Year Honours List.

Anne Green became a teacher in 1975, served as Deputy Head for many years and then became Head and Education Officer in October 2010. She retired at the end of the 2017 academic year, after 42 years of teaching generations of island children.

Anne with her family ex-pupils in May 2018: Left with daughters Joanne and Iris and grand-children Sasha, Rachel and Caryn; Right with brother James, his daughter Sarah and her sons Kieran and Connor.

Chief Islander Anne with Administrator Mike Hentley (far left, now Vice-Chair of the Tristan Association)
and fellow Island Council members during her second term of office in 2004.

Anne Green has also been an Island Council member for many years and became the first woman to be elected as Chief Islander in 1988, serving until 1991 and again from 2003-2007. She represented Tristan at Government meetings in the UK, where her calm leadership gained her great respect.

	Leaving Tristan as Chief Islander with husband Joseph aboard the Agulhas' helicopter in 2004 for a trip to the UK. Joseph was honoured with an MBE in 2012.
Chief Islander Anne Green with Administrator Mike Hentley welcoming HE Governor Mike Clancy to Tristan to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the discovery of Tristan in 2006.

Anne is also a leading member of Tristan’s small but thriving Roman Catholic community, serving as a Lay Minister and leading services in the absence of a serving priest and alongside her brother James.   The photo left shows Anne officiating at the 2015 joint Remembrance Service in St Joseph's Catholic Church.

Anne Green’s contribution to the Tristan da Cunha community has been huge and her MBE appointment warmly welcomed. Administrator Sean Burns led the contratulations for Anne by acknowledging the well- deserved award and Chief Islander Ian Lavarello commented ‘Fantastic news, well deserved’.

Her leadership in the fields of education, church and on the Island Council is a unique achievement, and of the highest order in the history of the Tristan community. Therefore, Anne's appointment as a MBE by The Queen is an appropriate accolade on her retirement from teaching.

Of course, islanders never retire. Anne’s work as a Lay Minister continues and she will no doubt be active in the village community, supporting her family and others. Like all islanders, Anne will also be busy every day of the year tending stock and crops, preparing wool and knitting. As an example of the latter, we featured a thank-you letter from Australia this month (December 2018) for a beautifully knitted pair of ‘Love Socks’ – knitted by Anne.

 

Chief Islander visits Association Chairman

Report and photo from Chief Islander Ian Lavarello

Ian Lavarello continued his UK tour by visiting Tristan Association President and Chairman Michael Swales at his Staffordshire home on Tuesday 18th December. Ian travelled by train from Manchester and was met at Uttoxeter Station by Michael, who drove them to his Alton home.

Ian with Michael at the Alton Bridge Hotel before lunch.

Ian was able to brief Michael about a range of issues regarding Tristan and, in turn, Michael updated Ian on various Tristan Association matters.  The pair then went to the nearby Alton Bridge Hotel where discussion continued over a  very enjoyable lunch.

Later in the afternoon we drove in pouring rain (Typical Tristan weather) to the station to be dropped off for Ian's return to Manchester.

Ian later commented:

"On behalf of the Tristan community I would like to thank Michael and the Association for all the support they are giving, especially with the Tristan Education Trust Fund."

This fund is a UK registered charity that exists to give grants to support Tristan da Cunha islanders who are studying overseas.

Chief Islander in UK Blue Belt Meetings

Report and photos from Tristan Government UK Representative Chris Carnegy

On December 12th and 13th, Tristan’s Chief Islander Ian Lavarello and UK Representative Chris Carnegy met two key partner organisations that are commissioned to support the island’s preparations for a new ‘Blue Belt’ of marine protection. Discussions with the Marine Management Organisation focused on the policy decisions that lie ahead - what type of designation the Island Council might choose, to best promote conservation and biodiversity in a vast zone whose carefully managed fisheries also sustain the Tristan economy. A visit to the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) in Lowestoft brought a chance to review their programme of research on fish stocks, and their project to refurbish Wave Dancer, Tristan’s fishery patrol vessel. Oliver Yates was our host at CEFAS.

Photo left shows Ian with Oliver outside the CEFAS offices in Lowestoft on 13th December.

Ian Lavarello, centre, with Oliver Yates and Wave Dancer project manager Brian Goodsir-Thompson
at CEFAS offices in Lowestoft on 13th December.

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