Since 1873 the GSPCA has been led by a committee that are elected through the membership to promote the GSPCA’s aims and objectives of kindness and preventing cruelty to animals in Guernsey.
The last AGM was held in April 2022 and the GSPCA committee are –
John Knight, BVetMed., MRCVS - GSPCA President - a partner at The Vetcare Centres, working in all aspects of veterinary medicine and surgery, He has lived and worked in Guernsey since 1988, and very happily raised his family here, the island he now considers home. John has been an active member of the General Committee since 2000, serving as its President for seven years. With more than thirty years of professional experience working for animal welfare his consultancy services are sought internationally. In addition to his work based in Guernsey John is a member of the Executive Board of the Anglo-Italian Society for the Protection of Animals, and Senior Veterinary Consultant to the Born Free Foundation.
Louise Gambrell (FCCA) – GSPCA Committee Member (Co-opted April 2021) - Louise was born in Guernsey and educated at Castel Primary School and Ladies College senior school. Louise qualified as an accountant with KPMG in 1993 and then worked for 20 years initially as financial controller and latterly as strategy and planning manager for the HSBC Private Banking group. More recently Louise has worked part-time in contract roles and wanted to use her extra time giving back to the community.
Having always loved animals, Louise was keen to support an animal charity after spending a few months on the children’s ward of Southampton hospital and seeing first-hand how therapeutic the therapy dogs were for the children there. She felt that the Treasurer role would work well combining her accountancy skills with her passion for animal welfare and would make her a better role model for her children.
Louise is kept busy by walking her yellow Labrador (Alfie) a couple of times a day with her husband (Chris), running along the West coast and looking after her two daughters (Gabriella and Lucy).
Adele Stevens – GSPCA Vice President & Secretary -
Adele has always had a passion for animals and has sat on the GSPCA committee for over 25 years
Until her retirement, Adele was an avid antiques dealer and collector
She is a keen follower and participator of Scottish dancing and enjoys a regular game of Bridge
Tom Le Pelley – GSPCA Vice President - Tom has served on the GSPCA committee for the whole of this century and previous to his retirement in 2012 he was a much respected local dairy farmer
Tom is also actively involved with the Quakers, has been a member and Chairman of the Living Streets organisation here in
Guernsey which actively strives to make our roads safer for “active travel” – especially for schoolchildren
Happily married with two adult children, three step-children and eleven grandchildren, Tom is currently learning to speak Patois in his free time and spent three terms as Deputy for the Castel parish
Steve Ford - GSPCA Committee Member & also helps with GSPCA Ambulance Wardening (Co-opted April 2013) -
Steve moved to Guernsey in June 2009 and joined the Emergency Ambulance and Rescue Service as Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer.
Prior to relocating he spent the previous 15 years with the RSPCA: 5 years as an Inspector serving in the New Forest, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Central London (appearing fairly regularly on Animal Hospital!). Steve was promoted to RSPCA Chief Inspector in 1999 and spent 10 years in Derbyshire (God’s County). Prior to that he had a well paid job in HR and also did some roofing and building work too, so a man of many talents!
Whilst with the RSPCA Steve specialised in all areas of wildlife crime, and the illegal so called ‘sports’ of dog fighting and cock fighting. Steve was a member of the Regional Swift Water Rescue, Mountain Rescue and Offshore Rescue Teams and participated in the 2000 Floods, Milford Haven Oil Spill Disaster and Foot and Mouth Outbreak amongst others and loved every minute!
Steve became a GSPCA committee member in 2003 and has regularly acted as GSPCA Warden at weekends but haven’t done this for a while now as, when not ‘on call’ for the Ambulance Service, most of his free time is occupied by cooking, cleaning and taxi-driving for his two children, Angus and Arabella, now both teenagers. They have a tortoiseshell cat, Smudge, a Bearded Dragon, Puff, and a tank of tropical fish, all of which have names!
Steve like all things ‘retro’ and when he does get some spare time he is a keen cyclist, kayaker and bird-watcher. He is also enjoys fly fishing (but always put the fish back into the water
Karen Girdlestone - GSPCA Committee Member (Co-opted October 2015 and joined at the following AGM) - Having relocated to Guernsey in 2009 Karen was keen to help the GSPCA in any way she could and has supported the shelter since she arrived on the island. Karen worked on a voluntary basis as an Educational Speaker for the Blue Cross in the UK and has adopted several animals herself over the years. She is an avid animal lover and was opted onto the committee in 2015
Karen currently works for the Liberation Group as Sales Manager and her knowledge and skills as a qualified sales and marketing professional have been put to good use within the GSPCA over the years
Karen enjoys fundraising and has also held the post of Chairman for Friends of GROW and sat on their board for several years which has helped to raise her own personal profile and that of the charities she supports
With her passion and dedication to our cause, Karen is a strong ambassador for the GSPCA and actively involved with all decision making processes to ensure the shelter continues to thrive.
Charisma Lyall GSPCA Committee Member (co-opted June 2023 and joined July 2023) - Bio to follow
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