The Many Faces of Guernsey's CVC

 

Meet Trevor Shier, he's the Programme Co-ordinator at Guernsey's Covid Vaccination Centre.  We asked Trevor to tell us a bit about himself and to share his thoughts on working at the CVC and living in Guernsey through the pandemic... of course, we put it in a List!

Here's what Trevor had to say...

 

CVC Trevor CVC Trevor Shier 5

CVC Trevor Shier 3 CVC Trevor Shier 6

 

1.  My role at the CVC

My role is Vaccination Programme Co-ordinator. Originally brought into the States of Guernsey to resource the Vaccination Programme, I was later asked to become involved in CVC and VCC operations. I recruit team members, write rosters, update vaccination schedules and create clinic volumes in line with vaccine availability. I also ensure those who work get paid for their duty and act as shift officer on days of operation.

We currently vaccinate Monday-Saturday at the CVC and I cover a duty officer shift on each of those days, rotating early and late. These alternate with administrative duties from a home office (some would say bedroom) and attending many weekly meetings using Microsoft Teams. Some days we are short of colleagues, some days short of vaccine, other days we can be short of patience or breath simply due to the pace of change and progress. But I enjoy an interesting and varied role in the process of returning to ‘a new normal’

 

2.  The ‘day job’

I was recently retired after twenty one years in the hospitality industry managing hotels and leisure facilities, plus a further twenty one years with Specsavers, most of these developing new businesses in Northern Europe. My wife advised that she was going to contact the States of Guernsey to offer help with the vaccination programme and asked whether she could send in my details – I agreed and was asked to come in and talk with the programme director.

 

3.  A bit about me

I was born in Portadown, N. Ireland (I discovered during the vaccination Programme that Trish McDermott and I were born in the same nursing home!) I first came to Guernsey as a student in 1980 to work between terms and had the best summer of my life, so I returned again and again. My wife and I met in Guernsey during our student years and we finally settled here with our three children in 1998.

2020 and COVID / lockdown brought a great deal of change. Our children had all departed and were working in UK so we turned uncertainties into plans for the future, which included a greater resolve for self-sufficiency and a smaller ecological footprint. We planted and harvested food for the first time - which provided both learning and satisfaction - and we were fortunate to see each of our children once during the year and many times over Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp. When the vaccination programme is complete I will turn my attention towards creating a small business within the tourism sector so that others can experience the beauty of the islands within the Bailiwick when travel restrictions permit.

 

4.  My thoughts

This has been my first involvement with both the States of Guernsey and the nursing profession. The quality, attitude, flexibility and dedication from all who feed into the programme and from those who make up the operational workforce has been deeply impressive.

It has been said that we are at our best when things are at their worst and over the past year I have witnessed so many examples of caring and generosity, such as flower bouquets gifted to the CVC on Valentines Day, Chocolate eggs at Easter and ‘thank you’ items such as hand made jewellery and home bakes) that it is truly humbling.

We are, indeed, a resolute and altruistic community.

 

Thank you Trevor!

There's more from Trevor and his colleagues in our feature on The Many Faces of Guernsey's CVC

Imagery by Paul Chambers

 

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