Les Nouvelles / Autumn 2025 / Issue 54

Glorious Gorey

Photo: Karen Shenton Stone

Hannah Roynon-Jones Director E hannah.roynon-jones@alexpicottrust.com

From the editor

Welcome... In this

Issue

…

to the Autumn edition of “Les

Nouvelles de St Martin”, your community-focused, free magazine for all the people of St Martin.

We are now on our 54th edition of the Parish magazine and continue to be dazzled by the incredible diversity of activities available in our local community. We hope that you enjoy reading about them and are perhaps tempted to get involved. There really is something for everyone!

Our fantastic front cover photograph was taken by Constable Karen Shenton Stone, as were all the wonderful images of the very successful Gorey Fête. You’ll find a gallery of pictures on pages 10-11.

We have the Welcome from our Constable on pages 6-7, and contributions from all three of our Parish Deputies on pages 20-21.

If you have ever wondered what happens with your parish rates, you’ll be interested to read about the role and responsibilities of the Rates Assessors on page 18.

After months of uncertainty, the Battle of Flowers was a huge success in August, with two free parades through the streets of St Helier, and the Northern Parishes Battle of Flowers Association produced a fabulous float. See page 26 to find out how they got on.

Parishioner and former teacher Tracy Jehan has put away her pencil case and embarked upon an exciting new endeavour! Read all about Tracy’s new project, in partnership with her former teacher colleague Julia, on page 27.

Local charity Hands Around The World Jersey (HATWJ) is the passion of Parishioners David and Myfanwy Agnès, and they share some of the incredible work they have undertaken in Rwanda over the past 15 years on page 28. I was fortunate to take part in a Jersey Overseas Aid project in collaboration with Hands Around The World in Rwanda last summer, as was Parishioner Karen Padidar, who wrote about her experience in a previous edition of Les Nouvelles, and we had the privilege of seeing first-hand the transformative impact of HATWJ.

Thank you so much, as always, to all our contributors for the time spent writing articles and collating photographs to share with readers.

We welcome new contributions which might encourage readers to get involved, meet new people or try a new skill. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have a club, activity or news to share.

À la préchaine!

Youth Project

St Martin’s School

Pétanque

Trees for Life

Got share?

If you would like to contribute to future editions of “Les Nouvelles de St Martin”, please email Susan Parker at susiep99@hotmail.com or call 07797 916991

Welcome from the Constable

Karen Shenton Stone

As many Parishioners will be aware, we hold a Rates Assembly in July each year to review our annual accounts for the financial year ending 30th April and to agree our budget and plans for the next 12 months. The Assembly presents an important opportunity to, not only review and reflect upon past achievements, but also to look forward to new projects and developments.

Itherefore felt that it might be helpful to give Parishioners a brief overview of the work that has taken place over the last year, as well as an indication of our future aspirations.

Looking after the built estate continues to be a priority and so we have continued to upgrade and maintain the parish properties. Our programme of replacing the old worn-out boilers with new energy efficient boilers at Le Court Clos has continued apace, whilst the roof of the Depot was repaired following storm damage from the tornado. New garage doors have also been installed at our rental properties, La Retraite à L’Ouest and La Retraite à L’Est.

Works have begun on refurbishing the interior of the Public Hall as there were major cracks in the entrance hall. New flooring and a coat of paint has created a much brighter and welcoming environment, befitting our public entrance. We have now begun working on phase two of the project which entails refurbishing the internal hallway and stairway to the offices and meeting rooms.

Maison Scolaithe required further refurbishment in terms of the kitchen, bathrooms and garden to meet modern rental standards. These works were completed towards the end of last year and new tenants moved in shortly thereafter. The exterior of La Vielle Êcole was also redecorated.

At long last, the Parish received planning permission for the repurposing and refurbishment of the Rectory Barn. This will enable the Parish to transform this lovely albeit derelict old granite barn into a multi-purpose community centre, whilst maintaining the integrity of the look of the barn. The big challenge will be fundraising to cover the costs of this major work, but hopefully Parishioners will continue to demonstrate the generosity and altruism which has enabled the Parish to undertake so many worthwhile projects over the years.

In this vein, the playground continues to be a wonderful success and is enjoyed by so many children of all ages. Thanks to further donations, the Parish was able to purchase and install the Viking

Swing. This swing is for use by older children and teenagers as well as adults who are young at heart! The Parish has shown its commitment to improving play facilities for children and teenagers and it is heartening to report that the Parish has been commended by government, schools and groups for its play facilities and inclusivity.

Together with the Rector and Procureurs, and the professional assistance of George De Sousa of PAGE Architects, revised plans have been prepared for the cemetery extension. The new cemetery will incur little upheaval, and the entrance will be through the Church car park to the field in front of the Rectory Garden. In the autumn, a Parish Assembly will be held to discuss, consult and hopefully approve the plans for the cemetery extension. The Parish and Rectorat are also reviewing the repair schedule for the Church as within a short period of time the existing heating system will need to be replaced and works undertaken to improve the ventilation and breathability of the Church fabric.

After a considerable and unfortunate delay, the Parish has been able to find suitable contractors to provide kerbside recycling. An Assembly in September 2021 overwhelmingly voted for the introduction of this service but it is only now that tenders from 2 contractors were submitted to undertake this work. The overall cost is £2.73 per household per month and the recommended rate for 2025/2026 includes this sum. Despite the long delay, it is reassuring that the Parish has been able to finally act upon the decision of the Assembly.

If you have visited the Village Green in the last month, you will have noted that, to the delight of many, a small flock of Manx Loaghtan sheep have been grazing in the long grass under our small woodland area. Our thanks to Aaron Le Couteur and his team at Reserve Jersey for kindly agreeing to graze the sheep in this area. The sheep will not only help maintain the area but also improve biodiversity in the longer term.

Of course, it is inevitable that not every project goes to plan. Our efforts to try and find a solution for the bin storage at Gorey by working with the JEC did not find favour with either the residents or the Planning Department, despite pre-application advice being sought. However, the Parish team is already looking at alternative solutions which will hopefully improve the public realm whilst assisting local businesses with their refuse storage. Likewise, the JEC is looking at other options to deliver the essential infrastructure required for the transition to a low carbon electric power supply.

Undoubtedly all these projects and works could not be achieved without the support and efforts of a small team of dedicated staff and volunteers. From the Honorary Police, to the Procureurs, the Roads Committee and Inspectors to those who assist with looking after the Parish flower displays, the Parish would not thrive as it does without their commitment. It was therefore a true delight to see the establishment of a new group of volunteers in the guise of our recently formed Community Support Group. This has been established to support Parishioners in their times of need and tasks to date have included completing forms, collecting prescriptions and undertaking some gardening. I am very grateful to all the people who have freely volunteered their time to set up this new service and to Deputy Carolyn Labey who has helped with the establishment of the Support Group.

As we head towards 2026, I am very much looking forward to working with our team to progress the refurbishment of the Rectory Barn, introducing kerbside recycling, developing plans for the cemetery extension and undertaking refurbishment works to the Church railings and immediate environs. I truly hope our plans meet the aspirations of our Parishioners in caring for our valuable community but as ever I welcome suggestions and feedback.

All good wishes, Karen

Gorey Fête

The sun shone on Gorey Fete which was held on Friday 15th August, thanks to our amazing Gorey Fête and Bonfire Committee and helpers.

Our grateful thanks go to so many - to our wonderful Honorary Police and their colleagues. Thank you to Jersey Mutual for their vital sponsorship. To Ben and Jo for the publicity. To Grouville for allowing the fun fair to be parked overnight - to our St Martin and Grouville Parishioners for putting up with road diversions, to the businesses and residents of Gorey Pier and environs. Thank you to the staff at the Public Hall. Thank you to the hundreds of people who came to enjoy themselves and support our chosen charities - Brightly, Friends of Anthony Nolan and Music in Action. Thank you to those who generously donated raffle prizes. Thank you to all the musicians and to the Princesses. Thank you to our concessions, the fun fair and everyone involved in making Gorey Fête a great success and a wonderful example of goodwill and community spirit.

Organising and staging Gorey Fete is a massive undertaking and as you can imagine a huge amount of work, and we are only a small committee of volunteers.

Community spirit, kindness and generosity are alive and well… THANK YOU! The Gorey Fête is a fun charitable event for the whole island - we do not receive any Government funding.

Thank you to the Jersey Accommodation and Activity Centre for allowing us to use their grounds for the Park and Ride to and from the Fête.

Photos by Karen Shenton Stone

Farewell to our Chef de Police Centenier Alan Phillips Meet the Team Chef de Police

On a lovely sunny evening in July, we said goodbye to our Chef de Police, Centenier Gordon Jones, and marked his outstanding service to the Parish with a Vin d’Honneur in the Rectory Garden.

Gordon Jones joined the St Martin Honorary Police Force in November 2012 and has held the positions of Constable’s Officer, Vingtenier, Centenier and Chef de Police. Centenier Jones was appointed Chef de Police for the Parish of St Martin in August 2020 - a position he held for almost five years until his retirement from the Honorary Police in June 2025.

Alan joined the Honorary Police in 2006 as a Constable’s Officer for the Vingtaine de Rozel under the tutelage of the late Mick Eden.

Born near Havre des Pas in St Helier, Alan moved to St Martin in 2003 and soon thereafter was encouraged to join the Honorary Police by Peter Searle and Sam Falle. He has never looked back since and has steadily climbed the ranks to become Chef de Police earlier this year, upon the retirement of Gordon Jones. Prior to his recent promotion, Alan was training rep for St Martin’s Honorary Police from 2010 and Chair of the Training Group from 2023. Fortunately Alan has been fully supported in his voluntary role by his wife Teresa and his two children Michael and Megan, as well as five grandchildren.

It was a pleasure and to work alongside Gordon, sometimes in extraordinary circumstances, as we were both at the helm navigating our way through Covid with all the restrictions and challenges this placed on the Parish and the Island.

In the winter of 2024, the parish suffered very badly from the tornado, properties were devastated, caravans were crushed and mature trees uprooted. As I write in August 2025, many who had to evacuate their homes in November 2023 are sadly still unable to return to their homes. Gordon’s background in the Navy and his outstanding organisational skills came to the fore and he and I coordinated the clear up of the Parish. Many roads were impassable, and services were down. I am eternally grateful to Gordon and all who helped.

Centenier Jones has been an excellent Chef de Police; he is hardworking, diligent and pragmatic, he has been a great asset to the Honorary Police, the Parish of St Martin and the wider policing community and he has been a highly valued colleague to all who have worked alongside him. We are very sad to see him go and we are grateful for all he has done. We wish him and his partner Rosemary much happiness and adventure in his retirement.

Alan spent his working life in construction, starting as a workshop joiner before becoming a site foreman for Mark Amy Ltd. Thereafter, he worked for a number of companies until retirement beckoned whilst working for Danny O’Toole Ltd. Favourite projects included the construction of Anne Port Farm and refurbishment works at the Central Market on 2 occasions no less!

Living at Le Court Clos as the Caretaker, Alan particularly enjoys the strong sense of community within the Parish and his favourite spots include Gorey Harbour and St Catherine’s Breakwater.

We thank Alan for his many years of dedicated service with the St Martin Honorary Police and look forward to working with him in his new role as Chef de Police. Congratulations!

If someone’s asking for private information, ask yourself why.

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Want to stay one step ahead? Visit ciiom.hsbc.com/fraud or fraudprevention.je

at Evolution Eye Care World-Class Glaucoma Expertise

Islanders living with glaucoma now have access to the highest standard of specialist care, thanks to a new addition to the Evolution Eye Care team. Mr Alastair Lockwood, a leading UK glaucoma surgeon, joined the practice in May 2025, bringing his first-rate specialist expertise to Jersey.

Mr Lockwood’s academic and professional credentials include undergraduate studies at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, a specialist glaucoma fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, and a PhD in glaucoma surgery.

