AUTUMN 2026 Issue 75
STAR OF THE NORTH
Battle Success!
page 32
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Dear Parishioners... \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Wowsers, it’s been a long, hot summer! On the one hand, it has been nice to have reliably good weather for long periods of time to plan and enjoy outdoor events, and parishioners and visitors definitely made the most of Bonne Nuit for cooling down dips, pier jumping and general beach play this year, albeit causing some traffic chaos when the parking situation got a bit unruly.
O
n the other hand, the long drought period has meant that gardens, crops and the countryside have suffered with insufficient rainfall. The fields look more yellow and dusty than usual, and trees dropped their leaves much quicker. Trees for Life address this issue in their article, looking at the need to future proof our canopy cover with new species and ensure that we plant trees that will cope with longer, hotter summers going forwards – something for our Parish to consider when planting the new memorial garden. We have a busy magazine as usual, with a little something for everyone, celebrating all that is great in our parish community. We hear from our three Deputies as they embark on the new term in the States and get an update on the Parish Rates Assembly (spoiler alert – the rates are unchanged!). We also learn how the Chief Minister intends to keep the Parish system alive and well. We have updates on what our young people have been up to, with articles from the school and the youth club and we also see how our talented young dancers got on at the Dance World Cup in Dublin. Our Juniors also swept up all the prizes at the Battle of Flowers with their Lilo and Stitch float. The Battle was back on the Avenue this year, and with free entry and warm, sunny weather and a balmy moonlit parade, the crowds were out in force to admire the Northern Parishes colourful and glamorous contributions.
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6 Rates Assembly 10 St John’s School 22 Walking Beside Sarah 30 Dance World Cup 32 Battle of Flowers 37 Stressy Jessy 40 Commonwealth Games Baton 54 FC Saint Jean
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If you would like to contribute to future editions of Star of the North, please email Sarah Grigson at: editor@starofthenorth.org.je. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
One thing the articles in this issue do reflect is that so many parishioners get involved in our community and help it thrive, whether participating in the Battle of Flowers or Twinning, through sports teams like FC Saint Jean, volunteering for Parish roles, or getting involved in the church, youth club or school. Together, you all make St John a wonderful place to live.
Published for the community by MediaMasters EDITORIAL Sarah Grigson T: 07797 956 551 E: editor@starofthenorth.org.je ADVERTISING Martyn Farley T: 07797 743191 E: martyn@farley.je
To all those that take the time to contribute to this magazine, mèrcie bein des fais! Without you there would be no magazine, and your contributions are highly appreciated.
ACCOUNTS Helen Le Marquand E: helenlm@mediamasters.je Copyright © MediaMasters The entire content of this publication is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be reproduced, stored 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.
Happy reading.
Disclaimer While MediaMasters and contributors to Star of the North 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 newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. The Editor accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions that may occur.
Sarah Grigson Editor
Autumn 2026
In this Edition
Star of the North is a community parish publication by MediaMasters and is printed on FSC certified paper using vegetable-based inks by an ISO 14001 accredited printer.
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Words from the
Constable
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Since last writing, I am pleased to confirm that my fellow Connétables have elected me to Chair the Comité des Connétables.
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he States have also made their various appointments, and I have accepted positions on both the Planning Committee and the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC), and I am looking forward to working in these two areas in the coming weeks and months. I am pleased to say that my working hours have reduced significantly since the last term. I was delighted with the attendance at the Annual Rates Assembly, and it was so good to see some new faces amongst the many familiar faces in the crowd. Having good attendances at our Assemblies is something we strive for and I would encourage you to attend future meetings. Parking continues to be an issue for some residents and visitors, and I would respectfully ask drivers to consider others when parking. The Honorary Police have issued more parking tickets this year than at any time, not to mention the many warnings. The parking issue isn’t limited to the precinct, we have also seen issues in the villages and at Bonne Nuit. Please consider others when parking and, in particular, consider if an emergency vehicle can pass safely.
You may have seen in the media recently that there have been concerns about defibrillators. I am very pleased to confirm that ours are checked on a regular basis and batteries and pads are replaced as and when recommended. We continue to have a good relationship with the Jersey Heart Support group. My thanks to those who have stepped forward to assist both the Youth Project and Twinning Association. If you would like to get involved in any way within the Parish, please do get in touch as we have many opportunities.
The Roads Committee is going to do some consultation about introducing time limits to the spaces that we control in the precinct as a way of trying to encourage higher usage of the shops and businesses there.
My weekly “drop ins” are back up and running on Wednesday evenings between 5 and 7pm. If you would like to speak to me about something I can be contacted on 07797 758086 or by email at a.jehan@gov.je. If you would like to meet me outside these times that can be arranged either within or out of office hours.
We hope that we will get some additional parking should our plans for the memorial garden finally be passed. We have sadly seen the loss of postal services at the village store, and I am looking to see if we can reintroduce this important service to many. I would encourage everyone to support our local businesses whenever they can and thank those of you who do this already.
Andy Jehan Connétable
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Find out what else is going on around the Island at
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Autumn 2026
Annual Rates Assembly \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Connétable Andy Jehan presented the Parish Accounts for the year ended 30th April 2026, highlighting another year of careful financial management, with continued investment in Parish services and infrastructure. He recommended that there be no increase to the Parish Rate for the coming year.
The Parish’s balance sheet reflects significant planned investment during the year, including improvements to roads, Church roof repairs and the purchase of the second police vehicle. Further investment is planned in the Parish Hall, including refurbishment works and resurfacing of the car park. The Annual Rates Assembly was attended by fifty-six parishioners, with all propositions approved. In addition to approving the Parish Accounts and the recommendation of no increase in the Parish Rate, parishioners also approved investing £81,000 from the Special Reserve Fund. This includes £21,000 for the installation of additional Speed Indication Devices and up to £60,000 towards the refurbishment of the Parish children’s playground.
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he Parish’s income remained close to the forecast, while expenditure continued to be carefully controlled, despite rising costs. A combination of savings achieved through new contracts and additional income from the new solar facility installed at Sorel, has enabled the Parish to maintain services, without increasing the Parish Rate.
Presenting the accounts, Connétable Andy Jehan said: “Despite continued financial pressures, the Parish remains in a strong financial position. Through careful management, prudent budgeting and the dedication of our staff and volunteers, we have continued to invest in the services and infrastructure that matter most to parishioners while recommending no increase in the Parish Rate. I am grateful to the 56 parishioners who attended the Rates Assembly and for their support in approving the propositions, which will allow us to continue investing in our community.”
During the year, the Parish invested more than £211,000 in road improvements, including resurfacing and drainage works, with further projects planned. A new roads cleaning contract has also been secured, delivering improved services while achieving savings. The Honorary Police continued to receive investment in training and equipment, including the addition of a second police vehicle. The Connétable praised the officers for their continued commitment to Parish life. Following a competitive tender process, the Parish has entered into a new refuse and recycling contract with the Parish of St Helier, which is expected to save around £55,000 each year compared with previous costs.
Twinning UPDATE \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The St John Twinning Association held its AGM on 18th August and elected a new team to take the organisation forward.
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rene and Stephen Masters, who have now retired from their positions, were both thanked for their hard work over the last ten years, ensuring that the Association is in a healthy place.
The new committee is Connétable Andy Jehan (Chair), Martin Whitley (Secretary) and Alan Le Monnier (Treasurer), along with General Committee members Keith De La Haye, Sonny Le Maistre and Debbie Vautier.
We continue to look for new families to participate. Hosting is for one weekend every two years, with a visit to France on the alternate year. You get time to spend with the family you are hosting and there is generally an activity on the Saturday afternoon and a dinner in the evening, with Sunday spent with your family.
The team are putting the finishing touches ahead of hosting our guests from Le Teilleul on the weekend of 19th / 20th September. The Twinning Association aims to promote and foster friendship and understanding between St John and Le Teilleul, encouraging visits to and from both communities.
Autumn 2026
If you’d like further information, please contact the Parish Hall.
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FROM YOUR DEPUTIES \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Back in the Assembly
and getting straight to work Thank you.
By Deputy Hilary Jeune
The government is still finalising its Common Strategic Priorities and its first budget, so a lot of the detail on what gets funded and prioritised is yet to land. Once it does, my focus will be on making sure the issues I stood on – including water and soil quality accountability, housing affordability, and real investment in prevention and early intervention – are properly reflected, and on holding Ministers to delivering them, not just announcing them.
That's really where I want to start. To everyone in Trinity, St John and St Lawrence who came out to vote in such big numbers, and to everyone who supported my campaign – thank you. Being re-elected as your Deputy is something I don't take for granted, and I'm looking forward to continuing to represent all three parishes over the coming term.
You can reach me at h.jeune@gov.je or come along to a surgery.
Deputy Hilary Jeune
St John, St Lawrence and Trinity
A chance to question
F
or anyone who's new to the area or just catching up, alongside being your Deputy, I've taken on two further roles since the election. I'm continuing as Chair of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, which holds Ministers to account on planning, housing, environment and infrastructure policy – a role that sits closely alongside issues I know matter to people across our parishes, from water contamination, supporting agriculture and biodiversity to housing supply. I also am the Vice-President of Scrutiny, which oversees how all Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee operate and I am a member of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel, which scrutinises the Chief Minister's Department, including finance, HR and public sector governance.
your Deputies \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Tell us what matters to you. Your Parish Deputies – Hilary, Kirsten and Phil hold regular public surgeries and would like to welcome you to come and discuss any parish or island-wide issues that you are concerned about. Two Deputies will attend each surgery. If you have a burning question but can’t attend a surgery, please contact one of the Deputies directly.
