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On Friday, 20 February 2026, students, parents, and distinguished guests gathered in the St Helena Secondary School (SHSS) Hall for the annual Certificate and Awards Ceremony. This event celebrates student achievement and the successful completion of various qualifications.

The ceremony commenced with a warm welcome from Minister of Education, Skills and Employment, Andrew Turner, who addressed the audience before the presentation of certificates began.

The first round of awards recognised former Year 10, 11, 12, and 13 students, who received their certificates for a range of qualifications, including the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQ), Advanced Subsidiary (AS-Level), and Advanced Level (A-Level).

Following this, individual awards were presented to students who excelled in various disciplines, celebrating outstanding achievements across multiple areas.

AwardAwardee
Jean Beadon Art AwardSitthipon (Om) Sawangwong
Governor’s Award for academic excellence and achievement at Key Stage 3Jude Jacobs and Bethany Bennett
PTA Student of the Year Award for the top performing student in Year 11 and Year 13Asa Bushuru and Leah Bedwell
SURE Award for the top performing male and female in Year 11Rebekah Braaf and Asa Bushuru
Jeanette Williams Mathematics Achievement Award for the highest Mathematics score in Year 11 and Year 13Kalem Henry and Asa Bushuru
English Achievement Award for the highest English score in Year 11 and Year 13Rebekah Braaf and Isabella Scott
Eliza Mary Lloyd Trust Agriculture Award for commitment to agricultureAshley Henry
Bishop Houghton Award for pastoral care and support of the communityDiederik Robbertse
Joy George Award for outstanding effort, progress and achievement at the end of Key Stage 3Jacob Herne

Teachers Steve Plato and Gavie Williams were also recognised for their commitment to continued professional development in achieving the following awards:

Throughout the ceremony, various musical items were performed by SHSS students under the guidance of Music Teacher, James Fantom. Willow Yon-Duncan performed a piece ‘10 000 Reasons’ on the violin, Year 7 music students performed a cultural Cameroonian folk song called ‘Bela Mama’ and the Enrichment Rock Band performed a song called ‘Seven Nation Army’.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks from Head Teacher, Phil Toal, with closing remarks delivered by HE Governor Nigel Phillips.  

Head Teacher for SHSS, Phil Toal, commented:

“Our annual Certificate and Awards Ceremony is one of the highlights of the school year, as it gives us the opportunity to publicly recognise the commitment, resilience and ambition shown by our young people. The achievements celebrated today reflect not only academic success, but also the character, determination and growth of our students across a wide range of pathways.

I am immensely proud of all our award recipients and certificate holders, and grateful to our dedicated staff who continue to go above and beyond to support and inspire our learners. Events like this remind us that success comes in many forms – from examination results and vocational achievements to creativity, leadership and service to others.

My thanks go to parents, carers and partners for their continued support, and to our performers who added such warmth and vibrancy to the ceremony. Together, as a school community, we are committed to ensuring that every young person at SHSS is given the opportunity to thrive and to realise their potential.”

Photos

Former Year 10 recipients of qualification certificates

Former Year 11 recipients of qualification certificates

Recipients of AS-level qualifications

Recipients of A-level qualifications

Om Sawangwong receiving the Jean Beadon Art Award

The Governor’s Award for Excellence at Key Stage 3 were awarded to Jude Jacobs and Bethany Bennett

Jeanette Williams Maths Awardees Kalem Henry and Asa Bushuru

Eliza Mary Lloyd Trust Agriculture Award for commitment to agriculture recipient Ashley Henry

Diederik Robbertse received the Bishop Houghton Award

Performers Willow Yon-Duncan, Year 7 students and the Enrichment Rock Band

Portfolio Director, Ceri Morgan, presents Teachers Steve Plato and Gavie Williams with their awards

HE the Governor delivered closing remarks

#StHelena #Awards #AltogetherBetterForChildrenAndYoungPeople

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The public are advised that construction works to replace the existing lighting on Jacob’s Ladder will commence on 2 March 2026. The new lighting was generously donated by Lord Ashcroft to the UK St Helena Heritage Trust, and the installation works are being funded through the Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP) and delivered by Solomon & Company (St Helena) Plc will be carried out in two phases and is expected to take several weeks to complete.