Mr Lockwood said: “I’m delighted to have joined Evolution Eye Care and brought a dedicated glaucoma service to Jersey. As a subspecialist, my clinical practice and research is focussed on glaucoma, so I’m able to offer up-to-date, tailored advice and treatment options for each individual patient.”

If backup reviews are needed between my visits, the experienced team at Evolution – the island’s largest private eye clinic – are on hand to support.”

Most glaucoma is managed with medications, regular consultations, and laser procedures – all of which take place with Mr Lockwood at Evolution Eye Care, offering convenience and reassurance. If specialist glaucoma surgeries are required, Mr Lockwood performs these at his dedicated unit in Portsmouth, where he continues to practise and lead in glaucoma surgery.

The only specialist glaucoma surgeon in Jersey

Evolution’s co-founder, Mr Anish Shah, welcomed Mr Lockwood’s appointment. “Alastair is the only fellowship-trained glaucoma surgeon consulting in Jersey, and his arrival marks a major step forward for eye care on the island,” said Mr Shah.

National expertise, Locally Delivered

“We’re proud to offer a glaucoma service that combines world-leading expertise with the personal, accessible care our patients expect,” Mr Shah said. “Evolution’s goal is to make the best ophthalmic care available here in Jersey — and Mr Lockwood’s glaucoma clinic is a huge part of that mission.”

Patients with glaucoma — whether newly diagnosed or under care elsewhere — are now seeking second opinions or transferring their management entirely to Evolution’s specialist-led service. Mr Lockwood’s regular Jersey clinics provide important constancy for glaucoma, a lifelong condition requiring close monitoring and timely intervention.

Specialist Care with Local Backup

Mr Lockwood added: “Continuity of care is vital in glaucoma. By visiting Evolution every month, I am building strong, ongoing relationships with my patients.

Patients wishing to book an appointment with Mr Lockwood, or seek a second opinion on their glaucoma care, can contact Evolution Eye Care directly.

To make a booking, visit www.evolution.je/book email info@evolution.je, or call 01534 835400

1st Floor

Little Grove Clinic

Rue de Haut

St Lawrence JE3 1JZ

The role and responsibilities of the Rates Assessors

When you complete and return your Annual Rates

Return form, have you ever wondered how your property is assessed, your number of quarters arrived at or generally who sorts it all out?

Each parish has a group of elected Rates Assessors who collectively sort out the rates for their parish. It is the rates assessors who are instrumental in bringing in the income for the parish.

Parish rates are derived from the ancient tithes or levies on land and its cultivators. In 1928, when income tax was introduced in Jersey, the present occupier’s rate was introduced. The rates system in Jersey is unusual in that a property gives rise to a rate levied on the owner (foncier), and another levied on the occupier.

The assessors are elected to serve for a term of three years, and your current Rates Assessment Committee is Martin Houguez, Bob Pallot, Steve Rondel, Paul Gaudin and Tracy Jehan.

Towards the end of December each year, the Parish sends notices out to all landowners which requires them to file a return of all the land and property they own within the Parish. A list of occupiers, as well as any changes to the attributes to the property, is due to be returned by 15th January. There is a requirement in the law that all returns must be made by this date as any delay not only breaks the law but also creates work and expense for the Parish. Late returns also hold up the completion of the rates list.

The assessors’ role begins in January, and they meet once or twice a week to check through the returns. They discuss all the returns where changes to both land and property have been advised, calculate new quarters and inform property owners of new assessments.

Visits to properties are carried out when the assessors may wish to speak with property owners on site and the team make an official annual visit to Les Écréhous to check on what has been happening on our offshore reef.

Once all the returns have been received, the assessors invite any ratepayer who wishes to query their assessment to come in and have a chat. Only when all queries have been resolved, can the rates list be closed for the year.

Their role ends with the Parish Rates Assembly when the parish rate is set by the Parishioners and ratepayers, not the parish officials. The amount of rates that each parish needs to collect depends on the parish budget for the year.

With approximately 2,000 properties in St Martin, the cost of stationery, as well as the time spent by the office staff, all mounts up. If Parishioners complete their returns online, the money saved by the Parish would be considerable and would streamline the role of the assessors.

The assessor's role is an interesting and varied one, and anyone who has any questions for them, or would like to chat about the possibility of becoming a rates assessor, is encouraged to contact the Public Hall in the first instance.

Rates Assessment Committee - Steve Rondel (blue jacket), Tracy Jehan, Bob Pallot (red jacket), Paul Gaudin (white jacket) and Martin Houguez, Committee Chair (not pictured)

Annual Rates Assessors visit to Les Écréhous in May

From your Deputies

I hope everyone had a good summer and enjoyed the (not too) high temperatures. The dry weather was particularly challenging for our farmers but, driving around the Parish and seeing the potato fields empty and the cereal crops harvested, tells me that another growing season has finished. The various fruits and vegetables have been dug and picked from our vegetable plots, and harvest is just about done for 2025.

September is traditionally the month where Harvest Festival services are celebrated in churches across the Island. In St Martin, with our Parish roots very firmly set in our farming community, it’s a really important time of the year. However, harvest is just one of four “traditional farming church services” that we celebrate annually.

The first is Plough Sunday, usually in January, and it marks the start of the agricultural year. It involves blessing the plough (and the ploughman) and praying for a fruitful harvest, traditionally with a procession and festivities. The second is Rogation Sunday, and this is a tradition of going around the Parish, praying for the crops, and the well-being of Parishioners. It is still observed today – with prayers and a sharing of hope for the crops that are growing in the fields. Lammas is the celebration of harvest to come, with a loaf of bread being brought to the church from grain that has just been harvested for this purpose towards the end of the summer. Lammas falls at the halfway point between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. Finally comes Harvest Sunday, and we are quite rightly reminded to be thankful for the harvest that has been brought in, and for all involved in the long supply chain that begins with the farmer and the field and ends with the food on our fork.

The reason for my mentioning all these services is because of the Lammas service that was held at Colin and Paulette de la Haye’s Bel Val Farm at the start of August. What a wonderful get together for the Parish. We had representatives from all the St Martin churches. the service was wonderful, and the view was, as ever, spectacular. Overlooking St Catherine’s Bay with Gorey Castle in the background, we had boats sailing and motoring down below us, and the coast of France in the distance. A real opportunity to be thankful for living where we do, and for the countryside and seaside we have on our doorstep every day.

Deputy Steve Luce

I would like to thank everyone involved with this year’s event, a very special moment that we can all enjoy annually. Watch out for next year’s date - it’s worth putting in the diary.

As ever, please get in touch if there’s anything I can do to help,

Steve

s.luce@gov.je / 07797 718166

From your Deputies

Welcome to the world of politics

It has been a truly memorable summer, filled with events that brought our community together. We began with Jersey’s 80th Liberation Celebrations and finished with the lively Gorey Fête and Grouville Harvest Fayre. In between, the Twinning Games took place on the Common, welcoming our French twinned towns and their families. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves, making the most of the sunshine and the sense of community spirit.

Our monthly Parish Surgeries continue to be very well attended. Topics raised have included the proposed Tenancy Laws, the location of the Gorey electric substation, solar panels in fields, mobile phone use in schools, long-term care, speed limits, and condition of our roads. If you’d like to discuss an issue, please join us - we welcome Parishioners in both Grouville and St Martin regardless of where the Surgery is held.

As we move into autumn, I’d like to remind you about the newly established Community Support Group that I helped set up in St Martin. The group is made up of volunteers - all DBS checked and carrying Parish identity cards - who are available to help with everyday needs such as shopping, filling in forms, attending appointments, picking up prescriptions, or even changing a light bulb. If you or someone you know could use some support, please contact the Public Hall and they will put you in contact with a volunteer.

In June, I had the honour of giving the opening address at a UN OCHA committee meeting hosted in Jersey. For the past year, Jersey Overseas Aid has served as co-chair - a remarkable achievement for a small island, and one that highlights Jersey’s ever-growing reputation for excellence in international development. The two-day event welcomed international representatives from many nations and concluded with a reception at Government House, generously hosted by our new Patron, the Lieutenant-Governor.

Earlier this year, I met with Sarah Champion MP in London, she is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Channel Islands. She later made a visit to the Island and was so impressed with JOA’s sustainable, themed-based grants focusing on Jersey’s strengths and where we bring expertise and therefore add value to our projects, that she invited us to make a submission to her group and which now forms part of her report to the UK Parliament.

Deputy Carolyn Labey

Building on my work in New Jersey last year, I wrote an article for ‘NJ Municipalities’ magazine, which is distributed to around 7,000 readers across the State. I was delighted to see it published, raising awareness of our Island and strengthening ties with our namesake. Some of these links are already bearing fruit - in 2026 we hope to welcome one or two Princeton students for summer placements.

Looking ahead, the States Assembly will soon return to debating the role of Senators, with the aim of finalising the law and hopefully getting it over the line in time for the elections next June. We will also revisit the Tenancy Laws, after the reference back last July.

Representing the Parish, Island and International Communities

Tel: 852488 | Email: c.labey@gov.je www.carolynlabey.je and www.islandidentity.je

PARISH SURGERIES St Martin and Grouville

TUESDAY 7TH OCTOBER

The Village Café 3.00 to 4.30pm St Martin

MONDAY 3RD NOVEMBER

Stanley’s Holme Grown 10.00 to 11.30am Grouville

TUESDAY 2ND DECEMBER

The Pembroke 6.00 to 7.30pm Grouville

• All Parishioners from either Parish are welcome on a drop-in basis

• Discussions take place in an open forum

• We endeavour to hold the Surgeries in the first week of the month on either a Monday or Tuesday. We also offer various times and venues to try to accommodate most people’s circumstances.

It is hard to believe that the summer is already drawing to a close. The year seems to have sped past.

The new Breast Cancer Screening Unit opened at the Enid Quenault Centre, which is backed by a very enthusiastic and caring team. Work has also begun to further improve outcomes for those who have had suffered from the effects of a stroke. The newly formed Jersey Limb Difference Support Group approached the Ministerial Health Team to suggest ways to improve outcomes for those adapting to limb loss. This was a very welcome initiative. It is quite sobering when you realise the many and varied difficulties that individuals face when a major health issue affects their lives.

There are many people trying to cope with their own unique health difficulties, and the Ministerial Team is working hard to try and make as many improvements as possible. During the summer I attended the Earsay barbeque, which is held for members of the Deaf Community, a community that struggles to get all the help that it requires. I also attended the Gorey Boat

Blessing Service, and the Lammas Service held at Bel Val in St Martin. All of which were very enjoyable events.

I feel very lucky to live on an island where people give up their time to look after their communities and, in doing so, keep our traditions alive.

With best wishes

Rose

r.binet@gov.je / 855223 / r.binet@gov.je

A ordable driving with a Honda

Deputy Rose Binet

Joan Germain (née Le Masurier)

Joan Muriel Le Masurier was born on 22nd January 1941 to George and Muriel. She was brought up at Les Cotils Farm, Rue Saint Julien, with her younger sister Doreen. She first attended Springside School before moving to Jersey College for Girls where she excelled at athletics.

After leaving school, Joan worked for Westminster Bank for three years until she married John Germain in September 1961 at St Martin’s Methodist Church (Chapel), although they had known each other since they were young children. It was perhaps the nearest thing to an arranged marriage you could get, with their respective mothers concocting a plan for them to get together! The wedding reception was at The Pavillion at West Park, and their honeymoon was spent in Switzerland.

Apart from John, the only other love of her life was the famous Egyptian actor Omar Sharif and this became a bit of a standing joke within her immediate family! They managed to convince Joan that he was to become a new high net-worth resident, moving into Croix Au Maistre, next to St Martin’s Primary School.

After their wedding, John and Joan initially set up home at Les Alps where they grew anemones, and the following year their daughter Carol-Anne was born. In 1965 they moved to Nil Desporandum and then to Rozel Hamlet in 1967. Then in 1968, their son John, or “Little John” as he was known, was born.