Parish surgeries I'll be holding regular drop-in surgeries across the constituency so you can raise anything on your mind, no appointment needed. Please do come along to whichever is easiest for you – since I represent all three parishes together, you're welcome at any of them regardless of where you live. Please check out the dates here but also online at statesassembly.je/whats-on. However, I’m also happy to arrange a meeting outside of those times if it’s easier for you.
Wednesday 16th September
6.30-8.00pm Hilary & Phil
Thursday 8th October
6.30-8.00pm Kirsten & Phil
St Lawrence Parish Hall
Trinity Parish Hall
Wednesday 4th November St Lawrence Parish Hall
What I want to push forward
Thursday 17th December
My manifesto was built around three pillars: a resilient economy, a sustainable Jersey and a fairer Jersey. In practice, that spans a lot of ground – from responsible public finances and Island Plan delivery to housing supply and the Residential Tenancy Law, protecting our coastline and biodiversity, sustainable healthcare funding and stronger support for carers, young people and families.
Trinity Parish Hall
6.30-8.00pm Hilary & Kirsten 6.30-8.00pm Hilary & Phil
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Hilary Jeune Kirsten Morel Phil Romeril
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h.jeune@gov.je k.morel2@gov.je P.Romeril1@gov.je
07700 700995 07797 753101 07700 399344
Autumn 2026
FROM YOUR DEPUTIES \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Four years to strengthen
our rural way of life \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The weather was hot but that didn't dull the Jersey elections and, whilst turnout was similar to previous years, I'm hugely grateful to everyone who turned out to vote.
Doing what’s right for Jersey During the election, I received strong support for the need to develop our cultural and commercial relationships with France, Europe and particularly our immediate neighbours Normandy and Brittany. Jersey has been hurt by Brexit. Our seafood and agricultural sectors have struggled to export, not just to France but even to Northern Ireland which, as part of the UK, now enjoys a very similar relationship to the EU that Jersey used to enjoy. Namely, the free movement of goods.
V
oters are the most important part of our democracy, and it is your views that have shaped the new States Assembly. Before going any further, I’d like to pay tribute to my competitors in the election: Hilary Jeune, Phil Romeril and Peter McLinton. They all campaigned fairly and with energy, making for a great atmosphere to our contest and, I hope, making it an election where voters felt engaged.
It’s absurd that decisions taken elsewhere have affected us so negatively. A recent 90-minute wait in a queue to get into Normandy via the regional ferry really brought this home. Islanders, Normans and Bretons have always moved freely. Visiting each other as relatives and friends, building commercial relationships that enable us to export delicious Jersey produce and import goods and food directly from the region in which we lie, offering us islanders greater choice in quality and prices.
From my perspective, since the new Assembly and government were formed, I’m delighted to have been appointed Assistant Minister for the Natural Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, which means I can continue working for our rural economy and our rural environment.
There are many States Members who agree with this perspective, and I look forward to working with them to ensure we maintain ferry connections to Granville, Carteret and Diélette.
I’m pleased to be working with Senator Mary Le Hegarat as Minister. Mary’s roots are in rural and agricultural Jersey, and I know that as a team, we will work to defend and enhance our rural environment, whilst championing Jersey produce and helping the island to develop greater food security and an even stronger brand for quality produce to open up new export markets.
St John, alongside St Lawrence and Trinity forms the heart of rural Jersey. As the island seeks economic growth, we need to ensure that the rural economy grows, whilst our environment is protected. Our rural businesses, whether farming, fishing, freight or anything else will always be best served by a well-connected and diverse economy and that means ensuring we maintain strong connectivity to our nearest neighbours.
It’s great to see our rural interests represented strongly by our district. Deputy Hilary Jeune has been elected Chair of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, and I’m looking forward to working with her as we navigate the coming four years in the Assembly.
Autumn 2026
By Deputy Kirsten Morel
I’m looking forward to working with the Assembly to achieve friction-free trade and travel which will benefit all islanders and island businesses because that is what is right for Jersey.
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FROM YOUR DEPUTIES \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Eight Weeks In:
A Whirlwind Start to Life in Government \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
First of all, I’d like to thank you for electing me as one of your Deputies for the next four years. It’s hard to believe eight weeks have passed since the election. In some ways it feels like yesterday, in others, it feels longer, simply because so much has happened in such a short space of time.
By Deputy Phil Romeril
proportionate. One comment I've heard sums it up rather well: "Rules were brought in to stop bad people from doing bad things, but we've reached a point where they're stopping good people from doing good things." Encouragingly, work has already begun, with officials moving into the new department and early changes starting to take shape. Social Security has been equally fascinating. Responsible for pensions, illness support and the wider social safety net, it touches the lives of all islanders. The range of support available to us all truly represents an island that looks after our people.
T
Of course, politics is not just about departments and policy. One of the most enjoyable parts of the role has been getting out into the community and meeting people. Together with Deputy Jeune and Deputy Morel, we have established a constituency dropin programme to give residents regular opportunities to raise concerns, ask questions and discuss local issues.
When Assembly elected members to ministerial positions, I was fortunate to be appointed Assistant Minister in three areas: Sustainable Economic Development, Social Security and the new Ministry for Planning and Regulation. These Departments will play a central role in tackling the key areas of concerns arising during the election campaign – tackling the Cost of Living, growing the economy and reforming red tape.
I have also had the pleasure of attending several parish events, including a Coffee and Croissant morning, the Sea Service at Bonne Nuit and the Parish Rates Assembly, which was well attended and well run by our Connétable.
he experience began with an eight-day induction programme, which included the official swearing-in ceremony at the Royal Court. It was a proud moment. Since then, every day has brought new briefings, meetings and opportunities to better understand how government can work better for islanders.
The first eight weeks have certainly been busy, challenging and rewarding. While there is still much to learn, I have been encouraged by the kindness and support I have experienced across the parish.
Sustainable Economic Development covers an incredibly broad range of responsibilities. It engages across our community ranging from our heritage and the arts to the challenges facing local people and businesses. Economic growth is central to the next four years and will be the primary vehicle for tackling the cost of living.
I am more optimistic than ever about Jersey's future. Our island has always achieved its best when communities come together. As I said during my campaign, I look forward to working with residents, parish officials and colleagues across the Assembly to help turn good ideas into real improvements, and to ensuring that the voices of our communities continue to be heard at the heart of government.
Planning and Regulation is particularly exciting because it has been created in response to a concern many islanders will recognise: too much red tape. The aim is not to remove sensible protections, but to make regulation more practical and
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Autumn 2026
Over the Rainbow: A Magical Journey to Oz
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By Headteacher Jamie Hazley
Cyclones, Munchkins, witches and wizards, a yellow brick road and an Emerald City: welcome to Oz, where anything can happen – and a huge amount certainly did when our Key Stage 2 pupils took to the stage for this year’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
B
ringing together an incredible cast of ninetythree pupils aged seven to eleven, this was truly a whole Key Stage 2 effort. While our Year 6 pupils took on the principal roles, every child had an important part to play in bringing this much-loved story to life. From the moment Dorothy and her faithful dog Toto were swept away by the cyclone, audiences were transported into the magical land of Oz and captivated by the adventures that followed.
The standard of performance was exceptional. Lines were delivered impeccably, often with wonderful expression, characterisation and comic timing. The songs were performed powerfully and beautifully, filling the hall with energy and emotion. During the memorable ensemble numbers, the children sang with confidence and enthusiasm, demonstrating the hard work and commitment that had gone into weeks of preparation. What impressed many audience members most was the confidence displayed by every pupil. Performing in front of hundreds of people can be daunting, yet our children rose magnificently to the challenge. Whether portraying Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Lion, the Wicked Witch, a citizen of Emerald City or one of the many supporting characters who make Oz such an unforgettable place, every child contributed to the success of the show. Their courage, teamwork and determination were evident throughout. A production of this scale is never achieved by the children alone. We would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to all of our Key Stage 2 staff, whose dedication, encouragement and countless hours of preparation helped bring the performance to life. Their commitment ensured that every child felt supported and able to give their very best.
Across three performances, we welcomed approximately 250 family members and friends, all eager to support our talented young performers. Their enthusiasm was rewarded with a production full of energy, humour, colour and confidence. Every child performed on stage and embraced the opportunity to shine before a live audience.
We are also extremely grateful to our parents and families who generously gave their time and creativity to support the development of the set, helping transform our stage into the magical world of Oz. Their contribution added so much to the overall production and was greatly appreciated.
Finally, a very special thank you must go to Mrs Day, our director, whose vision, passion and unwavering commitment guided the entire production from start to finish. Her encouragement and expertise inspired the children to achieve something truly special. We are immensely proud of all ninety-three pupils who took part. For three magical performances they took us somewhere over the rainbow, creating memories that will last for many years to come.
Autumn 2026
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Autumn 2026
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Trees of Tomorrow \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
by John Michel
Planting the right trees in the right places is crucial for our future. Once again, we’ve experienced a scorching hot, dry springsummer and our trees have suffered.
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n August we entered drought conditions for the second time this year, so the increasing importance of planting and protecting trees suited to future conditions is clear.
