Dean who led cathedral refurbishment honoured

The dean who spearheaded the refurbishment of the Isle of Man's Anglican cathedral has been honoured in the King's Birthday Honours List.

The Very Rev Nigel Godfrey, who was appointed dean of Cathedral Isle of Man in Peel in 2011 and has led its £3m upgrade, becomes an MBE.

Dean Godfrey said the honour was a reflection of the community and "it belongs to a group, it doesn't belong to me".

Former journalist John Watterson also becomes an MBE for services and dedication to sport on the island, and Cafe Lingo founder Karen Norton is awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to English learning.

Born on the island, Dean Godfrey spent two decades at Christ Church in Brixton in London before return to the island to take up the position in Peel.

Under his guidance, the cathedral and its grounds have undergone extensive renovations.

The restored cathedral was opened by the Princess Royal in October.

Honoured for his service to church and community life, HE said when he was told about the honour he thought saw it as a reflection of the whole community he served.

"I hope that people that people will see it as an award for them," he said.

"At the very best I could be described as a jackdaw I suppose in pulling in other people's ideas and skills and gifts and enabling that community to speak for itself.

I think it's that way round."

Retired journalist Mr Watterson first started in the newspaper industry at the age of 15 and went on to have a career the spanned five decades and included 38 years acting as sports editor.

He said he was "a bit stunned" and "very honoured" to receive the recognition, which was "not what I expected at all".

During his time in the industry, he said he was "really fortunate" that sport had "really taken off on the Isle of Man", allowing him to follow the careers of Manx athletes Sir Mark Cavendish, David Knight, and Yasmin Ingham.

"I'm very honoured to be involved in the early stages of their developing careers," he said.

A former primary school teacher in both the island and Merseyside specialising in supporting children with additional needs, Mrs Norton founded the community facility Cafe Lingo in Douglas with her husband in 2016.

The the volunteer-led gathering place was established to help newcomers to the island from around the world overcome any language barriers by offering free English lessons and support.

Since 2022, Café Lingo has welcomed Ukrainian families fleeing war, offering both practical assistance and emotional support in partnership with the One World Centre and local churches.

Meanwhile, Bernard Moore received the Lieutenant Governor's Commendation for 40 years of voluntary service to scouting.

Mr Moore remained as a leader with the first Marown Scouts throughout his decades of volunteering.

The commendation said Mr Moore was "instrumental in maintaining a thriving scout section" and "his contribution extends beyond the scouting community and is marked by exceptional commitment, resilience and care".

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