Much of Joan’s life was centred around the administration of parish affairs, with both her father George and husband John holding the position of Connétable. Joan provided unwavering support to John during his tenure. This did have its perks with them being twice invited to Buckingham Palace for tea parties.

John and Joan retired from the camping business in 2005, and John retired as Connétable a year later. They moved across the yard again to Printania. Joan remained actively involved with Chapel, looking after her grandchildren, cooking and entertaining.

In 1973, John and Joan took over the running of John’s parents’ farm by moving across the yard to Summerville and Joan was actively involved in all the farm’s activities: planting potatoes, picking irises and helping with the cows. Always on the lookout for new ways to bring in some extra cash, Joan decided to open Summerville as a bed and breakfast. The rest of the family were rather less convinced of the merits of this new enterprise as they all found themselves sharing the same bedroom! But entrepreneurial spirit was not solely gifted to Joan. In 1975, John and his brother Tosh opened Rozel Camping Park. Joan soon found herself handling all the bookings and looking after the accounts.

Chapel was important to Joan throughout her life. She was christened there, attended Sunday School and undertook bible exams. She was a member of the Young Wives who put on must-see shows in the 1970s, and more recently The Wednesday Group. She cooked and baked cakes for bazaars, Sunday School outings, Harvest Suppers and black butter making, and made flower arrangements.

Joan passed away on 12th January 2025. She is survived by husband John, children Carol-Ann and John and their spouses, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Joan and her husband John Germain

Over the next few years, we will carry out the largest ever upgrade to the Island’s energy network. It will ensure every home and business continues to access affordable, sustainable energy.

www.jec.co.uk/thebigupgrade

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by Ted Pafitis, Senior Youth Worker

While the Parish of St Martin was getting ready to celebrate Liberation 80, so were our young people.

The youth project was asked to contribute to the artwork for the banner, and a group of young dancers connected with St Martin’s School to provide entertainment at the Afternoon Tea.

The pollinator patches, which were planted with the help of the community, have blossomed once more. Along with the usual wildflowers were some unusual Water Figwort plants. These attracted the attention of both botanists and bumble bees alike.

Our Juniors were very fortunate to receive a visit from local girl and Welsh international dodgeball player, Lizie Bone. Lizie stayed the entire evening, first instructing and then refereeing numerous dodgeball games. Lizie was on the Island only briefly, so we would like to thank her for giving up so much of time.

The project’s summer programme started with sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, as well and a residential and two surfing sessions. Our Transition and Junior clubs went to the Queens Silver Jubilee Activity Centre. Amongst the activities were crate stack, archery, low ropes, scavenger hunts and marshmallows around the campfire. With the fortuitous fine weather, there were Sunday morning beach games and ice creams.

We also took a group of Seniors to St Aubin’s Fort to enjoy different water sports, thanks to Chris and the Jersey Youth Service Outdoor Education team.

As a project, we have also been very fortunate to welcome three new volunteers - Anna Le Maistre, Isla Singleton-Riley and Zoe Coats - with a fourth waiting to complete their training. I would like to thank them for coming forward to support the project and our young people.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Another residential is planned for early October

• Saturday 8th November will be our Open Day

• YSCARS, the Youth Service’s version of the Oscars, is a celebration of the impressive contribution made by our young people. We’re still in the planning stage, but there will be something for everyone.

Thank you to the Parish of St Martin, the Jersey Youth Service, the Maufant Youth Project charity, our wonderful staff, parents and especially, our ever-growing numbers of young people.

For further information about the project, please contact Ted Pafitis on 07797 778760 or email tedpafitis@jys.je

Girlguiding Jersey

by Megan Barette

3rd East Rainbows enjoyed a fun-filled adventure day at Amazin’ Adventure Park in June. They joined 50 other young members and their volunteer leaders to enjoy tractor rides, soft play and a picnic lunch. The highlight of the day for many was the foam party, complete with water balloons.

During the summer term, 17th St Saviour's Brownies took part in the St Martin's Church Liberation Flower Festival, making miniature Red Cross parcels filled with handmade red, white and blue pompoms. The girls also learnt some Jèrriais with Susan from the Jèrriais Teaching Service as part of their Languages badge. Later in the term, they took part in other activities such as fajita making, dancing in the “rain” and a board games night. They even had a go at reading their own messages that had been written in invisible ink.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, ages, cultures and faiths. If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Girlguiding or registering your daughter, please visit www.girlguiding. org.uk

A big congratulations to September from 17th St Saviours Brownies and Seren from 25th St John's Brownies (who both attend St Martin's School), as they have both been working hard on their badges and achieved their Brownie Gold Award at the end of the summer term. This is the highest award for Brownies and shows their commitment to their unit and Girlguiding Jersey. Well done to you both!

Celebrating Creativity

at St Martin’s School Art Exhibition

by Chris Godden, Headteacher

On Thursday 26th June, the doors of St Martin’s School were opened to welcome the wider community to a vibrant and inspiring Art Exhibition – a celebration of creativity, learning, and talent.

This year, the school transformed the way that art is taught across the school. Through their involvement with the Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership (CUSP) programme, they have embraced a new approach that emphasises technical progression, depth, skill and vocabulary. The exhibition was a wonderful opportunity to share the results of this change and to showcase the outstanding work produced by all the pupils.

In the evening, the School Hall was transformed into an art exhibition, with a wide range of artwork being showcased. This included textiles, printmaking, 3-D pieces and portraits –all created using a variety of techniques and materials. Every display reflected the creativity, effort and progress of the pupils, and it was a joy to see the pride they took in sharing their work with their family and friends.

The atmosphere throughout the evening was full of energy. Visitors were greeted at the door with a drink and were free to peruse at their leisure. It was lovely to see so many members of the School and Parish community coming together to appreciate the children’s work.

The exhibition was a true celebration of the culmination of a year’s worth of learning and creativity. Teaching staff are incredibly proud of the talent in the school and are excited to see how the young artists continue to develop their skills and confidence in the years ahead.

A huge thank you to all the children for their fantastic work, to the staff for their support and encouragement, and especially to Mrs Brown, who co-ordinated and organised the event so beautifully.

Battle of Flowers Northern Parishes Association

The hard work of a small organising group paid off with this year's Battle of Flowers through the streets of town, proving a great success with thousands turning out to watch the day and evening parades.

The crowds appreciated that the event was free to watch, and they also loved the more intimate carnival atmosphere. Along with bands and performers, 19 floats took part including one from the Northern Parishes accompanied by both senior and junior representatives from Trinity, St John and St Martin dressed as Vikings and dragons.

The float's design was based on the 'Train your Dragon' film series featuring Toothless, the main dragon, ridden by Dylan Eder, and three baby dragons. The float was flowered with white and yellow chrysanthemums, but with alternatives permitted this year to help keep down costs, there was also use of harestails, beans and spray paint.

Although, the town route prevented anything larger than a 30-foot float taking part, the new Battle formula seems to have proved so popular that it could be here to stay. No decision has yet been taken, so we will have to wait and see whether the larger 40 to 45 feet floats have had their day or whether there will be a return to Victoria Avenue next year.

Thank you to everyone who supported Battle this year especially Darren Dupre, the main constructor and our Battle tractor driver, June Armstrong and Becky Morris, who created and sourced costumes, committee members and representatives from all three parishes.

If you would like to get involved, please contact Collette Bisson at collette@bisson.je or text 07797 720615

At the Bouley Bay shed, it was great to see that the spirit of Battle is very much alive with some families represented by three generations. It was also good to see so many juniors having a go at everything from harestailing and papier maché modelling to flowering. And it was by no means all work and no play, as there was the opportunity to make new friends and to enjoy the social aspect of Battle including the traditional Pimms tour of other floats on a vintage lorry, a fish and chip supper, a barbecue and pizza evening. There were also film screenings in the shed to keep the younger ones entertained.

From Teaching to Tour Guiding

Two local English teachers have transitioned from the classroom to sharing their knowledge and passion of Jersey to interested listeners!

Parishioner and Rates Assessor, Tracy Jehan, and her good friend and former colleague Julia Therezien, have recently gained their Tour Guiding Bronze Badge qualifications and set up an enterprise called Let’s Go! Jersey Tours.

Tracy and Julia taught English together for over 12 years. Both came into teaching as a second career so the desire for learning and re-inventing themselves was not something new, in fact they both relish the challenge that studying brings. They also both studied for degrees with the Open University and that quest for acquiring new knowledge stayed with them once their days in the classroom were over.

It was a chance comment from Julia last summer that led them to signing up for a three-month intensive course run by Kary Day on behalf of the Jersey Tour Guiding Association.

This involved weekly lectures on topics ranging from Jersey’s neolithic past to its association with the Crown of England to Jersey’s open gardens. Every Saturday saw the group of ten ‘Bronzers’ spending their day out and about the island either learning how to guide on a coach tour, how to guide a coastal walk or how to guide in a museum setting.

Once the lectures had been delivered and the field work completed, the group then sat their exams. For most, entering a formal exam setting was a challenge they hadn’t faced since their school days! They had a timed two-hour exam with 120 questions about Jersey, and the paper covered every lecture and practical as well as expecting them to have a good general knowledge of all things Jersey.

their choosing. This was the area that extended the trainees' newly gained tour guiding knowledge and needed to include a full itinerary, a timetable of the day, full driver’s notes including route and finally a comprehensive set of commentaries. No mean feat in that they needed to research everything they were planning on telling their guests!

With all this in the bag, Tracy and Julia, along with the rest of the Bronzers, all passed and graduated when they received their coveted Bronze Badge.

So, what’s next for Tracy and Julia?

They decided they wanted to put their new skills into practice and now deliver both scheduled and bespoke tours. From a variety of town walking tours on a Monday and Thursday morning, leaving Liberation Square at 10.30am, to coastal walks to parish story walks, Tracy and Julia are thoroughly enjoying their new roles. They both say that the new information they learn whenever they plan a tour blows them away. Jersey has so much history and, from feedback received so far, their excursions are certainly living up to expectations.

Four practical exams were set - a town walk, a coastal walk, a museum tour and a coach tour. The guides had to pass each element of the course and were then required to complete a project in which they planned a whole day tour of

If Tracy and Julia can assist any Parishioners with a tour, please feel free to contact them at letsgojerseytours@gmail.com

Hands Around The World

by David Agnès

St Martin’s Parishioners David and Myfanwy Agnès are two of five trustees of Hands Around The World Jersey (HATWJ) whose mission is to help children and young people disadvantaged through poverty, disability or otherwise vulnerable, in partnership with local schools in Bugarama, southwest Rwanda.

HATWJ volunteers initially worked with one school in 2010, and we now partner with nine schools with over 13,000 pupils. Over the fifteen years that we have been visiting Rwanda, we have built lasting relationships with headteachers, teachers and students. Their enthusiasm and vitality are amazing, and it is humbling to see how they manage with so little.

Through very generous support from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), we have helped to improve infrastructure in the schools. We have built several blocks of classrooms, which have gone some way to alleviate the chronic overcrowding. With the help of JOA, charitable trusts and HATWJ’s own fundraising, we have also built school kitchens, toilets and installed water tanks.

Myfanwy’s particular focus is on tackling period poverty. Many girls from disadvantaged families are unable to afford basic sanitary materials and miss out on lessons or drop out from

school altogether. During our visit to Rwanda in May 2024, Myfanwy launched a pilot scheme in four schools to produce and supply dignity bags. The scheme has now rolled out to all nine schools and 2,500 packs have been issued so far. We are in the process of building a Girls’ Hygiene Room for each school, which include two bunk beds, a shower and toilet. Daphrose, the dignity pack project coordinator, says that this project is making a real difference to the lives of the girls.