Dealing with drought is a massive challenge, even if certain species can survive in some of the planet’s harshest conditions – we’ve all seen photos of a lone specimen in a desert or on a windswept mountainside. To select the right trees, we need to understand their origins and how they survive, while considering Ginkgo at Adelina Woods in St Helier location. Trees adopt one of two strategies to deal with drought: avoidance or tolerance. The former often involves maximising access to water which means having an extended root system that allows for storage when groundwater has dried up. The other avoidance strategy is to be economical with water use. This can manifest itself in various ways, the simplest being to reduce new growth or to shed leaves (abscission). Alternatively, some species will close their leaf stomata to stop photosynthesis while others grow a layer of hair or wax to prevent overheating and reduce Ginkgo at Adelina Woods in St Helier transpiration. Very clever. Drought tolerance, a plan B for some species, is about cell structure and water pressure, the latter a function of available or ‘potential’ water. Leaves are rigid because of water pressure within cells, with fully hydrated leaves said to be at ‘full turgor’ (turgor is measurable). Tolerant species have evolved to survive
Mature Ginkgo (photo credit Quynhha - Pixabay)
at lower water potential through developing stronger leaf tissue and changing cell composition through osmosis. This can vary greatly by species. Therefore, the burning question is: which trees are suited to our warmer future and which will fade away? Some of our most familiar trees are well equipped to survive, including cherry plum, black pine, Himalayan cedar and various oaks including holm (evergreen), cork and turkey. Of our most common trees, oak (like ash) is better suited to drier summers than beech with its shallow roots. Fruit tree aficionados, meanwhile, could consider the likes of almond, olive and plum. Perhaps top of the pile is ginkgo. This resilient species excels at dealing with drought and is adept at absorbing pollution, making it an ideal urban tree for the 21st century. Conversely, many of our best-known trees are going to struggle, including most alders, birches and magnolias. This is why it’s important to think long-term when talking about our ‘natives’. Many are unlikely to survive and, while that’s a shame, it means they’ll thrive at higher latitudes while we introduce better species to futureproof our canopy cover.
www.jerseytreesforlife.org jerseytreesforlife
treesforlifejersey
jerseytreesforlife
Mature Ginkgo (photo credit Habunman – Pixabay)
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Autumn 2026
Meet the
Flock \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Leonie Hervé of Jersey National Park explains how Manx Loaghtan sheep are helping to manage the landscape around a new section of the north-coast path in St John.
R
ound a bend on Jersey’s new north-coast path and you may find its landscape managers at work. Dark-fleeced, sure-footed and unmistakably horned, Manx Loaghtan sheep can be found on the headland between La Saline and Sorel Point.
For walkers, meeting the flock should be a quiet encounter. Sheep will generally prefer to keep their distance and may watch before moving away as a group. If they are standing on or close to the path, slow down and give them time and space to move. Do not chase, touch or feed them. Keep to the marked route and follow any instructions displayed on site. Dogs should be kept on a short lead near the flock, however calm or reliable they may be. Sheep can be frightened by a dog that is only curious or playful, particularly during lambing. Move steadily through the area, keeping the dog close and allowing the sheep plenty of room. The grazing trial of the collars accompanies the project to create a new path through mixed woodland and bracken-covered slopes in St John. The route will reduce the distance walkers must spend beside La Route du Nord, helping to close a longstanding gap between La Saline and Sorel Point. The path brings people into a previously less accessible part of the headland and the sheep will help ensure that the landscape they enter becomes richer, more open and more resilient.
The sheep are here to do what machinery cannot achieve on steep, uneven ground: graze gradually and selectively. Left unmanaged, bracken and scrub can spread across the slopes, crowding out smaller plants and making habitat less varied. As the flock eats, moves and tramples, it opens pockets in the vegetation where wildflowers can grow, creating better conditions for insects, birds and other wildlife. Manx Loaghtans are suited to the job. This small, hardy breed is comfortable on exposed upland terrain and tackles coarse vegetation. Its rich brown fleece and two, four or occasionally six horns give the sheep a distinctive appearance, but their value lies in the way they can maintain a shifting mosaic of heath and scrub. The sheep have solar-powered GPS collars to help the grazier manage where the sheep feed. Digital boundaries can be set and altered as parts of the site need attention. A collar sounds a warning when an animal approaches a virtual boundary, and the sheep learn to turn back. The collars do not replace every physical fence; they allow the animals to move naturally within a carefully managed grazing area, while their positions can be monitored remotely.
Autumn 2026
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Autumn 2026
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Autumn 2026
On Familiar Turf Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham says meeting Islanders is what makes his job amazing. He chats to Andy Sibcy about community, parishes and pier jumping.
I
n his election manifesto, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham highlighted the importance of supporting Islanders at every stage of their lives to build a strong and balanced community. He wasn’t the only candidate to put community at the heart of his pitch in June. Whatever the political hue, enabling the young, families and older Islanders to live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives must be government’s greatest goal. But even if that was a given, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the sum of those parts would be a connected community. Sewing the strands together requires something else. Senator Farnham suggests that much of it happens organically, through the interwoven networks of sport, family, volunteering, charities, community groups and other
organisations that bring people together and are so strong in Jersey, the things that hyperlocal parish magazines showcase and celebrate. Community is also fostered, he adds, by a very special and distinct set of Jersey institutions – the 12 parishes. Whether around the Council of Ministers table or out and about across the Island, the Chief Minister’s political success is founded, at least in part, on his energy for engaging with people with different backgrounds and perspectives to find common ground. It’s the same energy which builds community, a valuing of the many different contributions people make. It couldn’t really be any other way. There’s no insulating Westminster bubble or long train ride back to your constituency. As soon as you walk out of the States building, you’re in the thick of it – accessible to the people you represent who won’t wait until the next election to hold you accountable. “In my role as a States Member and Chief Minister, I am always surrounded by people, working with people, socialising with people. I meet hundreds of people every month and that's what makes my job so exciting and different,” he says. “Whether I’m walking the dog in the morning or attending meetings, I am constantly in contact with Jersey’s diverse community.” Currently chair of Age Concern Jersey, he is a long-time champion of the Battle of Flowers (a former chairman and president of the BoF Association), a sports fan who has competed as a triathlete and played football for St Helier
Autumn 2026
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panel assessing the current parish system chaired by nowSenator Helen Miles published its findings. While the parishes remained vital to the health and identity of the Island, it found, they needed some modernisation. It also concluded, among other things and in some quarters, that their relationship with central government relied too heavily on informal goodwill rather than formalised frameworks, there needed to be greater transparency and more consistency in matters such as the issuing of firearms licences. The new president of the Constables Committee and father of the parish in St John, Andy Jehan, is a reformer who wants to see the review panel's recommendations adopted. He has warned that a failure to act will render parishes irrelevant, precipitating an existential crisis. and St Paul’s, jogger, pier jumper and a proud father and grandfather. All these touch points with people of very different experiences of Jersey, he says, help him better understand the community he leads. “I'm also a big supporter of the parish system,” he adds. But just what those ancient institutions should look like, how they fit into a 21st century island, is currently an issue of intense debate. Shortly before the election, a review
Senator Farnham is a little less stark in his assessment, but broadly echoes the same sentiments. “I think the parish system works pretty well,” he says. “When I gave evidence to the panel, my view was that it might need a bit of fine tuning, but we don't want to change it too much. I think it’s a case of sensible evolution rather than wholesale change. We don't want to change the character of our unique parish system. We can allow it to evolve, keeping our values, in a way that the parishes themselves support.”
Quick Fire
Our Island Survey
What sort of Islander are you?
Providing a snapshot of the Island and our 12 ancient parishes today.
Sea swim or spa day? “Definitely sea swim.”
The results so far:
Bacon roll or lobster lunch? “A bacon roll in St Ouen’s Bay.”
• Condition of the roads and protection of the environment the most important parish issues
Sunrise or sunset? “Sunrise. I’m an early starter.”
• 78% of respondents say the parish system is very important or quite important
Crocs or Birkenstocks? “Definitely Birkenstocks.”
• 66% say their parish community is strong or quite strong • 65% say parishes have an important part to play in the Island’s future
20 miles per hour - too fast or too slow? “It depends. You should drive at a speed that is safe for the road. I think we’ve got it about right.”
But what do you think?
Favourite place to walk the dog? “I'm going to say St Ouen's Bay.”
We’re asking readers to answer a few questions about Island and parish issues. It’ll take no more than around five minutes.
Favourite beach? St Ouen’s. Sands Slip.”
You can use the QR code to access the survey. The code will also be published on LinkedIn and Facebook on the Our Island Jersey pages.
Favourite place for a jog? “Val de la Mare reservoir, two laps. Sometimes, if I'm feeling fit, three, but more often than not, since I've been Chief Minister, just one.”
Please follow us and share the link so that we can reach as many people as possible.
Favourite parish? “Do you know what, I haven't got one. Honestly, I don't have a favourite parish. My favourite parish is Jersey.”
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tinyurl.com/2p2k56pm
Autumn 2026
Keeping the Parish Moving \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
If you are travelling down Les Routes des Issues and your car makes a loud bang and shakes violently as it hits a pothole, damaging your tyre, who do you tell?
W
hat happens if the same situation happens on Ville Guyon, a minor parish road in the country? Both scenarios have been experienced by parishioners in the past. So, who does what with our highways and byways to keep us moving? The States of Jersey, via the Infrastructure and Environment department (I&E), are in charge of all the main roads and a small number of minor roads in the island. They maintain these A roads and accompanying pedestrian areas, paying for upgrades and repairs, all funded from the central government public pot. All the smaller B and C roads, along with a number of public paths, are looked after by the Parish and its appointed parties.
The Roads Committee has four preferred contractors who carry out parish road repairs who are experts in their field, have street works licences, have been used by the Parish before and are competitive in terms of price. The chosen firm place the repair on their list of jobs, although this year we saw delays to road repairs of up to six weeks because of the number of Parishes that needed works to be undertaken at the same time. During that period, the Roads Committee had to remark the roads twice because the rain washed the repair markings away. Checks were also made on existing potholes to see if any had become enlarged in the period and needed to be made urgent in respect of their repairs. Emergency situations are dealt with as quickly as possible, hopefully within a period of seven to ten days, subject to the availability of a contractor to do the work. In all cases, the Roads Committee work to reduce any immediate damage to property or people.