During the initial phase, access from the top of the ladder to the footpath connecting to Shy Road will remain open during daylight hours. However, as the existing lights will be disconnected during the works, the entire ladder will be closed nightly from 17:00 and reopen at 07:45 each morning to ensure public safety.

As the project progresses, it will also become necessary to close the full length of the ladder to protect the safety of all users. The area will be secured, and appropriate signage will be placed at all access points. Users are kindly requested to comply with the safety measures in place and to refrain from entering restricted areas.

The public are thanked for their patience and apologises for any inconvenience caused.

SHG

23 February 2026

Due to flight operations on Tuesday, 24 February and Wednesday, 25 February 2026, the HM Customs and Immigration Office at Liberation House, Ruperts, advises the public of the following service changes:

Normal operations for both departments will resume on Thursday, 26 February 2026.

SHG

23 February 2026

A meeting of the Police and Crime Panel will take place on Thursday 5 March 2026 from 13:00 to 14:30. This meeting will be held at the conference room in Customs House, Jamestown.

The agenda will include a Police and Crime Panel report from the Temporary Director of Police and a question and answer (QA) section from the panel. A report summary will be made available to the public the day before the meeting via the SHG website at www.sainthelena.gov.sh/portfolios/safety-security-and-home-affairs/police-service/. In this meeting, the panel will also review its Terms of Reference.

The panel consists of the following members:

We welcome attendance and input from all community members and stakeholders as these reforms progress.

For more information, please contact the Temporary Director of Police, Kevin Weir, by telephone on (00290) 22626 or by email through kevin.weir@sainthelena.gov.sh.

You can also view the Police and Crime Plan online at www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/St-Helena-Police-Service-Police-and-Crime-Plan-v1.1.pdf.

The meeting will be live streamed via the SHG YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@sthelenagovernment1638. A recording of the meeting will be uploaded following the meeting. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, the recording of the previous meeting held in November 2025 was unable to be published, however previous panel meetings are available to view.

Following each meeting printed versions of the Police and Crime Panel report will also be made available at the Customer Service Centre and Public Library. Previous reports are now available to view at these locations.

#StHelena #RSHP #PoliceandCrimePanel

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The Marine Centre Building at the Jamestown Wharf is temporarily closed while building works are carried out. The Marine and Fisheries Conservation Section Team has relocated to the Marine Enforcement Office and can still be reached on telephone numbers 25966 and 25947.

The public are thanked for their understanding and cooperation during this time.

SHG

19 February 2026

Following the successful repatriation of all passengers affected by the recent airport closure, we are pleased to announce that Airlink have reopened bookings via their website. As all previously affected travellers have now been accommodated, we have limited spare seats available for the upcoming flight on Saturday, 21 February.

Please contact your normal travel provider if you wish to purchase a ticket.

Nominations are now being invited for the following awards:

UK STATE AWARDS – 2027 NEW YEAR HONOURS 

Honours are awarded on merit for exceptional achievement or for any service carried out over and above what normally is expected. This can include making a difference to the community or in a specific field of work, innovation and entrepreneurship, improving life for people less able to help themselves and displaying moral courage. Where possible, nominations should place emphasis on voluntary services, and the service must be recent. Nominees must not be made aware they are being put forward for an award.

To find out more about the different types of Honours Awards please visit: www.gov.uk/honours

CERTIFICATE AND BADGE OF HONOUR 2027

This award is presented to public servants on behalf of St Helena Government for loyal and valuable service worthy of recognition or, in the case of other persons, for their loyal and meritorious conduct that has provided exceptional benefit to the people of St Helena. Nominees should be residents of St Helena, either being born on the Island or have been residing on St Helena for not less than ten years prior to the date of the award. 