Through fundraising, HATWJ supports several other initiatives including sponsoring students through school and college, and helping teachers improve their skills and qualifications. We also support the ‘Street Children’ programme, which has reintegrated over 400 school dropouts back into education and bringing disabled children into education for the first time. Volunteers help to renovate classrooms, and we support agriculture projects which supplement school meals.

HATWJ is a Jersey charity run entirely by volunteers who work very hard to raise funds. Our charity shop on Union Street, St Helier, is an important part of our fundraising and is run by a dedicated team of volunteers. Each September, we hold the Great North Coast Charity Challenge, a 19-mile sponsored walk along the cliff paths from St Catherine to Grosnez (this year held on Sunday 14th September). Last year, over 2,000 school children, teachers and parents did a ‘virtual’ challenge in solidarity, walking the same distance on the same day in the African heat!

We have two fundraising quiz nights coming up:

• Friday 10th October at St Thomas’ Hall

• Friday 21st November at the Pomme D’Or Hotel

Please do come along, they are great fun! We are also grateful to receive donations, large or small, as they all help us continue supporting children in Rwanda.

For further information, contact hatwjersey@gmail.com or call Myfanwy on 07797 720023 or David on 07797 739931

www.hatwj.org.uk

Over 2,000 children, parents and teachers walked the 19-mile distance of the North Coast Challenge last year

Myfanwy shares dignity bags with school staff

Girls’ Hygiene Room at GS Pera, Bugarama

by Michel Le Troquer

Jumelage St Martin’s Association

At the time of writing, members of St Martin’s Jumelage Association are eagerly looking forward to their annual visit to France to meet up with their twinned friends from Montmartin-sur-Mer and surrounding Communes.

We look forward to reporting back on the activities of the day in the next edition of Les Nouvelles which will hopefully include the signing of an updated Charter by the Connétable, a Vin d’Honneur, a visit to an abbey and a shopping expedition to a hypermarket.

The self-funding association has now reached its 30th anniversary and Association President, Gerald Le Cocq, wanted to mark the occasion with an anniversary mug, similar to those presented to Jersey members by our French friends back in 2015 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary. Many display that memento in their glass cabinets around the Parish, others still using the mugs for their ‘daily cuppa’. The new mugs have now been received and are being given to all current Jumelage

members. Others will be presented to Commune representatives and our twinned friends in Montmartin during the forthcoming visit.

As noted in the Association’s last report, the proposed annual BBQ was held in early July. Some 60 members and friends enjoyed the BBQ, catching up with a background of suitable French accordion music. The skies darkened as the afternoon progressed, and the event came to an abrupt end in the late afternoon as a torrential rainstorm hit St Martin!

The Committee were delighted that Jean Renaud, his daughter Sigrid and grand-daughter Charlotte, had travelled to Jersey for the day to attend the event. Many will remember Jean who, with his late wife Jocelyne, had travelled to Jersey with the Rollo tapestry in 2017 for a visit arranged and sponsored by the St Martin’s Jumelage Association. A report followed in Les Nouvelles (Issue 22, Summer 2017 for those collectors of the magazine) relating to the history of the tapestry that was displayed in the Town Hall. 600 members of the public attended the exhibition during that three-day display.

Anyone interested in becoming a member should contact Gerald on 854234 or Membership Secretary Collette Quinn on 852997 We are delighted to receive new members and you don’t need to speak French to join.

Nous espérons que vous avez trouvé cela intéressant ! À bientôt!

Jean Renaud (wearing cap) with Sigrid and Charlotte, and Jersey member Percy Gicquel

I used to have hedgehogs in the garden, but not now.

On the UK mainland hedgehog numbers have declined by 30% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas. They are listed as “vulnerable” on the red list of mammals in danger of extinction.

The Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group has seen the decline mirrored here, through the reduction in admissions to the Group.

Our mission is to rescue, treat and rehabilitate sick and injured hedgehogs before releasing them back into the wild.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so their eyesight is poor and they rely on their heightened sense of smell and hearing to find prey. Leading up to the branchage in July and September, we receive hogs with severe strimmer injuries. Very few can be saved.

The summer months are birthing time. If a nest is disturbed by over exuberant gardeners, or mum is injured, abandoned or orphaned hoglets are unlikely to survive unless they are rescued and brought into care.

Long grass, undergrowth under hedges, leaf piles and compost heaps all make cosy nesting sites, as well as providing ideal conditions for the caterpillars, beetles, grubs and other insects that hedgehogs like to eat. In warm weather hedgehogs will just lie up in long grass and not use a nest.

It takes just a minute so please do Check Before You Chop!

The erosion of habitat, use of pesticides, and global warming are all playing a part in the decline.

Increased human population means more houses encroaching on rural land. They often have enclosed low maintenance gardens, with few places to nest.

Fewer wild areas, and fewer invertebrates means less food for hedgehogs.

Pesticides and rat poison leave poisoned carrion, which hedgehogs may eat, and it will kill them.

Our admissions have included hogs wrapped in netting, dog bites, one rescued from a cesspit, one shut in a garage, another trapped in an uncovered drainhole and one with a six-pack plastic ring around its middle.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

• Shallow dishes of clean water topped up daily all year round. This is a life-saver particularly in hot dry spells when the ground is too hard for them to dig for natural food.

• Ensure ponds or swimming pools have escape routes, such as bricks or rigid mesh over the side.

• Garden access can be created with a 13cm hole in fences, gates or walls. Hogs must be able to roam.

• Supplement their natural diet, particularly in dry weather and through winter with cat or small size dog kibble. In mild winters Jersey hedgehogs only hibernate for short periods if at all.

• Never give mealworms, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and definitely no milk and bread.

Feeding boxes are available from Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group for a donation.

If you find a sick or injured hedgehog out in daylight, please telephone 01534 734340

St Brelade appears to be the hedgehog capital of Jersey, where we know a lot of residents regularly feed their hedgehogs. Sadly, it is also a hot spot for road deaths, particularly near the Rugby Club, the Airport Road opposite the entrance to Lakeside, and Red Houses. It featured the highest number of recorded sightings in the survey.

St Mary which is less lit up and has more wild areas for hogs to roam after dark had the least sightings in the survey (130 in St Brelade, only 10 in St Mary).

St Saviour, St Helier and St Peter recorded the next highest numbers of sightings (in that order). 2023 Survey

St Martin Household recycling collection

Every home in St Martin will from the end of the year receive a kerbside recycling collection. This will be in addition to existing refuse and glass collections with the first recycling collection planned for the 20th & 21st November 2025. This guide provides general information on recycling and what happens to it.

All the collected items are taken to Abbey Waste where they are combined with the same type of material from other collections. From here it is shipped to the UK for processing.

Paper and cardboard are sent to processing mills in the UK. Here they will be used to make paper products and packaging material.

Around 80% of paper and cardboard that’s produced in the UK is created using recycled content.

Plastic bottles are sent to a UK recycling plant where they are cut into small pieces and melted down to create recycled plastic.

Plastic bottles are made of either Type 1 (PET) or Type 2 (HDPE) plastic and will be used to make new plastic packing and bottles.

Household metal packaging such as food and drink cans are sent to a recycler where they are separated into aluminium and steel.

Metal is a great material that can be recycled again and again without losing its quality. It also takes a lot less energy to make new metal from recycled material than it does from raw materials.

A set of containers will be delivered to each household during the middle of October in preparation for the first collections in November.

For more information, visit stmartin.je

For general recycling enquiries contact the Recycling team: Tel: (01534) 448491

Email: recycle@gov.je

Recycling in Jersey MythBusters

Myth

FAct !

All recycling collected in Jersey just gets burned in the Energy Recovery Facility.

Items sent for recycling through Parish and Government of Jersey collections are not incinerated Only contaminated materials are diverted for energy recovery.

Myth Recycling and general refuse are collected by the same truck, and get mixed together

FAct !

Some collections rounds use the same type of vehicle , but the loads are kept separate to ensure proper recycling.

Myth You don’t need to rinse out food containers or bottles before recycling.

FAct !

Dirty items can contaminate the whole collection, making them unrecyclable . Always rinse before recycling!

Myth You should leave metal lids on jars and bottles

FAct !

Myth Glass can go in general waste orenergy recovery.

FAct !

Myth Plastic bottle tops can’t be recycled.

FAct !

Metal lids and tops should be removed and placed with your household metal recycling. Glass can damage the Energy Recovery Facility , leading to costly repairs. It must be recycled properly.

Plastic bottle tops can be recycled, so don’t throw them away!

What Was and

THERE have been many histories written about the German occupation of the Channel Islands. The islands were the only British soil to be occupied by the Germans thus giving much to write about. This series of articles is not intended to be just another history of that time but an example of “What if…?”.

On 1 July 1940, German forces invade the Channel Islands. But what if, as prime minister Winston Churchill (we will recall that he was formerly First Lord of the Admiralty) had actually suggested several days earlier, possibly goaded by an equally belligerent Jerseyman in the House of Lords, Lord Portsea, that the Royal Navy should be charged with the task of resisting any German invasion of the islands?

Let’s imagine the scene. “The Channel Islands will not be taken!” A blast of cigar smoke. “The Navy will see to it!” And the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, always in awe of his former First Lord, will seek to comply.

The taking of the Channel Islands – Unternehmung Grüne Pfeile (Operation Green Arrows) - was planned by Admiral Karlgeorg Schuster and his Flag Officer Vizeadmiral Eugen Lindau. Schuster relies on the Luftwaffe to prevent any intervention from the Royal Navy. Although the German Navy possesses modern and sophisticated warships it does not, in 1940, possess enough of them to threaten Britain’s dominance of the seas.

Despite the Kriegsmarine’s interest, surrender demands have been received on both Islands from the area’s Luftwaffe commander, Generaloberst von Richthofen, and

It is understood that Admiral Friedrich Hüffmeier, commander-in-chief of the German forces in the Channel Islands, in April 1945 and despite Germany’s defeat being inevitable, stated to Jersey’s Bailiff Alexander Coutanche that ‘you and I will be eating grass before I surrender’. Even if that’s a myth, it makes a good title for a compendium of myths, mysteries and minutiae of the only German Occupation of British Soil, compiled by Jersey author and historian Peter Tabb.

Let’s start right at the beginning with the first possible “What if…”.

communicated to London. The local authorities are advised not to respond for, during the 24 hours’ grace given by the Germans, units of the Royal Navy, including two County-class heavy cruisers (HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk are temporarily but conveniently positioned at Portsmouth) with escorting destroyers will be despatched to provide both resistance to any invading naval forces and anti-aircraft cover against any incursions by the Luftwaffe. The cruisers both carry companies of Royal Marines who will be landed on Guernsey and Jersey to bolster the local defences.

The Island authorities wait in nervous anticipation (the German air attack of 28 June had come without warning and killed more than 30 islanders). Although those attackers flew from an airfield near Paris, Heinkel bombers are now based at Querqueville near Cherbourg and Pleurtuit near Dinard, just ten minutes’ flight from the Islands).

Norfolk and Suffolk sail from Portsmouth. The fast Countyclass cruisers, with their distinctive high freeboard and three funnels, bear a passing resemblance to ocean liners and although heavily armed with eight 8-inch guns, they are lightly armoured and possess little specific anti-aircraft armament.

The appearance of Norfolk and Suffolk and their attendant destroyers off the Islands is reported by German aerial reconnaissance. Schuster has no forces capable of dealing

The Little Russell today, still the main sea way to St Peter Port

HMS Norfolk, County Class 8-inch gun cruiser

and What If…

with 8-inch gun cruisers and confers with von Richthofen. The invasion must be postponed, he reasons. Von Richthofen is scornful. His attitude towards the Kriegsmarine is one of cordial loathing.