There are two main bodies who carry out various tasks on behalf of the parish: Roads Inspectors and the Roads Committee. The Roads Inspectors regularly check all the roads in the parish. This is a year-round exercise, but February and March are important times, having just exited the harsh time of winter where the vagaries of heavy rain, wind, ice and occasionally snow have left their mark on the road system. Inspectors report to the Parish and I&E on the state of the roads and pathways, and they mark potholes with blue paint.
If you find a pothole or issue with the hedgerow or pavement on a public States highway (an A road), you can contact I&E, either directly, or through the Love Jersey website and I&E will take the repairs forward. The Parish Hall can also be contacted, and they will pass the information to the I&E team. Issues with the smaller parish roads can be reported directly to the Parish Hall. Both the Roads Committee and Roads Inspectors are honorary positions – if you are interested in joining the team, please contact the Connétable or one of the team members to learn more about the role.
A neighbouring parish Roads team has a bit of fun
The Roads Committee then measure all the potholes and mark them with yellow paint. All potholes that are deemed not to be a danger to people are placed on a review list and monitored for degradation further down the line. Any other issues such as damaged trees or broken pavements are noted and dealt with separately.
Autumn 2026
By Nick Lane, Roads Committee
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The Jersey Norman Story Following the opening of the Bayeux Tapestry in London recently to sellout numbers of visitors, the local publication, “The Jersey Norman Story 1,000 years/ L’Histouaithe Nouormande dé Jèrri 1,000 ans” by Jean Treleven and Geraint Jennings has, due to popular appeal, gone into a second edition.
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uthor Jean Treleven said: “It is wonderful to see the growing interest in both our Norman story and our Jerriais language. I look forward to the publication of a French – Norman version in the near future and sharing this with our Norman neighbours and French speaking visitors to Jersey.”
The Jersey Norman Story 1,000 years/ L’Histouaithe Nouormande dé Jèrri 1,000 ans
Meanwhile Jean and Geraint are presenting the story to a capacity audience at the Jersey Festival of Words.
The publication explains the background to Jersey’s Norman links along with evidence of Norman heritage that is retained in the island today. “When the Normandy Region made the decision to celebrate 1,000 years of Norman heritage for the Millennium of the birth of William the Conqueror, Jersey just had to be involved as our loyalty to the Dukes of Normandy stretched from 933 to 1259, continued with the Kings of England and elements of that strong Norman heritage have continued to the present day. “It is bilingual, in both Jèrriais and English, a testament to the strong link with Jersey’s Norman past represented by the Island’s Norman language. It gives students and others the opportunity to discover some of the rich heritage contained within that language as well as discover the Norman story,” said the author.
‘The Jersey Norman Story 1,000 years/ L’Histouaithe Nouormande dé Jèrri 1,000 ans,’ Price £9.95 is currently available from:
• The Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche • The Société Jersiaise bookshop • The Museum Bookshop • The Harbour Gallery.
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Autumn 2026
Walking Beside Sarah Love, Loss and Lessons from our Dementia Journey \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
In the first instalment of a new series, parishioner Martin Whitley shares the deeply personal journey he and his family faced when his wife, Sarah, was diagnosed with dementia.
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arah and I were married on 23rd August 1975 at St John's Church, where the Reverend Peter Manton conducted our wedding service. Three sons and forty years later, we were ready for a new chapter in our lives. I can honestly say that we never argued or ‘fell out’. We disagreed and had different views but in the main home was a happy place. So, we took early retirement, bought our first new motorhome and looked forward to exploring Europe together. Our eldest son was living in Spain, so it was only natural that many of our travels would take us to the south of the country. Those months became some of the happiest of our retirement. We enjoyed the freedom of the open road, discovering new places, meeting new people and making memories together. For many years, Sarah had worked as a Community Carer for Family Nursing. She loved her work and was deeply committed to the people she cared for. The physical demands of lifting patients had, however, left her with persistent back problems. Despite this, she remained remarkably active. Having spent around fourteen years working in the eastern parishes of Jersey, she seemed to know every road, country lane and hidden driveway in the east. During our family holidays to the south of France when our sons were young, she had always been my navigator, calmly guiding us across hundreds of miles with nothing more than a map spread across her lap.
Autumn 2026
By her Husband, Martin Whitley
It therefore came as a surprise during one of our first motorhome trips when she struggled to read the road map and plan our route. She seemed uncertain and found it difficult to follow what had once come so naturally. It was only a small thing, and neither of us gave it much thought. We bought a new satellite navigation system, which solved the immediate problem, and we carried on enjoying our travels. Looking back now, I realise that this was probably the first sign that something was changing. At the time, however, it seemed no more than an innocent moment—one of those little inconveniences that growing older sometimes brings. Neither of us could have imagined that it marked the beginning of a journey that would change our lives forever. We continued to travel, spending our winters in southern Spain and enjoying the relaxed pace of retired life. Back home in Jersey, life settled into a comfortable routine. I became involved in a variety of voluntary roles, serving on several committees and panels, while maintaining a keen interest in military events and commemorations. Sarah was equally content pursuing her own interests. She loved to read, kept herself busy around the house and garden, and was happiest when she had something useful to do. She had always been an independent person and rarely sat still for long. One interest that became particularly important to her was supporting people living with dementia. It seemed a natural choice. Her mother, now aged ninety-three, still lives in a residential dementia care home in Northern Ireland - Sarah was born in Belfast in 1954. Through her work and regular visits and conversations with her family, Sarah had seen first-hand the challenges that dementia brought, not only for those diagnosed but also for the families who loved them.
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She talked on several occasions about volunteering with a local dementia support organisation. Yet, despite her enthusiasm, she never quite took the final step. Completing the application forms always seemed to be put off until another day, and eventually the idea quietly faded away. Looking back now, I often wonder whether that reluctance to complete what should have been a straightforward application was another small sign that something was beginning to change. At the time, it simply seemed out of character. In hindsight, it was one more piece of a puzzle that neither of us knew we were assembling. Because we divided our time between Europe and Jersey, it was easy to explain away the little things that began to happen. When Sarah occasionally became disorientated on a campsite, I told myself it was simply because every site looked different. When she struggled with unfamiliar euros and cents, I assumed it was just the confusion of dealing with a different currency. Like many husbands, I found perfectly reasonable explanations for what I was seeing. For a long time, I convinced myself there was nothing to worry about. After all, how many times had I walked into the kitchen only to forget why I had gone there? We all become a little more forgetful as we grow older, and I believed Sarah was no different. Then one day I noticed her struggling to put on her shoes. She seemed unusually confused, and when I looked more closely, I realised she had put them on the wrong feet. Gently, I asked what she was doing. My question upset her. She became defensive and visibly distressed, insisting there was nothing wrong. It wasn't like Sarah to react in that way, and I remember feeling both surprised and concerned. Looking back, I think she already knew that something wasn't right, even if she couldn't explain it herself. There must have been moments when she sensed that familiar tasks were becoming more difficult, and that realisation must have been frightening. That was the first time I truly wondered whether we were dealing with something more than the ordinary lapses of growing older.
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Even so, we carried on with our lives. For another year or more, I found myself quietly covering for Sarah whenever I could. If she forgot something or became confused, I would step in without drawing attention to it. I convinced myself that I could protect her from any embarrassment and that, somehow, I could manage whatever lay ahead. Looking back, I realise I was also protecting myself from having to face what was really happening. Our sons, however, were beginning to notice that Mum was no longer quite herself. As a family, we found ourselves asking her gentle questions or giving her small tasks, almost without realising that we were testing her. We desperately wanted reassurance that this was only a passing phase, that things would return to normal. But they didn't. The changes were not confined to holidays or social occasions. Life at home was changing too, including our private lives. Curiously, one of the first changes was unexpectedly positive. Sarah began to laugh – a lot. I had always been the family comedian, but now the simplest remark or the smallest mishap would have her crying with laughter. Her laughter was infectious, spontaneous and often completely out of proportion to whatever had amused her. For a while, it was a wonderful time. The house was filled with laughter, and Sarah seemed free from the worries and anxieties that had once occupied her. The confusion was still there, but somehow it felt different. I clung to those happy moments and once again persuaded myself that perhaps life could continue like this. Perhaps I could cope. Perhaps this was simply how our lives were going to be. I now understand that I was still searching for reasons to believe that everything would somehow be all right. Then things changed and I had to lock the doors and windows… You can read more about Martin and Sarah’s dementia journey in the winter issue of L’Êtaile du Nord.
Autumn 2026
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Autumn 2026
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Autumn 2026
Closure of
Hello from
L’Auberge du Nord
St John’s Youth Project!
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It was the end of an era in St John as L’Auberge du Nord closed down in August.
The end of the school year provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that our young people have accomplished over the past twelve months.
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andalls Group who ran the pub/restaurant, announced the closure on social media: ‘It has not been an easy decision. Like so many hospitality businesses, the current economic climate has made it impossible for us to carry on. Thank you to everyone who joined us, for the Sunday lunches, the quiet pints and the celebrations. And thank you to our team, whose passion and hard work made the place what it was.’
F
rom activities and events to new friendships and personal achievements, it has been a busy and rewarding year. We now look forward to the start of a new term and extend a warm welcome to all new members joining us, as well as those returning for another year as we begin another exciting year of activities and opportunities. Our youth club sessions have involved lots of cooking where the young people have found recipes they would like to make, getting creative with arts and crafts making things like air-dry clay models, sun catchers and more. We’ve made the most of our outdoor spaces and the nice weather with lots of water fights. Our Seniors group have also been out on trips to try new activities.
Keep up to date with Youth Project news We have a Parent Email List where Georgia sends out important updates or news regarding the youth project and club sessions, if you would like to be added to this list, please email georgialebrocq@jys.je with your name and your child’s name.
‘A 70s disco!!!! Happy memories going there in the day.’ ‘What great nights we had in the 70s. So, so sad.’ ‘L’Auberge was a huge part of our lives in the seventies.’
