Many families will know of Jo Norman, and if they don’t, they’ll certainly have seen her work at play over the past five decades across Guernsey.
She has taught countless people how to swim herself, and overseen many others also learning the lifesaving skill, as a member of the Guernsey Swimming Club Committee since 1977.
Following the decades-long commitment to the sport and safety, Mrs Norman has been awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to swimming.
She said the honour is dedicated to her club.
“I was a bit surprised, naturally I’m overwhelmed, and I’m quite happy really to accept it on behalf of the club, because if it wasn’t for the club that I wouldn’t have been there for all these years!
“Everybody on an island has to learn to swim. My sister and I, we actually lived in Sark, so we had to learn to swim, our parents were very much of the thought that every child should learn to swim. We weren’t people to do netball or running or things like that, swimming was our favorite thing to do, and that’s how it all came about.”
Not only did Mrs Norman go on to educate a generation or three, she’s also helped to cement Guernsey’s reputation for swimming internationally, having coached athletes who have competed at the Island Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympic Games.
She has also been described as “instrumental” in establishing the Open Castle Charity Swim, which has raised tens of thousands of pounds for worthy local causes over the years.
Although her work both in and out of the swimming pool is well known, Mrs Norman admitted it was difficult to keep the news of her BEM a secret.
“My family don’t really know what’s going on,” she told Express before the news was announced on Friday night.
The Norman family have been invited to Government House today for a reception in honour of the King’s Official Birthday.
“They just think they’re invited for something to do because of the club!” Mrs Norman said.
“My eldest grandson does know, because he’s one of the directors of the Guernsey Swimming Club,” she added.
“It is very difficult, and I will be pleased when Saturday’s over, then I haven’t got to make excuses.
Mrs Norman says the volunteering that has led her to being recognised by the Monarch all came from a need to step up and help her community – something she still enjoys to this day.
“It’s been wonderful, and I’m very grateful to the Guernsey Swimming Club for putting my name forward.”
“You’re sitting up there, and you think you might as well put your hand in and help out, so that’s how it really all started,” she added. “Then you take the official appointments and things like that, and the time keeping and judging and all that, and you just keep going.
“It’s lovely to be with the children. I still turn up a couple of times a week and oversee the small pool. My legs don’t always take me around the pool now, but I still enjoy it.”