Von Richthofen is one of Hitler’s favourites and, in February 1943, he will be appointed Germany’s youngest ever Generalfeldmarschall. He insists that if the Channel Islands authorities fail to respond to his demands, they, and their supposed protectors of the Royal Navy, should be attacked without mercy. He proposes supplementing his force of Heinkel He-111 medium bombers with Junkers Ju-87B Stukas, the screaming gull-winged dive-bombers that created terror during the Blitzkrieg across Europe.

With 12 hours before the ultimatum to the Islanders expires, von Richthofen assembles his air fleet; three squadrons of He-111 bombers and two squadrons of Stukas flown from Paris. Schuster and Lindau are nervous. The fighting spirit of the Royal Navy is well known. But von Richthofen ignores their objections and his air forces take off into the setting sun.

HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk are ten miles south of Alderney approaching at 25 knots the Little Russel on Guernsey’s east coast. The cruisers, more used to patrolling the world’s oceans, are line astern, their commanders wary of the unfamiliar waters with their swirling tides and barely concealed reefs.

The Stukas swoop out of the dusk. The warships are slow to react, despite being at Action Stations. The Stuka pilots are well practised at their craft, plummeting vertically like screeching gannets towards their prey. A deadly hail of 500-kilogram bombs hurtles towards the cruisers; the bombs have whistles fitted to their fins to ensure that the intended recipients know just what to expect. Norfolk is the first to be hit, the Stukas seemingly immune to the barrage of anti-aircraft fire directed towards them from the destroyers. The 10,000 ton cruiser shudders under the impact and slows, gravely wounded. Suffolk, so far unscathed, swerves to avoid her injured consort.

The Royal Navy’s big guns are useless against concerted air attacks (in 1941 the Japanese Air Force will sink the battleship Prince of Wales and battle cruiser Repulse) and the attackers are too fleet to be deterred.

Despite the lively barrage put up by the escorting destroyers the cruisers are now both hit and on fire. Norfolk is almost stopped in the water and is down by the head. Suffolk is now circling her, barely under control, her bridge has suffered a direct hit, killing her captain and navigating officer. On after control and with little room to manoeuvre, Suffolk, which draws more than 20 feet, runs aground on the Platte Fougere reef and comes to a shuddering stop, immediately heeling over. The destroyers close to assist but come under further bombardment from more Stukas and He-111s.

With a similar mix of high explosives and incendiaries, other bombers devastate St Peter Port and St Sampson.

With Norfolk and Suffolk reduced to sinking, smoking hulks, the remaining Royal Navy vessels hurry off into the last remnants of a fiery sunset.

The Royal Navy’s attempt to prevent the invasion of Jersey and Guernsey causes the loss two heavy cruisers and a destroyer, severely damaged in the Stuka assaults, sunk by its own consorts. Altogether more than a hundred RN officers and men die in the futile defence of the Islands.

German casualties are light: three Stukas shot down into the sea and a He-111 damaged by anti-aircraft fire crash-lands into Guernsey’s power station on the Northside at St Sampson’s. In London, no-one dares tell the prime minister ‘I told you so’.

The foregoing, of course, didn’t happen, but even if it had, the Occupation would have evolved much as it did.

How the Occupation forces visualised they would enjoy the Channel Islands

The Junkers Ju-87, the fearsome dive bombers that created a whole new style of airborne warfare

of your own Health Be a Hero

Lifestyle Medicine Jersey is a not-for-profit organisation founded by a group of passionate medical health professionals to help Islanders take charge of their health through neighbourhood connection and evidence-based lifestyle changes.

Our mission is simple: connect people to each other and to free local health and wellbeing services, share the science of healthy living, and provide the support needed to prevent, manage, and even reverse many chronic health conditions.

We focus on six key pillars proven to improve health and wellbeing:

• Eating well – a balanced diet based on whole, minimally processed foods

• Moving more – building regular physical activity into daily life

• Restorative sleep – improving sleep quality and quantity

• Reducing harmful habits – cutting back or quitting smoking, excess alcohol, and other risk factors

• Stress management – developing tools to handle life’s challenges

• Social connection – linking people with others on the same journey

Our free in-person 8-week programme, “Live Well Jersey” currently aimed at people who want to lose weight sustainably, lower blood pressure and improve blood sugar levels (pre/ diabetes), is delivered in community venues around the Island, including St Martin. Each week, participants learn practical ways to make sustainable changes, supported by our certified Lifestyle Medicine professionals and by others in the group who understand what it’s like to face health challenges.

This isn’t about quick fixes - it’s about building habits that last a lifetime. Many people join because they want trusted support to create their health goals and a plan for how they can feel more in control, reduce medication, and have more energy. Along the way, they gain new friends, confidence, and motivation.

Jon, who recently completed our Live Well Jersey course, shared his experience:

“Having been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and reluctant to take medication, I enrolled on the Live well course. I was amazed how a few simple changes to one's diet and lifestyle could correct my medical condition. I found the Live well course very relaxed and informative, just making a few changes to my diet and lifestyle I manage to reduce my blood pressure, and lower my cholesterol and sugar levels. I feel so more energetic and have lost so weigh too!”

To build health connections at a parish level, we’re launching the Hero of Health Jersey App this October. It’s completely free and will connect Islanders to each other through online chat spaces to share tips, recipes, and encouragement for people wanting to improve their health or feel more connected to their community. You will be able to join online health coaching sessions or easily book onto local walking groups being run in partnership with Move More Jersey, with weekly options to join a health coach to chat to on the move. The app will showcase the amazing array of free charity services/events and inspire and educate people through recipes and easy to follow videos.

How to get involved:

• Keep an eye out for our next series of courses at lifestylemedicine.je/courses which are free to attend, funded by Jersey Community Foundation.

• Download the Hero of Health App and log into your parish chat and wider island health events/coaching/support – launching October and supported by funding from Digital Jersey’s Impact Jersey fund.

Let’s work together to build a healthier, more connected island. www.lifestylemedicine.je / lauren@lifestylemedicine.je

Jon - past participant on Live Well course

Lauren Perchard-Rees, Lifestyle Medicine Professional (left), Dr Jo Darwood, Lifestyle Medicine Doctor (right)

Located on the edge of the Jersey National Park in St Ouen, Maison des Landes Hotel and Community Hub blends the peaceful charm of the countryside with the very best in modern design to offer a fully inclusive environment.

Maison des Landes is a place where you can relax, recharge and feel truly looked after, whilst enjoying the tranquil gardens and panoramic coastal views. With 15 out of 23 rooms fully adapted to suit a range of needs, everything has been thought through. Enhance your visit with a swim in the hydrotherapy pool, maintained at 33 degrees, which is perfect for relaxation and rejuvenation.

When it comes to food, you’re in for a treat! Head Chef Sachin and his team proudly create fresh, locally sourced dishes at very reasonable prices that are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At Maison des Landes, our guests come first. Friendly, dedicated and always willing to go the extra mile, our staff team take genuine pride in what they do - and it shows. Whether you need a little extra support or simply a warm welcome, nothing is too much trouble.

“We just wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks for the incredible hospitality we experienced during our recent stay at your hotel. From the moment we arrived, the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and comfortable. Their friendliness, kindness and professionalism truly made our stay unforgettable.”

WEDDINGS AND EVENTS

A stunning venue for any wedding or special occasion, and if anyone needs accessible facilities, they’re already in place, from step-free spaces to accessible bedrooms.

GIFT VOUCHERS

Treat your loved ones to a delicious meal or overnight stay at Maison des Landes, our gift vouchers are easy to purchase by phone and are valid for 12 months. Vouchers can be sent electronically or by post.

Exclusive to readers of the parish magazines, we are delighted to offer the following discounts:

• £149 GETAWAY FOR TWO – overnight stay for two people including three-course evening meal plus full English and continental breakfast.

This offer is available for purchase until 23rd December 2025 and is valid for stays from May-September 2026, subject to availability at time of booking.

• 10% OFF food and drinks – please quote PARISH MAGAZINE OFFER when booking or paying at the hotel restaurant until 23rd December 2025.

To book, purchase a gift voucher or discuss your specific requirements, please call the hotel directly on 01534 481683 or email reservations@maisondeslandes.co.uk

Lighting Up Our Community with Solar Energy

With energy costs rising and long-term electricity plans for Jersey still evolving, many Islanders are starting to ask: how can we create more certainty for ourselves and our families? For an increasing number of local households, the answer is solar energy, a simple, reliable way to take control of energy use while contributing to a stronger, more resilient community.

WHY SOLAR, WHY NOW?

Jersey has long benefited from superior energy security through a stable connection to the French electricity grid. Whether we continue with imports at the same level or eventually benefit from the potential offshore wind farms in our coastal waters 10+ years from now, many people are looking for ways to become more selfsufficient. Solar is emerging as THE most practical option.

More than just long-term savings, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems allow you to generate your own electricity and take part in Jersey’s future energy system by producing clean power at home and reducing reliance on imported energy.

REAL FAMILIES, REAL RESULTS

Take the Vardon family. In 2022, they installed solar panels on their home. Within a year, they cut their energy usage by 27 percent and saved around £1,000 on their electricity bills. This year, they expanded their system and are on their way to near energy independence.

Or the Lewis family, who shared: “We have had our panels up for nine months. Our electricity bill for the last three months was £62. The same period last year? £432.” That is the kind of impact solar can have.

A SMARTER, STRONGER COMMUNITY

Solar is not just about reducing bills; it is about building something bigger. Smart technology now makes it easy to monitor and manage energy use, and parishioners can play a key role in shaping a cleaner, more resilient energy system.

Across the island, SunWorks has installed over 15,000 panels on more than 600 homes. These families are part of a growing movement, one that supports independence, local innovation, and practical solutions to everyday challenges.

NO NEED TO WAIT

You do not need to be wealthy or technical to benefit from solar. Systems start from around £7,000 and are tailored carefully to your roof size and energy needs. Panels work well even on cloudy days, and thanks to Jersey’s rainfall, they are mostly self-cleaning. Maintenance is minimal, and most systems pay for themselves within 8 to 12 years - and after that, it’s all savings.

Interesting facts about solar from SunWorks

• You can export electricity to Jersey Electricity at 9.4 pence per unit

• Solar panels can last up to 25-30 years with warranties of 20+ years

• Panels work effectively in Jersey’s mixed climate, even on cloudy days

• Solar panels can help preserve your roof and increase home value

• Solar offers strong financial returns and long-term peace of mind

• SunWorks carries out roof repairs, reroofing and insulation

• Systems are expandable — add panels, batteries, EV chargers, and more

• Interest-free finance options with SunWorks make solar more accessible than ever

It’s time to start thinking about your renewable future. Reclaim your energy independence, reduce your bills, and help light up our community — one rooftop at a time.

by Karen White

Diamond Club Celebrating 20 Years with Birthday Beach Bash

The Diamond Club meets on the first Thursday of each month, normally at the Public Hall, but we also enjoy two lunches and one afternoon tea party during the year, as well as a Christmas Party.

The club promotes members’ friendship and wellbeing whilst maintaining their ties with the Parish of St Martin. Now numbering over 40 members, a varied programme of events has been held since the March AGMa topical film at the June gathering relating to Liberation 80 and life-saving role the SS Vega played in bringing essential relief to islanders, a talk and slide show in July from wellknown local antique expert Peter Le Rossignol, and the annual afternoon tea party held at Holme Grown in August.

An EGM was held in June to elect a new treasurer after the retirement of Tony Charnley who had held the post since early 2016. Tony was thanked for his hard and dedicated work over those 9 years and thanks were also extended to his wife Margaret for her help and support to the club, in particular with the monthly raffles. Tony was presented with a basket of fruit by former Connétable, Michel Le Troquer.

Finally, congratulations to stalwart member Madge Le Corre who, on reaching her 99th birthday, is now (we think) our ‘most mature’ member of the Club. In saying that there are a few others who are not too far behind who we love to see each month!

We are always delighted to welcome new members. If you are interested, please contact Chairperson Barbara Le Troquer on 851936

In August, Gorey café owner, Rhona Hewit, who has raised over £50,000 for local charities, invited Islanders to help her mark 20 years of Rhona’s at the Beach.