We are extremely grateful for the support we receive from the parish and the parishioners, if you are interested in supporting us then please get in touch.
‘Saw so many good bands there in the 70s and a few into the 80s.’
We are currently looking for:
‘Played over 200 gigs there from around 75-84. Great memories.’
• Young Helpers (Year 8+) • Volunteers for youth club sessions • General committee members
‘Ship’s Bar Sunday evenings with Ethel was brilliant in the 80s!’
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Weekly Sessions Juniors (Yrs 5&6) Seniors (Yr 9+) Inters (Yrs 7&8)
‘The mighty Iron Maiden would enjoy a tipple in there back in the day.’
6:30pm - 8:30pm 6:30pm - 9:00pm 7:00pm - 9:00pm
‘Such fun and happy memories! 'Oops, upside your head' sitting on the dancefloor which was always really sticky!’ ‘Many of us had our 18th birthday parties in the L'Auberge.’
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Georgia Le Brocq Lead Youth Worker georgialebrocq@jys.je // 07797795890
Autumn 2026
‘It was a lovely old inn back in the 60s, full of character and history.’ ‘Such memories back in late 60s and early 70s. It was a great venue.’
Supporting your local Youth Project
Tuesday Wednesday Friday
Generations of locals enjoyed nights out at L’Auberge across the decades which was reflected in the dozens of comments that flooded in as people recalled Scarlet’s nightclub, gigs, private parties and regular nights out.
‘Spent some of the best days and nights of my life at L’Auberge du Nord.’
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Happy 100th Birthday to Iris Beaugie! \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
St John resident Iris Lilian Beaugie (née Rondel) celebrated her 100th birthday at the end of July at Les Charrieres Care Home.
When she was older, Iris joined the NAAFI as a caterer where she met her husband and they eventually had two daughters and a son, but sadly the marriage ended.
I
ris was born on 31st July 1926 to Lilia and Philip Rondel. She was one of nine children and was raised at Green Farm, St John. In November 1940, her father died of meningitis, right at the beginning of the occupation, and her mum was left to raise the children on her own, although she was blessed that some of her older children were able to help her run the farm.
In the 1960s she was introduced to her late husband Max Beaugie by her sister Dorothy. Max was a farmer and Iris loved farming, and they enjoyed a wonderful life together. Eventually they sold the farm and built a bungalow but, before they moved into the bungalow, Iris’s mum, Lilia, passed away suddenly in 1976. Iris and Max had twenty happy years living in their home until Max passed away in 1994. Iris still lived at her home until she was hospitalised in March of this year and is now at Les Charrieres Care Home, where she is looked after by the wonderful staff and carers. Iris had a special party at the nursing home to mark her milestone birthday and the lieutenant-governor, Vice Admiral Sir Jerry Kyd, attended and presented her with a birthday card from King Charles III.
Happy 100th Birthday Iris! Iris received a birthday card from King Charles III presented by the lieutenant governor
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Autumn 2026
St John dancers take on the world at
Dance World Cup
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Maddie’s street dance group Old Skool achieved 7th place (Credit: DWC)
The parish of St John was proudly represented at this year’s Dance World Cup Finals in Dublin, with nine talented young dancers taking part as members of the Jersey team.
Among the Jersey team were nine children from the parish of St John: Anna De Prey / age 11 Silhouette Studios of Performance - 3 dances
A
Blake Meredith / age 7 Essential Dance - 1 dance
total of 171 dancers from Jersey, representing five local dance schools – Essential Dance, Silhouette Studios of Performance, Etoile Studios, JM Dance Studios and Jersey Academy of Dancing – travelled to Dublin for the competition. They joined more than 11,500 dancers from seventy-four countries at the finals, making it a truly international event and an incredible experience for everyone involved.
Emilie Downes / age 8 Essential Dance - 4 dances Freya Harvey / age 11 Essential Dance - 3 dances Maddie Sinden / age 11 Essential Dance - 11 dances Milleigh Milner / age 11 Silhouette Studios of Performance - 11 dances Paige English / age 11 Essential Dance - 10 dances Zara Mughal / age 7 Essential Dance - 1 dance Eleanor Faber / age 9 Essential Dance - 3 dances
Maddie Sinden performing her street dance solo, she placed 8th out of 48 (Credit: DWC)
Autumn 2026
All nine children had worked incredibly hard in the months leading up to the competition, dedicating many hours to rehearsals and preparation before taking to the international stage in Dublin. For these young dancers, it was a fantastic opportunity to perform alongside talented dancers from all over the world and to proudly represent their dance schools, Jersey and the parish of St John.
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Paige English performing one of her acro dances (Credit: DWC)
The Essential dance team had a celebratory party in the park with TikTok dancer Luis Lucas.
There were some fantastic individual achievements among the St John dancers. Maddie competed in three solo dances and achieved an impressive 8th place in the Children’s Solo Street Dance category. She also helped her Children’s Large Street Group, “Old Skool,” achieve an excellent 7th place. Milleigh had an exceptional competition, taking part in 11 dances, including four solos. She achieved 6th place in the Children’s Solo Song and Dance category, and 7th place in the Children’s Solo Showstopper category. Milleigh was also awarded a special Golden Ticket, giving her the exciting opportunity to attend an exclusive weekend of masterclasses in Spain – a wonderful achievement and an opportunity to further develop her dancing.
Freya Harvey at the DWC
Maddie, Anna and Freya at the team Jersey kit reveal.
There was also success in the group categories, with Blake, Emilie and Zara dancing together as part of Essential Dance’s Mini Large Street Group, “Mini Madness,” which achieved an impressive 6th place. For all nine children, competing at the Dance World Cup was a remarkable achievement and the culmination of months of dedication, hard work and passion for dance. They should all be incredibly proud of themselves for taking to the world stage and representing their island and parish with such enthusiasm.
Emilie, Zara and Blake achieved 6th place for their Mini Large group Street dance called Mini Madness.
Freya and Maddie doing a tilt jump in their acro trio dance (Credit: DWC)
Milleigh Milner, performing 4 of her dances (Credit: DWC)
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Eight of the nine dancers from St John who represented Jersey in the DWC.
Autumn 2026
Bringing the Party
to Battle! \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The Northern Parishes Battle of Flowers team started planning and building this year’s floats in January, and through the winter and spring months a group of volunteers spent hours getting the structure ready in the Bouley Bay Battle Shed, the home of The Northern Parishes.
T
he theme for the Senior float was The Roaring Twenties and the theme for the Junior float was based on the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch. Lilo is an orphaned Hawaiian girl, and Stitch is her adopted dog who together go through a lot of Hawaiian surfing adventures. All the decorations, flowering and hares-tailing were designed and executed by the Juniors themselves. On the Seniors float, elegant flappers danced to the DJ's upbeat music of A little party never killed nobody, while waiters two-stepped around the crowds dishing out highfives while keeping their glasses balanced on their trays. The Senior float definitely brought the party to the Battle this year, getting a fantastic response from the crowds, but it was the Juniors who swept up the prizes, winning the Prix D'Honneur, Best Parish Floral Award and the Best Illumination for their colourful Lilo and Stitch Surf Club float. Planning is already getting underway for next year’s creations. Fundraising will take place throughout the year in the form of the monthly Bingo at the St Johns Parish Hall (last Tuesday of the month, doors open at 18.30pm for a 19.30pm start) - we hope to see you there. If you are interested to join the fun and get involved in any aspect of the Northern Parishes Battle of Flowers floats, please reach out to collettebisson@gmail.com for more information - you will be very welcome
Autumn 2026
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Autumn 2026
An Honorary Police
for the Modern Age The Honorary Police have been part of Island life for more than 800 years, evolving from the earliest forms of local policing to the modern, community‑focused service Islanders recognise today. Parishioners, Islanders and visitors continue to benefit from a visible, trusted Parish policing presence across the Island.
We also work closely with partner agencies and other key stakeholders to uphold the standards of the Honorary Police. Although voluntary, our professionalism, training and conduct remain central to maintaining public confidence. Those interested in joining the Honorary Police can apply
T
he Honorary Police remain a vital part of Jersey’s infrastructure. Without our officers, many of the Island’s major events simply could not take place. The Battle of Flowers, the Jersey International Air Display, the Marathon and numerous other events rely heavily on the dedication and hard work of Honorary Officers to ensure their safe and smooth operation. Across the Island, we currently operate at approximately 55% of our full establishment of 311 officers. Like many voluntary organisations, we face recruitment challenges. Economic pressures, busy personal lives and changing work patterns all contribute to Islanders having less available time to volunteer. Despite these challenges, the Honorary Police continues to modernise while preserving its unique Parish identity. All officers - whether Centeniers, Vingteniers or Constable’s Officers - are automatically enrolled into the Honorary Police Association (at no cost to the officer). The Association provides essential support to officers, particularly in areas they may not wish to face alone, such as welfare concerns or disciplinary matters.
via www.yourparishneedsyou.je or through their Parish Hall. Applicants are interviewed and then invited to a Parish Assembly, where they may be elected as a Constable’s Officer, Vingtenier or Centenier - each role carrying different responsibilities, with Centeniers holding the Power of Charge. All officers are fully vetted. Once elected, officers attend the Royal Court to be sworn in for a three-year term. Training is a core part of the role. All officers complete Foundation Course Training, equipping them with the skills required for duty, followed by supplementary training throughout their term of office.
If you would like more information about the Honorary Police or the work of the Association, please contact me, as President of the Honorary Police Association, at Ben. Wheaton@police.sthelier.je.
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photos: PoppWphotography
Officers are subject to the Police (Complaints and Conduct – Honorary Police) (Jersey) Regulations 2025. While we hope complaints are rare, the Association has invested in training additional Police Friends to support officers through any such processes. Our welfare support network has also been strengthened, ensuring officers can easily access help for mental health, physical health or other personal matters.