ACT OF BRAVERY AWARD 2027

This award is presented to individuals who have shown a clear display of moral courage and bravery in adverse situations.

THE BADGE OF ST HELENA

This award is available to both St Helenians and non-St Helenians. It is off a higher status than the Certificate and Badge of Honour. The Badge of St Helena recognises exceptional service provided by individuals or organisations who make significant contribution to St Helena’s development or by supporting and/or enhancing social, cultural, economic, environmental improvement or the understanding of St Helena internationally. 

FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF JAMESTOWN

This award is symbolic in nature and is the highest-level of local government award that can be conferred. It is awarded to both St Helenians and non-St Helenians whose achievements are significantly admirable and highly worthy of distinctive recognition. Those who receive this award will have made an outstanding contribution that is of huge national impact to St Helena and its citizens and will have served the best interests of the Island. 

Nomination forms for all of the above awards, are available from Central Support Service at the Castle, Jamestown, or can be requested via email:  linda.benjamin@sainthelena.gov.sh.

Completed forms should be returned to the Castle in a sealed envelope marked ‘Confidential’ addressed to ‘The Secretary, Honours and Awards Committee’, by Monday, 27 April 2026.

SHG

18 February 2026

St Helena Government (SHG) is pleased to confirm that in close liaison with Airlink, an early flight window to Ascension Island has been agreed.  This arrangement will support those whose travel plans were disrupted by the recent closure, including passengers awaiting onward connections to the Falkland Islands via Ascension.

The flight scheduled for Tuesday, 24 February, will arrive and depart for Ascension Island on the same day. A return flight from Ascension will then arrive in St Helena on 25 February, before departing onward to Johannesburg.

Passengers affected by changes to the outbound flight will be contacted directly by Solomons. 

We remain grateful to the public for their support and resilience.

Following the restoration of Category 6 status at Saint Helena Airport on Sunday, we are pleased to confirm that the first scheduled Airlink flight visited St Helena Island today.

We were able to bring back all our delayed residents who wished to travel, as well as supporting around half of the waiting tourists to leave the island on the return flight. An urgent medical patient was also conveyed, saving the need for a dedicated medevac flight.

We anticipate that the backlog of tourists waiting to leave the island will be fully addressed with Saturday’s Airlink flight.

Bookings for future flights to and from St Helena are now open again. Please contact Airlink, Solomons or your usual travel provider if you need to book a new or replacement flight.

We are working closely with Airlink and the Ascension Island Government (AIG) to find an early flight window to Ascension Island. Due to the unique nature of St Helena’s airport, only certain pilots and crew have approved flight status, which means managing their regulated flying hours can be challenging, especially at short notice. We will continue to keep the public updated.

Today’s flight also delivered additional spare parts to support the repairs to fire tender R2, which we hope to have fully operational later this week to add resilience to our airport fleet. In the meantime, we remain grateful to St Helena Fire and Rescue Service for their continued support.

After today, we will no longer issue daily updates, but we will continue to communicate key messages as and when necessary. The Gold Command team will continue meeting regularly to consider the long-term recovery strategy for the island and to ensure that any necessary learning takes place to avoid repetition of this incident.

We remain grateful to the public for their support and resilience.

Updated Q&A

The latest version of the Q&A document can be accessed here.

The public are advised that the scheduled closures of Longwood Road and Upper Side Path will not take place today, 17 February 2026, due to current inclement weather conditions.

Weather permitting, the closure of the stretch between Longwood Gate and Hutts Gate  will now proceed tomorrow, Wednesday, 18 February 2026.

The closure between the Briars, Side Path, Constitution Road junction and Button-up Corner (Heart-Shaped Viewpoint bus shelter)  has been rescheduled for Thursday, 19  February 2026. This adjustment will allow residents of Alarm Forest, Levelwood, and Longwood districts to collect any cargo using the normal route.

SHG

17 February 2026