Rhona’s café has become a beachside hotspot in Gorey since it opened in summer 2005 and is now famous for its fundraising fish finger sandwiches. Each year, Rhona chooses a local charity to benefit from the proceeds of the sales of her iconic fish finger sandwich and, earlier this year, her fundraising total surpassed £50,000. Her generosity has captured the hearts of islanders, and she won Community Champion of the Year at the 2023 Jersey Pride Awards.

Reflecting on 20 years of business, Rhona said: “What a journey it’s been—full of sunshine, storms, amazing staff, and the most wonderful customers anyone could ask for. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support, kindness, and loyalty over the past two decades.”

Rhona’s chosen charity for 2025, Enable Jersey, organised the event.

Retiring treasurer Tony Charnley and his wife Margaret

Rhona’s at the Beach

Rhona with the Enable team

Did you know you could get up to £9,000 towards the cost of a heat pump?

When you switch from fossil fuel heating to a low carbon heating alternative, there are subsidies available through the Government’s Low Carbon Heating Incentive.

For full details, visit our website and contact one of our approved contractors.

Repair

by Jennifer Bridge

Café

Mending More Than Just Broken Items: Jersey's Repair Café Celebrates 70 Events

Jersey's Repair Café has reached a remarkable milestone, celebrating its 70th event since launching in 2022. The numbers tell an impressive story: 542 items repaired, 1,692 volunteer hours contributed, and an incredible 4,197kg of waste diverted from La Collette.

Jersey Repair Café's motto is simple: "If you can carry it or wheel it, you can bring it." Whether it's torn clothing, faulty electronics, wobbly furniture or cherished toys, volunteers do their best to fix them. The Repair Café aims to visit every parish in a two-year cycle, and visitors are welcome to attend any event regardless of location.

These events achieve far more than preventing waste.

Volunteer Roger Small describes the initiative as "simply joyful" recalling the happiness of “seeing three ladies who went to school together. They had not seen each other in over 20 years but still lived in the same parish.”

The emotional impact often surprises volunteers. Louise Bamber recalls repairing "a simple inexpensive necklace for a lady who just loved it, despite being of no financial value." Kristle Rennolds shares an even more touching memory: fixing an elderly lady's childhood doll with her crochet hook. "She was so pleased her treasured doll was back together after many years and gave me a big hug as thanks."

The diversity of skills is remarkable. Leatherworker Mick Humphry most recently repaired a much-loved ornamental duck whose head had fallen off – a departure from his usual repairs, mending "bags, belts, boots and shoes, even a much-loved leather jacket." Rachel Wilkinson demonstrates that professional training isn't always necessary, helping people realise "they can play a part in reducing waste with often simple repairs."

For many volunteers, the Repair Café represents a return to community values. As Simon Langlois reflects, "Using our skills to help others is a bit like stepping back to a time when people freely helped each other out." Simon, one of the founding members, emphasises that "You don't need to be a repair expert at all. You just need to be interested in fixing things."

The welcoming atmosphere is carefully orchestrated by volunteers like Sandie Livingston, who serves as Chief Allocator in Grouville. "I soon realised the importance of a warm, supportive environment with volunteers able to help, repairing appliances and sometimes much-loved keepsakes," she explains. Her role focuses on ensuring "everything runs smoothly, by making visitors feel comfortable, explaining how the system works and finding the right repairer for them."

For volunteer Mike Panter, the Repair Café represents hope: "Environmental challenges can seem overwhelming, but the repair café demonstrates that individuals can make a significant difference when we work together."

As these dedicated volunteers prove, sustainable living can be both practical and joyful, one repair at a time.

The list of event dates can be found at www.repaircafe.org.je or on Facebook at Jersey Repair Café

Roger Small

Simon Langlois

Mike Panter

Jennifer Bridge

Kristle Rennolds

Sandie Livingston

St Martin’s Women’s Institute

by Anne Pasturel

We do not meet in August, but we enjoyed an afternoon tea for members to bridge the gap between July and September.

In June, our speakers were Jane and Sarah from St John’s Ambulance who were both informative and entertaining. Jane showed us cardiac resuscitation and how to use a defibrillator, one of which is located in the Public Hall vestibule. Sarah also told us about long-term care packages and what help is available for relatives or friends who need it.

Our July speaker was Julie Wildbore–Hands, who is a celebrant and does naming days for new babies, conducts marriages and end of life services. She spoke about how she started out and how she ended up becoming a celebrant.

We were pleased to welcome new member Julia Hawgood whose mother and sister are already members. Also in July we had a report of our Annual National Meeting where the chosen resolution for 2025 was “Bystanders can be Lifesavers” which was passed by 97% of the votes cast. There is a campaign to follow these annual resolutions, and we felt very proud of ourselves having already had a speaker demonstrating how to do just that.

In May and June, we had the pleasant task of giving gifts to members who have retired from committee. The first retiree was Sheila de Caux who spent over 20 years on the committee, shared her very considerable needlework skills, and has been a very supportive member. Our second retiree was Rose Dustow who was our Treasurer for 3 years and did an excellent job.

In September, we are off to Cambodia and beyond while remaining in the comfort of the Public Hall! In October, we will be learning about “The Eye in the Sky” and, in November, we have an in-house Craft Evening where members will make an item to take home.

Our regular activities continue - Canasta, Craft Group and Book Group – in addition to our monthly meetings.

It seems quite a long time since Liberation Day, but I must just mention our lovely altar arrangement by Kay Laverty in the church to celebrate 80 years since the end of the Occupation. The Rector and Church Warden said that there were many favourable comments about it.

Last year, we celebrated our 75th anniversary and, to ensure that we carry on this tradition, it would be lovely to welcome new members to St Martin’s WI. You are assured of a warm welcome and a great variety of activities for an annual subscription of £51.

We meet on the second Monday of every month at 7.30pm in the Public Hall.

Please contact Anne on 730409 or 07797 757679 or apasturel@live.co.uk

Shelia de Caux (right) with Anne Pasturel

Rose Dunstow (left) with Anne Pasturel

Altar arrangement for Liberation 80

“Haematology

Excellence and International Experience, Jersey Based”

Haematology is the medical science of Blood. Blood is central to our health, carrying oxygen, nutrients, and immune protection to every part of the body. So, when something is wrong with the body it can show in the blood. Equally when something is wrong with the blood, it can affect energy levels, wellbeing, and sometimes even life expectancy. Yet, many people live with unexplained fatigue, anaemia, or iron deficiency without realising that an effective, personalised approach and treatments are available right here in Jersey.

Jersey Haematology is a bespoke private consultancy, developed to provide islanders with direct access to high level specialist care based on the study of blood . Led by Dr Effie Liakopoulou, an international expert haematologist, our clinic offers rapid access to consultations, blood tests, and treatments such as iron infusions and venesections. We perform a range of diagnostic procedures and treatments and provide ongoing support for patients with chronic blood conditions.

Our mission is to make expert haematology care more accessible, so patients do not need to travel off-island.

Whether you have been struggling with tiredness, recovering from illness, or have a diagnosed blood disorder, we can help guide you through diagnosis and treatment in a calm, supportive environment where only You matter.

We work closely with local GPs and international experts to ensure optimal benefit for every patient without delay.

In many cases, people discover that a simple test or treatment can transform their quality of life.

To benefit from a visit to us, please visit www.jerseyhaematology.com, call us or speak with your GP about referral.

At Jersey Haematology, we believe expert blood care should be accessible, compassionate, and local –helping islanders live healthier, fuller lives.

New Stops to townlink Bus Routes

We’ve made improvements to routes 20 and 24 to help further enhance accessibility around town.

Three new stops have been added:

• Castle Street

• Outside the Town Hall

• Hill Street

These new stops are designed to make it easier for you to reach the heart of St Helier, with buses arriving three times an hour.

Through Ticketing Now Available

You can now travel between main line services and Townlink routes, including the new stops.

Pétanque UPDATE Flower Club St Martin’s

by Sophia Welland

Pétanque is a great pastime for all ages - it’s suitable for those who are less mobile or those who just want to get a bit more active after illness, injury or retirement.

Our Parish League Season has started well for St Martin and we are now just over halfway through and standing at 5th in the table.

The 24th Home Nations Championship took place on the 9th10th August 2025 and was hosted by the Welsh Pétanque Association at the Pontyclun Pétanque Club.

The competition is between the Pétanque Associations of England, Jersey, Scotland and Wales. This year, two St Martin Parish team players were selected to play in the Jersey team, Brian Harris and Nicky Maindonald.

A total of 192 games were played over the two days between the four nations, ending with England winning the competition on 70 wins, then Jersey with 46 wins, followed very closely by Wales on 45 wins and Scotland 31 wins. Congratulations to the Jersey team for coming runners-up behind England and well done to Brian and Nicky for playing their part.

Our players are a very welcoming group, so if you are a St Martin resident why not join us to have a go on a Tuesday or Saturday afternoon from 2pm onwards at the Village Green terrain. A cup of tea and freshly baked cakes are always on hand.

Our fixtures and results table are on our shelter notice board or on website petanque.je. Support on match days would always be most appreciated.

For more information about how to get involved, please contact Judy Eden on 721601 or judyedenjersey@yahoo.co.uk

by Kay Laverty

In April, we held our annual Club competition, titled “In my Suitcase”. This was won by Darlene Hewlett with a beautiful arrangement of large pink gerberas depicting a trip to Paris.

In May, our demonstrator was Sioned Hughes from Shropshire whose title was “Take your Pick”. She was a lovely, bubbly lady with some interesting stories. She used many large containers and large flowers in her designs, such as Anthuriums, strelizias and sunflowers, to great effect.

A Bingo afternoon was held in June as a fundraiser for the club which was good fun, with tea and cake to finish off, and everyone had a good catch up.

July’s demonstrator was Lucy Ellis from Wiltshire whose title was “Picture This”. She was a real hit with our members because her designs were incredible, some using amazing structures and accessories to showcase her designs. Her flowers were also a delightful mixture of colours and often unusual types.

For details, please contact Kay Laverty on 853041 or 07797 769536

If you would like to attend one of our meetings, you are most welcome. They are usually held on the first Wednesday of the month at 2pm, except for October this year when it will be on the second Wednesday, always at the Public Hall. Cost is £8 which includes tea and biscuits.

Darlene Hewlett won the Hilary Sentiford trophy at our annual Club competition

Demonstrator Sioned Hughes from Shropshire

Demonstrator Lucy Ellis from Wiltshire

La Fête des Rouaisons in Normandy

by Jean Treleven

In June, a 20-strong group from Jersey took part in the Fête des Rouaisons in the town of Bricquebec in Normandy, between Carteret and Valognes.

This year’s fête was organised by Nicolas Abraham and the Federation of Norman Language Associations, so our Norman languages featured strongly in the form of stories, poems and songs. Stories were shared in Norman and Jèrriais around the atmospheric grounds of the town's château. Jèrriais teacher Charlie Le Maistre’s wonderfully dramatic account of the Legend of La Hougue Bie was enjoyed and understood by all.

Members of the Société Jersiaise Language Section performed poetry and songs as a group. Local dance group Les Chaboleurs entertained with a selection of their Norman dances accompanied by musicians, which was much enjoyed by the locals, probably for their informality and a contrast to the large, traditionally costumed, very impressive Norman folkdance group, Le P'tit Capé d'Brix, who are hoping to come to Jersey next year.

The music was exceptional, and a highlight was certainly the group Lihou performing a concert of Channel Island songs.

We certainly enjoyed the weekend and hope to welcome our Norman and Guernsey friends to next year’s fête in Jersey. We hope many of our Jersey communities will come to watch and take part. We also have the upcoming celebrations of our Norman heritage for the millennium of William the Conqueror to look forward to in 2027.