St John
Household recycling collection 2026 This guide explains how to use the St John household recycling collection. A collection planner is included so you know when your recycling will be collected. Every home in St John receives a recycling collection, in addition to the existing rubbish and glass collections. Recycling collections will be on the same day as your glass collection.
Glass and Recycling Collections 2026 For the month of September
Glass & Recycling
Thurs 03 Sep 2026
Fri 04 Sep 2026
For the month of October
Glass & Recycling
Thurs 01 Oct 2026
Fri 02 Oct 2026
For the month of November
Glass & Recycling
Thurs 05 Nov 2026
Fri 06 Nov 2026
For the month of December
Glass & Recycling
Thurs 03 Dec 2026
Fri 04 Dec 2026
•
Monday refuse collections – Recycling collected first Thursday each month
•
Tuesday refuse collections – Recycling collected first Friday each month
•
All refuse, recycling and glass out before 5am
•
Please ensure all recycling is BAGGED in clear or blue bags as per guidelines.
•
Any other bins/containers used to keep bagged recycling must be clearly marked “RECYCLING”
For more information, visit gov.je/recycling For collection enquiries, contact Municipal Services (St Helier) Tel: (01534) 811708 | Email: municipalservices@sthelier.je
Recycling in Jersey MythBusters Myth
All recycling collected in Jersey just gets burned in the Energy Recovery Facility.
FAct !
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 !
Metal lids and tops should be removed and placed with your household metal recycling.
Myth
Glass can go in general waste or energy recovery.
FAct !
Glass can damage the Energy Recovery Facility , leading to costly repairs. It must be recycled properly.
Myth
Plastic bottle tops can’t be recycled.
FAct !
Plastic bottle tops can be recycled, so don’t throw them away!
When was the last time
As grown-ups, we’re often busy adulting: bills, mortgage, home-fixes, deadlines, work and the juggle of family life. It’s all rather serious, isn’t it? All a bit… grown-up.
you played? \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
By Jess Coleman, aka ‘Stressy Jessy’
I
f you read my last article, you’ll know that I’ve ended up on a year of ‘Accidental Bucket List’ adventures, as I figure out this new me. This grown-up, mum of two, and how she likes to have fun. Not necessarily be productive… just have fun. Each month, I’ve been trying (and failing) at new activities. This month, I tried to learn Tarot Cards after feeling a bit drawn to something that gives a non-religious soul connection. Have I lost you on that one? My husband doesn’t get it either. But whatever your personal beliefs, feeling a connection to spirit, God, the Universe or even just the energy of the world around you can be magical. Reassuring. Life affirming. Comforting in times of struggle. Other than the woo-woo, I also gave Hotpod Yoga a go. It’s exactly as it sounds – yoga practised in a very hot pod (think Bikram). I’m not sure if we can call it play exactly, but I left the session feeling a level of calm over my body and mind that I’ve not felt in a long time. And, yes, very sweaty. Scheduling time for fun is a strange thing in itself, although with all that adulting, it does need space made for it in the business of day-to-day. I’ve found that adding a ‘ME hour’ into my calendar each week has really encouraged me to have a go at a range of random activities, just because I can. So far, I have tried ‘somatic dance’ (yes, it was rather wild), skateboarding, a trail run, zumba, yoga, tarot reading, painting, writing, card-making and hiking. A pretty varied lot! In my house we are navigating our first summer of school holidays, and trying to map out how we can convince our jobs to give us seven weeks off work to look after our kids! These days of needing a dual income to support the family aren’t for the weak - and probably aren’t for anyone if I am honest. There is something like seventy-two weekdays off in a school each year, and an average employee only get around twenty-five holidays per person. Thank God for Grandparents is all I can say! And if you’ve not got family here, I really do feel for you. It’s tough. Back to the topic of ‘fun’. For August’s playtime, I think it is only right if my theme is ‘back to childhood’. The idea is that I’m going to try my hand at some of the things I used to love as a kid. On my list is a surf lesson with a women’s group at Laneez Surf School. I’d also love to try Line Dancing - my Dad used to teach it, and I’ve got such fond memories of grape vining to ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ as a child. Will I be any good at these things? Who knows. Will I feel joy as I try them? Hope so. Will it feel like play? I will let you know! If you had to try something you used to love as a kid, what would it be? Could you squeeze some play into this month, just for you?
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Autumn 2026
This Girl Can by Samantha de Gruchy
Women’s and girls’ rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in recent years. With 2.7 million players globally, women and girls now make up 25% of the rugby playing population. Many put this down to the hugely successful Women’s World Cup held in England in 2025, which England won. And Jersey is no different - 20 years ago a group of young women said, “We want to play rugby” and, since their first training session 20 years ago this November, they have! The Jersey Women’s and Girls’ game has gone from strength to strength. Those original women are still part of the rugby family as coaches and managers, while new talent is part of the ever-growing Women’s team at Jersey Rugby Club who play in a UK league, Jersey Touch Rugby who competed at the European cup this summer, the newly formed walking rugby team and, most importantly, the Jersey Girls Rugby Squad who are part of the Minis and Juniors section.
We’ve got second generation players, university representatives, county players and an England U20 player, as well as those who just want to have fun, run about, find their inner strength, build their skills and make life-long friends. It’s these skills and friendships that keep girls getting up on rainy Sunday mornings to come to training and travel to play rugby. Now is the perfect time to give rugby a go, if it’s been an age since you threw a rugby ball around, or if you’ve never touched a rugby ball in your life, it doesn’t matter! If you are in school Years 7-13, we’d love to see you at our Girls Rugby Open Day on Sunday 11th October 2026 at 10.30am at St Peter’s Rugby Club or head to www.jerseyrfc.rfu.club, make an enquiry and they’ll point you in the right direction.
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photos: PoppWphotography
It’s not just players, the club has women as coaches, trainers, physios, committee members and volunteers - if you want to make a difference and join a community, the rugby family is a tough one to beat. We hope to see you there!
BOOKMARKS A roundup of local publishing
A new book by local author Sarah Grigson takes a fresh look at the occupation through 100 objects left behind. Some objects are rare and historically significant, others are humble, even mundane, but each carries a story. Here we look at one of the objects: a gas mask.
water supply and whether there was a pond or stream nearby. They also noted anyone with first-aid knowledge or other skills that could be helpful in the event of an attack. Air-raid shelters were built all over the island. The States dug zigzag trenches in many parks, in the grounds of municipal buildings and at many of the schools. They were usually lined with timber, with wooden duckboards on the floor and long benches for islanders to sit on during a raid. Others were built into the basements of buildings, including in many private houses, or were constructed of brick or concrete in gardens. Air-raid sirens were placed at the Fort Regent Signal Station, the Jersey Electricity Company at Mont a l'Abbé, the grounds of the mental hospital in Grouville, next to St Peter's Parish Church and by the cemetery in Sion. Twenty-five-foot metal towers were erected to hold the three sirens outside of town. The sirens were powered by electricity, and by varying the power, the siren emitted a rising and falling signal to warn the public of incoming aircraft. The ‘allclear’ signal was a single continuous note.
The British government greatly feared the threat of poison gas attacks during air raids. They issued gas masks for every man, woman and child, including special versions for babies, and in Jersey, demonstrations and fittings were held at locations such as Grouville School and the St John’s Ambulance Hall to ensure the gas masks were used correctly. After war was declared in September 1939, islanders were urged to carry them at all times.
In the case of a poison gas attack, ARP wardens carried ‘gas rattles’, a hand-operated device that produced a loud clacking sound to alert people to immediately put on their gas masks (many of these were repurposed by football supporters after the war). They also carried hand bells to ring the ‘all-clear’ signal. The German air raid on Jersey in June 1940 used conventional bombs, and there were no other major air raids during the occupation, although there were at least fourteen small raids or occasions when bombs were dropped on the island.
Other precautions were taken against the threat of air raids by the States of Jersey. Tens of thousands of sandbags were ordered, and decontamination and first-aid posts were established in various locations. Blackout orders were issued and every window and door in the island had to be covered with a heavy curtain or shutter so that no light would show through.
A terrible accident occurred in the cold winter of December 1944 that resulted in the closure of many air-raid shelters on the island. A nine-year-old boy entered a shelter to look for firewood and tragically died when he removed a wooden support, causing the structure to collapse. As the threat of air raids had passed, it was decided that many shelters would be removed.
ARP wardens had to make a list of every household in their area, the number of people in each home, whether it had a telephone, how they accessed their
AVAILABLE NOW FROM...
Jersey War Tunnels and also • Société Jersiaise - 7, Pier Road • Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche - 71 Halkett Place • The Harbour Gallery - 19, The Quay, Commercial Buildings • Jersey Heritage - Jersey Museum, The Weighbridge (and outlets) • John Cooper Antiques - 16, Central Market • DR Crenan - Harve des Pas, St Helier • St John Parish Hall
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Autumn 2026
The art of sport \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Last November, St John artist Nick Romeril was approached by the Jersey Commonwealth Games Committee to design and paint the island’s baton.
T
he 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow marked the first time in the history of the event that all seventy-four competing nations and territories were given their own individual batons. Traditionally, a single baton was passed through all participating regions, but for Glasgow 2026, each Commonwealth Games Association received a unique baton crafted from Scottish ash hardwood to customise and decorate according to their local culture. These seventy-four individual batons were reunited and placed in a symbolic living garden at the centre of the opening ceremony on July 23rd. The baton has three sides, so Nick and the Jersey Commonwealth Games Committee came up with ideas of how best to represent the island. Nick explained, "The Jersey Cows were an easy decision - they're world famous, so everyone knows the Jersey Cow. We thought about putting sports events on, but I thought everyone was going to want to do that and it would be better to keep the design really close to Jersey. So, we ended up with a painting of Corbière with a Jersey cutter sailing past to represent the island’s history, then the Jersey crapaud and the Jersey lilies were symbols of local identity.”
