Jan Cheek

Janet Lynda Cheek MBE (née Biggs; born February 1948)^[1] is a Falkland Islands politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Stanley constituency from 2009 to 2017. Cheek won re-election in 2013 but stepped down from the assembly at the 2017 election. She was previously a Member of the Legislative Council from 1997 to 2005.^[2]

The Honourable Jan Cheek MBE
Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly for Stanley
In office 5 November 2009 – 9 November 2017
Preceded by	Janet Robertson
Succeeded by	Stacy Bragger
Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Council for Stanley
In office 9 October 1997 – 17 November 2005
Preceded by	Wendy Teggart
Succeeded by	Janet Robertson
Personal details
Born	Janet Lynda Biggs February 1948 (age 77) Stanley, Falkland Islands
Nationality	British
Political party	Nonpartisan
Spouse	John (died 1996)
Children	Miranda and Ros

Biography

Jan Cheek was born in Stanley, the oldest child of Basil Biggs and Betty Rowlands.^[3] She spent much of her childhood in South Georgia after her father was appointed policeman and handyman for the island.^[3] For her A-Levels she was awarded a government scholarship to a study at a grammar school in Dorset. Cheek worked as a Secondary School English teacher from 1969 until 1989. She then moved to Fortuna Ltd. where she rose to become co-owner and director until her retirement in 2008.^[4]

Cheek married fellow islander John Cheek (1939–1996) in 1968, with whom she had two children, Miranda and Rosalind.^[1] She then became a grandmother to Hamish (2004), Flora(2005) and Tom(2011). Following John's death in 1996, Cheek became a Trustee of the John Cheek Trust.^[5]

She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to the Falkland Islands.^[6]