If you are interested in finding out more or getting involved, please contact Jean Treleven at jerriais@societe.je

Catholic Church

by Pat Guegan

St Vincent de Paul Society Food Bank

The Society of St Vincent de Paul, or SVP as it is known, is a Lay Catholic International Organisation serving the poor in our society, which aspires to bring about a more just and compassionate society.

Founded in Paris in 1833 by Frederick Ozanam, an Italian student studying there who was shocked by the lives of the poor Parisians at that time. SVP Jersey has been operating for over 100 years, and one of the stainedglass windows in St Thomas’ Church indicates that SVP was operating in Jersey in the late 1800s.

Although a Christian organisation affiliated to the Catholic Church, it runs independently with help from Catholics and non-Catholics. The income to support the charity is donated by individuals, corporates, service organisations, schools, Church groups and the Government. Its beneficiaries are the low income, unemployed, sick and disadvantaged. Due to recent changes within the Island, SVP is now the largest food bank in Jersey! The approximate number of beneficiaries is 1600 individuals across 500 households. There are currently some 20 volunteers.

The food bank is open on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings to cater for those who drop in, but there is also a ‘Click and Collect’ service for those unable to attend these sessions. Assistance is also available for organisations such as Mind Jersey, whose clients find it hard to cope with the ’waiting room experience’.

During Advent and Lent, FCJ Primary School and Beaulieu Convent School hold weekly collections to provide special extras for Christmas and Easter.

Food collection bins are in the back of all Catholic Churches in the Island and at various offices and retail outlets. All donations will be gratefully received.

Les Chaboleurs dancers and musicians

Jèrriais teacher Charlie Le Maistre performing the Legend of la Hougue Bie

St Martin’s Church

by Reverend Pete Stone

Any Act of Compassion Makes a Difference

At its core, Christianity has always been about compassionlifting up the weak, caring for the suffering and doing small things that make a difference. Something the world needs desperately.

Historian Tom Holland argues that we still live in the moral world Christianity shaped. Our ideas of dignity, mercy, equality and care for the vulnerable all flow from the teachings of Jesus. Even secular movements carry forward these values. Holland points to the crucifixion - where God identifies with human suffering, especially of the weak and vulnerable - as the West’s enduring moral lens.

This year, the Parish Church is aiming to raise £2,500 for Jersey Cancer Relief, in honour of Joan Richard MBE, who is retiring after 25 years of volunteering. Joan’s story is a living example of compassion in action:

"After taking early retirement as a District Nursing Sister, I continued to work on the bank but wanted to do something else. The opportunity came when St Martin’s Tug of War Association folded and donated their remaining funds to Jersey Cancer Relief. I attended the presentation evening and offered to be involved - starting with helping sell Christmas cards in Oct/Nov 2000. I was later invited to join the committee, and when one of the visitors retired, I was happy to take on the role. As a nurse, visiting people felt very natural to me. In 2005, I became Chair - a role I held for 14 years.

I’m still on the committee and continue to visit and assess clients, either at home or at our Centre in town. In 2019, I was honoured to receive an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II. The charity has changed a lot since I began - we now have paid staff, and people can drop in to ask for help or we can visit their homes.

I'm proud of what we've achieved and grateful for the generosity of the people of Jersey, who make this work possible."

We can’t always change the world, but we can do things that make a difference, volunteering, giving, even a smile to someone can change their day.

If you would like to help us raise money for Jersey Cancer Relief, please see the Church Diary for more information.

CHURCH DIARY

You are always welcome to pop into St Martin’s Church during the day for a quiet moment of reflection or prayer. Every Sunday, we meet at 8am and 10am, you are very welcome to join us. Below are our extra services and events over the next few months.

OCTOBER

Sunday 26th

2pm (weather contingency date of 2nd November) - St Martin’s Story Walk with Tracy and Julia of Let’s Go Jersey Tours. Hear some exciting stories from the Parish’s past whilst wandering through the beautiful lanes that we live in. Meet at St Martin’s Church for a 90 minute walk around the Parish. Hot drink and biscuits afterwards – all proceeds raised in aid of Jersey Cancer Relief Tickets £10 from Pete at stmartinsrector@gmail.com or 07797 939692 (limited to 30 people).

NOVEMBER

Sunday 9th

10am Remembrance Sunday Service 10.45am at the War Memorial for the Act of Remembrance at 11am

Friday 14th

7pm - Beans and Bingo – Bean crock, bingo and a silent auction! Raising funds for Jersey Cancer Relief at St Martin’s Public Hall. Tickets £10 includes a bingo card. Available from Pete at stmartinsrector@gmail.com or 07797 939692 (limited to 60 people).

Trees for Lives

If you plant a lot of trees, you’ll need to carry out a lot of maintenance, which is exactly what Jersey Trees for Life does for most of the year. Those of you who have planted trees of your own are probably well aware of this.

Over summer and early autumn, competing species like bracken, bramble, bindweed, sticky plant and nettles can grow prolifically. Bracken is the poster child, rapidly engulfing banques, côtils and valleys Island wide.

While there’s nothing intrinsically bad about most competing species, they divert vital nutrients and water away from trees, slowing down growth. The problem is therefore most acute when whips and saplings (as opposed to larger trees) are overwhelmed by one or more of these interlopers, which can happen surprisingly quickly. That’s why it’s so important to clear them and why Jersey Trees for Life and its volunteers spend so much time doing so at this time of year.

It's impossible to talk about maintenance without watering, especially after a dry summer (not that it’s the most complex facet of tree care). A thorough watering every 7-10 days is optimal, ensuring a deep soak into the roots – root hydration is key to successful growth.

Mulching – removing existing plants from surrounding ground and adding a layer of woodchip or other (typically) organic matter – is another useful tool in the tree care kitbag. If you have the time and inclination, this technique is great for reducing weed growth, plus it helps soil to retain water and control its temperature. It even looks good. Examples can be found at Adelina Wood and Val de la Mare, if you’re keen to see for yourself.

As for pruning, autumn’s typically not the time, as trees are preparing for dormancy. As a rule, stick to winter (there are plenty of summery exceptions)

Growing forward

As global temperatures rise, treescapes will follow. For Jersey, this means a long-term transition to more drought-tolerant species while the likes of beech, Scots pine and silver birch struggle. We shouldn’t write off our current crop too soon, though. Trees are famously resilient and can adapt to their environment by developing strategies primarily based on drought avoidance.

Avoidance is based on simply maximising intake and/or reducing water use. As water intake is a function of root surface area, trees can survive drought by evolving larger root systems. Conversely, to reduce water use they slow transpiration by manipulating their leaves with tactics such as restricting growth, forming a layer of hair or wax and even shedding (abscission).

The ability of trees to adapt to changing conditions is remarkable but naturally has its limits, even if our native species aren’t going anywhere quite yet. This is why we need to look after today’s trees while preparing for tomorrow, managing the gradual transition to less familiar but more drought-tolerant species. Our future treescape is sure to look different.

by David Marett

Methodist Church

Summer in the church calendar can be a little bit light with no major festivals and members taking well-earned holidays, which reduces Sunday attendances a little. There are, nevertheless, mysteries of our faith to return to and ponder, such as Pentecost and the Trinity, as well as our relation to the society we live in.

There have been a few highlights, however. In July we had a lovely Sunday morning gathering with members from all over the Circuit for a beachside service led by our Minister the Rev Keith Sandow, in the former beach café at Greve de Lecq. These united services are always a joy, as we meet again with folk from other Island churches.

Another wonderful celebration was a united Parish service on Gorey Pier for Sea Sunday. It is proper to remember all those who work as fishermen and other employments in all weathers. The service was led with great good humour by Revs. Jeff Wattley and Pete Stone, especially when Pete made contact with the AirSea Rescue plane which sometimes made very intermittent and distorted contact, making for a sustained conversation a bit difficult not to say comical at times!

Yet again, we met as a Parish for the very lovely early harvest service of Lammas, giving thanks for the first harvest of the wheat. Once again it was a joy to share in this ecumenical celebration in a most wonderful setting, overlooking the sea, at Bel Val Farm by kind invitation of Colin and Paulette de la Haye.

Methodists have something of a reputation for liking their food. So, when Chalao Stuart-Smith offered to produce one of her wonderful Thai Feasts, the third one, we quickly agreed to the idea. Its fame had spread as far as St Aubin and St Ouen and it was a splendid, convivial evening, including a couple of very graceful Thai dances before the meal. The evening raised £1,000 for which we thank Chalao and her team very much, as well as some of our ladies and gentlemen who helped to make it such a successful evening.

Messy Church resumes in September, unfortunately without our lovely Helen Westcott, who had to return to the mainland for family reasons. We miss her very much and thank her for all she did and achieved in the few years she was with is. Now we look forward to Harvest time in September and Black Butter, hopefully the 3rd-4th of October, Mission Lunches in November and, dare I say it, Christmas!

Finally, we were all so very sad to hear that our wonderful friend, organist and music maker, Wendy Binet, had lost her battle with cancer on Monday 11th August. Her death is a great loss to our community, and we shall miss her great gifts as a soloist and choir leader very much indeed. Our deepest condolences go out to her husband, Colin, and daughter, Anna. May you grace the heavenly choirs, Wendy.

Church Gouray

by Reverend Jeff Wattley

A vicar at a Harvest Festival Family Service asked the children to name some of the things they could see among the harvest gifts in Church. Carrots, potatoes, beans and cabbage all got a mention.

The Minister then asked if anyone could think of a word that covers all these things.

One smart kid said quizzically “Gravy?”

As the well-known harvest hymn, ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’ reminds us, ‘All God’s gifts around us are sent from heaven above’. We are blessed with a harvest of good gifts from God; not only the fruit and vegetables and other produce that fill our shopping baskets and grace our tables week by week. These are so readily available that it is hard to stop and appreciate the many hidden steps that go into the chain of sowing and reaping and packaging and transport that delivers them to our local shops. The autumn Harvest Festival serves as a grand reminder of the effort of the farmers and other trades who deliver the produce to us. And I value the opportunity to thank them.

But Harvest Thanksgiving goes deeper than that. Jesus refers to God as “the Lord of the Harvest” (Matthew 9:38). When we put God in His place - his rightful place - we recognise Him as the Lord of our harvest and source of our blessings. We give thanks to Him because all good gifts around us are sent from heaven above, even if they arrive in glossy packaging from a supermarket. He provides the soil and sun and rain that swells the harvest. He is the one who supplies our daily bread. And he also pours out love for us: so much so that He views our family as his family… our children are His children too.

When we recognize the Lord of the harvest for who he truly is, our provider and source of blessing, we discover the secret that we can use these gifts to bless others in turn. Gravy may be the thing to cover our Sunday lunch, but we can pour thanksgiving over all the good gifts around us in the harvest that has been showered upon us, and then show the same kindness and generosity in blessing others.

Church Services

Services every Sunday at:

8.30am Holy Communion

10.30am All Age (1st Sunday)

2nd & 4th Sundays Holy Communion with Kids’ Club

3rd & 5th Sundays Morning Worship with Kids’ Club

Statistically, every day one more person in Jersey is diagnosed with diabetes

It may seem odd that a feature creating awareness of diabetes should highlight feet but, if you are diabetic, the daily check of your feet and keeping them in good condition, will prevent one of the disease’s worst consequences, the loss of limbs due to a lack of feeling in the extremities (neuropathy) leading to cuts or blisters in particular becoming gangrenous.

Today managing Type 1 diabetes with insulin injections is commonplace but diabetes itself still remains something of an enigma. It is a condition which is not preventable and Type 1 occurs when the pancreas ceases to produce the insulin we all rely upon to manage the level of sugar in our blood.

Type 2 diabetes, which occurs as the pancreas progressively produces less insulin, while itself not totally preventa-

the risk of acquiring it can be managed and diminished, by the way in which we live.