The baton also featured the Jèrriais words: ‘Lé Rouai d’Angliétèrre, nouot’ Duc’ – The King of England, our Duke. The baton toured around the island before the Games, visiting sports clubs and community events before being presented to Lieutenant Governor Vice Admiral Sir Jerry Kyd. Jersey heptathlete Lucy Woodward carried the baton at the opening ceremony on 23rd July before it was reunited with the other seventy-three personalised batons. The Scottish baton held a special compartment which contained King Charles III’s message for the opening ceremony which celebrated the athletes and also the spirit of the Commonwealth, describing it as a “unique and extraordinary family of nations”. He also used the message to “end plastic pollution of oceans and rivers” and urged the nations present to “build a harmonious and durable future”.
It is not known if the allocation of individual batons to competing nations and territories will become a regular fixture of the Commonwealth Games in the future or if it was a one-off, but either way, Nick was delighted to design Jersey’s baton and was impressed at Jersey’s results: “It was amazing that we had so much success at the Games!” And Nick wasn’t the only parishioner involved in the Commonwealth Games. St John was represented by two competitors as well: Megan Hansford in swimming and Evan Campbell in decathlon. St John can be very proud of all three parishioners, each top of their game!
Autumn 2026
40
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT DIABETES MYTH
FACT
PEOPLE WITH DIABETES CAN’T EAT SUGAR AT ALL.
PEOPLE WITH DIABETES CAN ENJOY SUGAR IN MODERATION AS PART OF A BALANCED DIET.
MYTH
ONLY OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE GET DIABETES.
MYTH
TYPE 1 DIABETES IS THE ‘MILD’ KIND.
Changing your diet & regular exercise can help you manage type 2 diabetes. Speak to your doctor or healthcare provider for a check up. diabetesjersey.com
FACT PEOPLE OF ALL BODY TYPES CAN DEVELOP BOTH TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 DIABETES.
FACT
TYPE 1 DIABETES IS A SERIOUS LIFELONG CONDITION REQUIRING DAILY INSULIN.
ST. JOHN’S INN
Sports Bar / Live Games / Pool / Darts
Ahead! urant a little refresh “After giving the resta really excited for earlier this year, we’re n. We wanted this autumn at St John’s In great value, menu to be all about d food people generous portions an g. We’re very genuinely enjoy eatin e St John proud to be part of th to see plenty of community and hope pefully some new familiar faces – and ho ones too.”
Charlie Owner
m 1st October to The menu will run fro is available 21st November and , lunch and dinner. Tuesday to Saturday
Booking advised, call 864690 RESTAURANT OPENING TIMES
Mon: CLOSED Tue: 5:30pm – 8:30pm Wed to Fri: 12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 8:30pm Sat: 12pm – 8:30pm Sun: 12pm – 4pm
STARTERS
MENU
ZUREK- SOU
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OUP e soup with sm o ke d sausage & eg served with a g, piece of sourd ough
Polish sour ry crispy breaded
CRISPY CALA calamari with
PADRON PE P
MARI
Thai sweet ch
PERS [VEO]
blistered pad
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ron peppers, sea salt and Th ai sweet chilli sa uce
TERIYAKI CH
£18.50
ICKEN [GF]
teriyaki glaze
d chicken and
sesame seed
s
MAINS
served with st
2 COURSES
8oz SIRLOIN
STEAK
eak cut chips, salad and au poivre sauce (£4.50 supple ment)
3 COURSES
£22.50
PO
LE IN THE HO chargrilled Po LE lish sausages , creamy mas onions, loaded h & caramelis into a giant Yo ed rkshire pudd ing with rich gravy SEA BASS FIL LET [GF] pan-fried sea bass, crushed potatoes, asap ragus & lemon cap er butter crispy breaded
CHICKEN SC
HN
ITZEL chicken, crea my mashed p otatoes, mush sauce & crun room chy cabbage slaw
LA BO
URRIDE PRO a hearty fish & VENCALE seafood soup with potatoes tomato, garlic in a rich Prove & herb broth ncal , served with crusty bread an d butter BANGKOK P ANANG CUR tofu, roasted R Y [V E O ] [GF] pumpkin & ve getables in a coconut curr fragrant Panan y with jasmin g e rice, peanu ts & fresh lim e
DESSERTS
HOT RASPBE
RRIES [GFO] [V
vanilla ice crea
] cream & rasp b
m & whipped
APPLE CRUM
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BLE [V] on apple com pote, crunchy crumble, vanilla ice crea m & toffee sa uce
warm cinnam
BELGIAN WA
served with va
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nilla ice cream
& maple syru
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See our other menus and
make a reservation at
www.stjohnsinn.je
StJohnsInnJersey
News from the
Bell Ringers \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
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The bells and bellringers of St John keep busy, regularly ringing for Sunday services and Tuesday practice nights, as well as welcoming visiting bellringers from across the UK to enjoy our bells with us.
M
ay saw us taking part in Bell Sunday, a nationwide celebration of church bells and the people who ring them. On Sunday 17th May, we rang a quarter peal of 1,296 changes (each ringer pulling their rope 1,296 times) taking 45 minutes of continuous ringing and using five different methods (patterns of ringing). The band included five local ringers, among them the Rector of St John, Rev. Beverley Sproats, as well as one of our regular visitors to the island. It was a good opportunity to celebrate our bells and the contribution they make to parish life - and to thank the parish community for putting up with us. We know that sometimes it sounds better than others! We continue to enjoy the friendship and variety that visiting ringers and holidaymakers bring. Bellringing has always had a strong local side, and St John is fortunate to be part of a much wider ringing community that stretches around the world. We have links with ringers in Australia, South Africa, America, France and, of course, the UK. Visitors bring different experiences and ideas, giving our own ringers the opportunity to try new things. It is always a pleasure to see familiar faces returning to St John, and these visits are a reminder that, although Jersey is separated from the mainland by the sea, the ringing community is a friendly and wellconnected one. We also enjoy helping other ringers develop their skills. At the end of July, we rang 1,440 changes of four methods, with a band made up of both local and visiting ringers. The visiting ringers had asked us to help them practise for a peal (5,060 changes and approximately three hours of continuous ringing) which they were due to attempt in the UK the following week. We are pleased to report that both the ringing in Jersey and the subsequent peal in the UK were successful. Well done all round! Meanwhile our own ringers (aged from 14 to 90) never stop learning. We continue to develop our skills through regular practice sessions and service ringing. While our more significant performances are recorded for posterity online, much of what happens is the ordinary weekly work of learning, practising and helping one another to improve. That is the foundation on which the more ambitious ringing is built. Several local ringers have learned and successfully rung new methods this quarter.
Autumn 2026
As bellringers at St John we are fortunate that the ringing takes place in the body of the church. We are right at the heart of the church community, and this gives us plenty of opportunities to show people what we do and to let them have a go. Recently we’ve encouraged everyone from pre-school to the more mature of our community to try bellringing to have a go, whether before a service or on a Tuesday evening. You don’t need to be musical, particularly strong or an expert to have a go — just curious! So, if you’ve ever wondered what happens behind those ropes, why not come and give bellringing a try? You might discover a new hobby, meet some interesting people and, of course, help us keep the bells of St John ringing for generations to come. For further information, please contact Justin Read, Tower Captain on 888484 or 07797 714329 or at justin.read@live.co.uk
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À Bétôt? Coming soon to a Parish Hall near you! Kit Ashton and the Badlebeques performing at the Corn Riots
Following the recent success of the première of À Bétôt? (Goodbye?) – a documentary about the Jèrriais language – the film will now be screened at parish halls across Jersey during the autumn.
The screenings are free of charge and will take place on the following dates:
Co-directed by local filmmakers Annigna and Tom Kennedy of Little River Pictures and produced by Ben Spink of L’Office du Jèrriais, the film received a standing ovation and the Audience Award at a sold-out Jersey Arts Centre as part of the 13th Parish Film Festival earlier this year.
Tuesday 6th October Thursday 8th October Friday 9th October Tuesday 13th October Thursday 15th October Tuesday 20th October Thursday 22nd October
Ben said, “We could not have hoped for a better première. The purpose of making this film was for as many local people as possible to see it, and hopefully be inspired by it, so selling out the Arts Centre and receiving the award was a dream come true. We are very excited to take the film on tour now and show it to many more Islanders.”
St Ouen’s Parish Hall Grouville Parish Hall St Mary’s Parish Hall St Brelade’s Parish Hall St Martin’s Public Hall St Clement’s Parish Hall St Saviour’s Parish Hall
All screenings will start at 6pm and the film is 1 hour 40 minutes.
À bétôt! See you soon! For further information, please contact L’Office du Jèrriais at info@jerriais.org.je.
Jèrriais native speaker, the late Mr Don Dolbel, features in the film
‘À Bétôt?’ is a film about the people who spoke and still speak Jèrriais, our ancient Norman language. Passed down through the generations, it carries the Island’s history, culture and identity, yet in recent years it has come perilously close to being lost. At the same time, a growing movement is working to revitalise the language - driven by people who care passionately about the importance of Jèrriais as a vital part of Jersey’s heritage, its future and its inclusive identity. Ultimately, this film is a call to action. A rallying cry to a new generation of enthusiasts, learners, and speakers to take up the challenge and ensure this precious language can thrive once again. The co-directors and producer will be in attendance for a Q&A session after each screening. The film is dual language in Jèrriais and English, and there are English subtitles for those who don’t understand Jèrriais (yet).
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Autumn 2026
Socks!
