Mark Prevel

Mark Prevel has been nominated for Bailiwick Community Hero

‘Since losing my wife of 60 years, Mark has helped me greatly with my mental health,’ said Mark Prevel’s nominator for the Bailiwick Community Hero award, Roger Baudains.

After Roger’s wife’s funeral, he found that he could not sleep and so he started walking early that morning. Not long after he met Mark.

‘I was out running, as you do,’ said Mark of their first meeting.

‘His first words to me were “I wish I could run”.’

Mark saw that Roger, who is 81, was walking well, so he decided he could help him work on that.

Mark then became Roger’s trainer, working on his balance with Nordic poles and practising on the cliffs.

Roger set a target of a 25-mile walk around the island to raise money for Carey Ward and the Guernsey Macular Society, both of which looked after his wife. 

He ended up raising more than £4,000, smashing his target of £1,000.

Mark himself has long been involved in charity work doing various physical challenges such as marathons, stemming from past battles with chronic emphysema.

‘None of this would have been possible without his selflessness and guidance helping me train for the walk,’ Roger said.

‘It has been a privilege to meet him and call him my friend.’

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