Most of us would assume that choosing our lifestyle is very much up to ourselves. However, your lifestyle can actually lead you down a path whose ultimate destination is the very last thing you want and that is to diabetes.

Diabetes is all about sugar in the blood and occurs when the body becomes incapable of controlling how much sugar our blood is prepared to accept. Fortunately for most of us our pancreas (a large gland behind the stomach) produces the hormone insulin which automatically regulates glucose levels in the blood.

Why diabetes occurs is not known and therefore it cannot be prevented and Type 1 can strike children as young as two or three years old. There is no early detection for Type 1 diabetes, but Type 2 can be detected with a blood test and if detected early enough, can be managed, and even reversed.

HEALTHY LIVING & LIFESTYLE

The Healthy Living & Lifestyle Event is returning to the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, St Helier on Friday 26th September until Sunday 28th.

This year we will be having a Preview Evening on Thursday 25th September, from 6pm until 9pm for those that can’t make it at the weekend.

This event promises to be a dynamic platform for showcasing exhibitor’s brands, connecting with health-conscious professionals, and contributing to the vibrant wellness community in Jersey.

Discover the latest products, services, and innovations in the health and wellness industry.

With Free Admission and the option to visit as many times as you like, there are opportunities for the general public to discuss their health and fitness concerns, on a one to one basis, with our health & wellness professionals.

With over 36 Stands (11 from the UK) there will be plenty of things to inspire and interest you and the whole family.

On Saturday and Sunday there will be free demonstrations and workshops in the Noirmont Room just across the way from the Main Hall from 11am on both those days.

Opening Times:

Friday 26th - 10am to 6pm

Saturday 27th - 10am to 6pm

Sunday 28th - 10am to 5pm

RATES DEMANDS 2025

Thank you for all payments received to date. Please be reminded that the deadline for payments is 2pm Friday 31st October 2025. A surcharge of 10% will be added to all outstanding Rates Demands after this date. Should you be experiencing any financial difficulty with this payment please contact the Parish office in the first instance.

ANNUAL RETURNS 2026

The Parish Annual Returns will be sent out to all property owners in the last week of December and should be returned completed and signed by 15th January 2026. This is a requirement of the Rates (Jersey) Law 2005. The purpose of these forms is to ensure that your property ownership and occupiers’ details are correct along with the correct property attributes. Should you have any concerns with the completion of these forms please do not hesitate to contact the Parish office.

AUTUMN EVENTS

Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

Coffee Morning & Cake Sale

Thursday 6th November 10am to 12pm Public Hall

St Martin’s Charity Bonfire Display

Saturday 1st November 5pm-9pm Village Green

MOBILE LIBRARY

Please note the mobile library stops at the Village Green every Wednesday from 11.15am to 12.45pm. For more locations, please contact Jersey Library on 448700

STAY CONNECTED

Through the Parish website, it is possible to sign up to receive updates of Parish news and events by email. You can register by visiting our website www.stmartin.je then click on ‘News and Events’ and sign up to receive updates direct to your inbox. Updates regarding a variety of events including Parish Assemblies/Meetings, Celebrations and Public Consultations taking place in the Parish will then be sent to you by email. It’s a useful way of keeping up to date, so please spread the word. If you experience any difficulty signing up, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we can assist.

ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE

Please consider changing the receipt of all Parish correspondence to an electronic format to help reduce administration costs Electronic correspondence can be found on the Parish website www stmartin je and click the ‘Do It Online’ tab at the top of the page

PUBLIC HALL OFFICE

853951 publichall@stmartin.je

DUTY CENTENIER – 07797 717799 (Police matters only)

Office Opening Hours

MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8.30am to 2.00pm WEDNESDAY 5.30pm to 7.30pm

SATURDAY & SUNDAY CLOSED

EDITORIAL Susan Parker

T: 07797 916991 / E: susiep99@hotmail.com

ADVERTISING Martyn Farley

T: 07797 743191 / E: martyn@farley.je

ACCOUNTS Helen Carré

E: helen@mediamasters.je

Copyright notice: 2025© Parish of St Martin Magazine (Les Nouvelles de St Martin). The entire content of this publication is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be reproduced, sorted in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. Reprint details: Reprints of articles can be purchased by contacting the publishers.

Disclaimer: Whilst the Parish of St Martin Magazine Team and contributors to this magazine have provided the information contained in it in good faith, they accept no responsibility, financial or otherwise, for any action taken by any other party as a result of the information so provided. Independent and appropriate advice should always be sought on such matters. The views expressed within this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

Progress update: Advancing the New Healthcare Facilities Programme – and what’s next

As part of the Government of Jersey’s broader initiative to showcase progress on our shared Common Strategic Priorities, Islanders may have seen recent updates highlighting how the New Healthcare Facilities Programme (NHFP) is advancing its commitment to “start building a new hospital at Overdale”. So, for this quarter’s edition, I thought it would be helpful to take a moment to recap where we currently stand with the Programme as a whole – and what critical work is still to come.

What’s happened since the start of the Programme?

Since the Independent Review was presented to the States Assembly in November 2022, the Programme has made steady progress. The review found that a single-site hospital at Overdale was no longer achievable within the approved budget and recommended a phased, multi-site approach.

In line with good governance, the Strategic Outline Case was developed and endorsed in June 2023. It considered different options for new facilities and confirmed the continued urgent need, or case for change. The recommended way forward from that review was a multi-site model and the Feasibility Study explored different options for two configurations of multi-site proposals (Hot and Cold vs Acute and Ambulatory, both combining with a separate Health Village) and locations, with Overdale selected for the Acute Hospital, Kensington Place for Ambulatory Care, and St Saviour for a new Health Village.

Key milestones since then include the start and completion of demolition at Overdale (December 2023–Nov 2024), the relocation of Samarès Ward to St Ewold’s (May 2024), and a public consultation on the Acute Hospital’s concept designs to support the Planning Application. The Outline Business Case was approved in November 2024, securing Phase 1 funding from the States Assembly. Design work for the Acute Hospital progressed throughout 2024, with planning permission granted earlier this year. Meanwhile, the procurement process to appoint a Main Works Delivery Partner has been ongoing since December 2024. Crematorium services will move from Westmount to the refurbished Members’ Room at RJA&HS from September.

Next stages for the Programme: Kensington Place and St Saviour’s Health Village

Given the critical importance of delivering the Acute Hospital at Overdale, much of the team’s recent work has rightly focused on developing its design, securing planning permission, and progressing the procurement of a Main Works Delivery Partner to build the facility.

However, the Programme goes far beyond Overdale. Both the Kensington Place Ambulatory Facility – utilising the site on Kensington Place and part of the existing General Hospital site –and St Saviour’s Health Village remain essential components in the wider redevelopment of our healthcare estate.

Work is now underway to refresh the Functional Briefs and Concept Designs for Kensington Place and St Saviour. This work is still in its early stages, and the next steps will involve re-engaging with clinical colleagues across Health and Community Services, as well as other key stakeholders.

The phased and flexible structure of the Programme is intentional and beneficial. It allows plans for areas that are more subject to change - such as Kensington Place and St Saviour - to evolve as required, rather than locking us into fixed decisions too early. It also enables schemes to be progressed as they are affordable.

There is still significant work to do to develop these plans, and they will only move forward with the right level of engagement. That includes input from clinicians, local residents, and the wider public.

We are currently working towards completing the updated Functional Briefs and Development Control Plans (DCP) for both sites by Q4 2025, with a view to sharing these more widely in early 2026. A DCP is a document that sets out how best a site can be most efficiently, and cost effectively developed. Once the DCPs are further developed, the team will be providing more detail on the first permanent construction works on each of the sites. They need to be carefully considered to ensure that throughtout the NHFP and especially at the end of every phase, healthcare services are operating efficiently and effectively, providing the care that islanders expect, helping staff to do their work.

In the meantime, as part of the phase one funding approved by the States Assembly, there is also budget available to develop more “meanwhile” uses for the Kensington Place site. It has been used since purchase by HCJ for valuable additional storage and other operational needs. We are actively exploring how the site could be continued to be used in the short term to support the overall needs of HCJ as well as deliver improved Public Realm. These discussions are ongoing, and while there isn’t a confirmed timetable at this stage, the current intention is to begin meanwhile works in early 2026, subject to proposal approvals and any required regulatory sign-off (for example, Planning Services).

Continuing progress at Overdale and appointing a Main Works Delivery Partner

The procurement process for a Main Works Delivery Partner to build the Acute Hospital

continues, with parties who are capable of building the facility having expressed their interest. A preferred tenderer for these construction works is expected to be agreed in Q3 2025, with the signing of a main contract hopefully before the end of the year and construction works following.

The main focus of the procurement process is to deliver quality and value for islanders, and the timeline may change to ensure we achieve this. As I hope Islanders understand, this process is commercially sensitive and complex with all parties needing to ensure that they understand the designs and anticipated costs before entering into a contract.

However, I look forward to providing further information about this important progress as soon as possible. In the meantime, the NHFP will continue progressing works at the site, ensuring continuity of development. In coming months, works will continue to prepare the old Jersey Water buildings to be site offices, erecting hoardings, diverting existing services, developing designs for site welfare, and site excavations.

Find out more about the New Healthcare Facilities Programme and stay in touch:

▪ Listen to our podcast to find out more about the Programme

▪ Watch videos about the Programme

▪ Follow us on social media

Victoria Avenue - Rue du Galet Junction Resurfacing Scheme

October Half Term - 2025

Further information

As part of the ongoing highway maintenance by Infrastructure and Environment (I&E), resurfacing works are planned along sections of Victoria Avenue, including junction with Rue du Galet.

Stay up to date on access arrangements,traffic managements and working times by visiting gov.je/roadworks or scanning the QR code provided.

Thank you for your patience while these essential works take place.We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Peace of Mind Through Planning

If you’re anything like many people in Jersey, two things come up time and time again:

• “I’m not actually sure where all my assets are.”

• “I don’t know when I last reviewed it all.”

Sound familiar?

Life gets busy, and financial admin often takes a back seat. But here’s the thing: not knowing can quietly chip away at your peace of mind, and potentially your future financial security.

The Power of Knowing Where Everything Is

When you have sight of all your finances in one place, something powerful happens: you gain clarity. You know exactly what you have, where it is, and how it’s working for you. This brings piece of mind.

We can then build a plan that’s grounded in facts and aligned with your goals, whether that’s preparing for retirement, supporting the next generation, or simply enjoying life. With everything clearly laid out, you gain a sense of control, seeing how each piece of your financial jigsaw fits together to support the life you want today, tomorrow, and into your future.

“Am I going to be ok?”

An important question to ask yourself is:

“If the worst was to happen tomorrow, would you know where everything is and feel financially prepared?”

Common worries are:

• “I don’t have a will”, or “I haven’t reviewed it in a long time” – It’s easy to put this task off, but having it sorted can really help your family. Having a will makes everything smoother, quicker, and less stressful at a difficult time for your loved ones.

• “I’m not sure what insurance I actually have.” – Many people don’t realise they might be overpaying for insurance, underinsured, or missing important cover altogether. Taking the time to understand what you have and what you might need, can give you a real safety net when life doesn’t go to plan.

• “I’m worried my savings and pensions won’t last in my retirement”

– Many people realise their Jersey state and workplace pensions may not be enough for the retirement lifestyle they worked hard for. With retirement possibly lasting 30+ years, that gap can be significant.

The good news? You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. With the right plan, you can feel more in control.

How Financial Planning Can Help

This is where working with a financial planner can make a real difference.

• We can help you bring everything together into one clear picture.

• We can use cashflow planning to see what your future could look like.

• We can together build a plan with that’s tailored to your life and your family’s objectives.

Let’s have a no-commitment conversation. It’s never too early, or too late, to plan for the future you want.

Matthew

Fielding Chartered MCSI Financial Planner

Email: matthew.fielding@quiltercheviot.com

DL: +44 (0) 1534 506128