Cornish volunteer given PM's Points of Light award on St Piran's Day
Pauline helps vulnerable families in St Blazey
A volunteer from Cornwall has been given the Prime Minister's 'Points of Light' award on St Piran's Day.
Pauline Giles has been recognised for her work to help vulnerable people in the community.
She founded the St Blazey Recycle Reuse and Resale CIC which donates unwanted toys, furniture and clothes to those in need.
Pauline set up the initiative in 2018, collecting good-quality household items that would otherwise go to waste in landfill, and gifting these to families in crisis or people who are homeless.
She has been continuing to offer support throughout the pandemic, including posting weekly quizzes and children's cookery classes online to support her local community.
Pauline's award coincides with St Piran's Day, the day of celebration for Cornwall.
In a personal letter to Pauline, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“It was fantastic to hear about ‘St Blazey Recycle Reuse and Resale’ helping local people in need with household items.
“From furniture, to toys and clothes, you have saved waste from going to landfill while doing a wonderfully practical thing for families.
“Let me also thank you for the quizzes and cookery lessons you have organised during the pandemic. You are a true Point of Light in your community and I am delighted to recognise you as the UK’s 1616th Point of Light.”
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister
“It is very fitting that Pauline Giles, a Cornishwoman who contributes so much to her community has been given this Points of Light Award by our Prime Minister on St Piran’s Day.
“This award is well-deserved recognition for Pauline’s amazing hard work for her community both in the past four years but especially so for her efforts during the pandemic where Pauline has really gone above and beyond to support some of the most vulnerable people. She has really made a difference for those who need it the most in St Blazey.”
Steve Double, Pauline's local MP for St Austell and Newquay
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s announcement, Pauline said:
"I am honoured to be made the 1616th awardee of the Points of Light Award, especially on St Piran's Day - Cornwall's saint's day and day of cultural celebration.
"Bringing a little joy to others and letting them know that someone cares is within all our grasp, and I sincerely thank all those who have come forward and helped me both before and during the pandemic.
"Helping furnish properties for the homeless and families in crisis and continuing that support by helping out with food parcels has helped give people a much needed leg up. I have tried to reach all generations to lift spirits, be it the weekly online lockdown quiz, or the children's online cookery classes on a Saturday morning. Having the chance to make a difference to someone's day is heartwarming. The utter pride on the children's faces when they share the pictures of their cooking achievements is infectious. It spreads throughout the community and is witnessed in the wonderful comments from one and all, a true delight to see their improvement as the weeks go by. Soon we will be working with clay, to celebrate our local heritage, and potting up seeds, which the children will be able to nurture and grow, showing them the circle of growth to plate.
"The pandemic has allowed this hectic world of ours to slow down so that we might share a wealth of knowledge to others, enlightening their lives.
"Meur ras from a very humbled but grateful recipient."
Pauline Giles
Pauline is the 1616th person to receive the Prime Minister’s UK daily Points of Light award, which was first launched in April 2014 to recognise outstanding individuals making a difference where they live.
Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements, including hundreds of volunteers who have been recognised for how they have served their communities through the coronavirus pandemic.