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I’ve often pondered – can anything be made into a game? Mary Poppins thought so, and I’m inclined to agree, although hopefully our games are much more fun than tidying bedrooms! We’ve had ropes, balls, trays, cards, tiny resin ducks, sticks, cups, carrots and spoons and now… it’s the turn of socks. I’ve seen socks used for many a game – from long sport socks used for tying legs in three-legged races or wrapped around heads as blindfolds, or cute little ankle socks used in a race game. But do you fancy something a bit more active? Of course you do. Last Christmas the sprightlier among us, or those who’d had a few cups of cheer, went in for a bit of sock wrestling, but as my remit is a game for all ages, I think this one is too much. Instead, for this issue, we’re going mid-way, coupled with a bit of a challenge. Some may say it’s more of a summer game, but we might be in for a mild autumn, so fingers crossed we have time to play this one.
The idea is to work together as a team to take off your socks. It sounds easy, right? But, of course, this is Party HQ so there is a significant challenge element. What’s the challenge, you ask? Well, you all sit on the floor in a circle, remove your shoes and, if needs be, pop on a pair of ankle socks that are easy to take off. Next, you all lie on your backs, legs up in the air, making sure your bums are all shuffled in close. Now for the real challenge... A helper adds a bucket (a washing up bowl is also very good), to the top of the upturned feet making sure it’s resting nice and evenly. Once it is balanced on the feet, water is added to the bowl or bucket! If you are feeling particularly dangerous, you could even make it iced water! To win as a team, all you have to do is remove your socks without spilling a drop! Clear communication, keeping calm and teamwork are key, if you can pause from laughing. So good luck and try not to get soaked! As always, remember, you don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing! If you try out any of the Party HQ games we’ve included over the years, send your photos in to editor@starofthenorth.org.je and we would love to feature them!
It’s a perfect game for two to six people. And, importantly, it involves water, so head outside. Also, those with party dresses on, a pair of cycling shorts might be a good plan.
Autumn 2026
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M
Y
Y
Y
LRJDC_Parish_Advert_A4_PRINTING.pdf
1
18/08/2026
14:39
Come Join the Band! The Jersey Scout Band is a marching youth band that performs at many public events across the Island throughout the year.
W
e are always looking for new members aged eight and above. You do not need to be a Scout or have any musical experience, as tuition is provided by our instructors. Instruments available include drums, cymbals, bell lyres and trumpets. Uniforms, instruments and lessons are all provided for a small subscription each term.
The band regularly travels off-Island and hopes to attend the Guernsey Battle of Flowers in 2027. In previous years we have performed in Guernsey, on numerous occasions in France, twice at Disneyland Paris and once at Windsor Castle.
homefiresjersey.com
HomeFires Jersey Ltd
Your safety, our priority!
info@homefiresjersey.com Martin - 07797 836872
Our band is all about teamwork and friendship. Here is what some of our members say:
Showroom - 01534 879 846
Arlo (8): “I really like it because I get to be part of a group and get better at playing the drums. I am really looking forward to my first real march.” Ocean (11): “We meet new people and play our instruments loudly.” Grace (13): “I got to learn a new instrument that you don’t normally get to learn.” Blake (11): “There is nothing I don’t like about being in the band.”
We install wood burners and electric appliances.
Hope (14): “I love the camaraderie. It is good to perform in public and show off our skills.” Andrew, Lead Drummer: “Being part of a team is great. Many people use the skills they learn with the band on their CV for their first job.”
Our installers are HETAS trained
Call or Visit our SHOWROOM Discuss your requirements with our team, or visit our website to explore our full range of services and products.
Opening hours
We practise on Thursday evenings during term time from 6.30pm to 8.30 pm at the Kenneth Faucon Memorial Hall, Rue des Prés, St Saviour (opposite Waitrose).
Monday - Closed Tuesday - Saturday 9am to 5pm La Rue Du Galet, Millbrook, St. Lawrence, Jersey JE3 1LQ
For more information, email mickmarett@gmail.com or call Mick on 07797 724998.
Find us on
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Autumn 2026
Autumn 2026
50
Level up business performance. Experience the incredible performance of Mac. The game changing power of Apple silicon, superfast SSD storage and stunning displays meaning productivity just got a big boost.
Visit us in store or head to our business page online for details.
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Premium Partner
Pension Plus You may be able to get help with health costs such as dental care, eye tests and foot treatment through Pension Plus. Funding is available if: You've reached pension age at the time of application Are receiving a Jersey Old Age Pension or have ‘entitled’ status You (and your partner, if applicable) don’t pay Jersey income tax, or you only pay up to £1,000* in total tax each year Have no more than £64,000 in household assets (excluding the value of the family home) *Extended to more pensioners – find out if you’re eligible
Pension Plus can help you meet the cost of:
Pension Plus Scheme Eligibility criteria expanded
Dental Care
To find out more, contact:
£55 a year for check-ups Up to £1,900 every 4 years for treatment
gov.je/PensionPlus pensionplus@gov.je +44 (0) 1534 444444
Eye Care £55 every 2 years for eye tests £165 every 2 years for glasses or lenses
Foot Care
£165 a year for treatment
It's shoebox Jersey Family time again! History Society \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Every year, generous parishioners help bring a little joy to children in need in Eastern Europe through the Rotary de la Manche Shoebox Appeal. St John has always been wonderfully supportive of this magnificent cause, and we're hoping to make this year's collection our best yet.
by Sue Hardy
Most Jersey families can usually name their grandparents but their knowledge often stops right there!
T
he Channel Islands Family History Society is now known as the Jersey Family History Society. Since its formation in October 1978, members have created copies of registers, 19th century Census records and much, much more! This extensive collection is open to public access at Jersey Archive. A new website enables members to access an enormous quantity of information on-line, with links to many other useful websites including Jersey Archives: www.jerseyfamilyhistory.org You will be surprised at just how much there is at your fingertips!
I
am the Rotary de la Manche shoebox coordinator for St John. If you would like to take part, I will provide you with an empty Rotary shoebox (£2 each) along with simple instructions on how to fill it. You can choose whether your box is for a boy or a girl, and select an age group: baby, 4-7 years, 8-11 years or 12-15 years.
Monthly meetings are usually held at The Members Room at the Société Jersiaise, 7 Pier Road in St Helier, with talks held on the last Monday evening each month from October to June, and other venues chosen in July and September, often outdoors, enabling the discovery of various aspects of local interest. Descendants of Jersey families world-wide are able to join our indoor meetings using ‘Zoom’. Once your shoebox is filled, simply leave it at the Parish Hall and I will arrange to collect it and take it to the main collection point. The deadline for delivery of boxes to the Parish Hall is Friday 16th October. To request a shoebox or find out more, please get in touch. Together, we can make a real difference to a child's Christmas. Ricky Leith: 07797 729664 Email: chaletfarming@gmail.com
Membership enables you to explore the website more deeply and to enjoy a reduced subscription for access to details from Jersey Archives. Quarterly Journals are published - the large volume of articles and other information can also be accessed on-line. Why not join this friendly local society? Help is offered to open a door to the past, to solve those mysteries, and put leaves on your family tree! Come to one of our meetings and find out more.
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Autumn 2026
FC Saint Jean 2025/26 Season Round-Up \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The 2025/26 season has certainly been one of ups and downs for friendly football team FC Saint Jean, but as we look back over the year, there is plenty for the club to be proud of. While the season didn't always go quite as planned, the club has continued to grow, adapt and, most importantly, bring people together through football.
Plenty of Positives
A Season of Challenges
The men's team also enjoyed a memorable day at a local 6-a-side charity tournament, entering a squad of nine players. Things didn't get off to the best of starts, as we lost our opening game, but that turned out to be the only defeat we suffered all day.
Despite the challenges, there have been some fantastic highlights - perhaps none more exciting than the formation of our first ladies’ team. The ladies have been a fantastic addition to FC Saint Jean and have brought a huge amount of enthusiasm and energy to the club. Their first season has been about much more than results: it has been about creating a team, building confidence and establishing a new part of the FC Saint Jean family. We are incredibly proud of how the team has developed and are excited to see where they can go from here.
After the group stage, our opening loss meant that we were placed into the secondary competition for the Plate Trophy. Rather than letting the early setback get us down, the team responded brilliantly and we went on to win the Plate. Two of our matches went all the way to penalties, including the final, and penalties quickly became something of a speciality for FC Saint Jean. We proved particularly strong in the shootouts, both scoring our penalties and making crucial saves when it mattered.
The season wasn't without its difficulties. Severe winter rain caused significant problems with the pitch over several months, resulting in cancelled fixtures and training sessions having to be moved to alternative locations. For a friendly club like FC Saint Jean, these changes don't just cause inconvenience - they also come at an additional financial cost, something that is particularly important for a club that relies on careful management of its finances to keep moving forward. The difficult conditions, alongside some organisational challenges, ultimately meant that we played fewer games than we would have liked and against a smaller variety of opposition than we had hoped for. We also said goodbye to our coach, Rich, during the season, as he decided to step back from his role. While losing a coach is never easy, it provided an opportunity for the players to step up and take greater responsibility for the running of the team. A Senior Leadership Team was established from within the squad, with players taking on additional responsibilities including organising sessions, running drills and training and providing extra leadership on match days. It was a great example of the players coming together and taking ownership of their club when it was needed most.
Autumn 2026
There was also the small matter of the main tournament winners, St Clements, who play top- level local league football. Remarkably, the only team to beat St Clements throughout the entire day was FC Saint Jean - making our tournament performance even more impressive. The tournament itself was held in aid of mental health, through a collaboration between local charity The Danny Cram Foundation and local barbershop Barvello. Supporting an event with such an important cause was particularly meaningful to FC Saint Jean, given how closely mental health and community align with the values and mission of our club.
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A Huge Thank You No season can happen without the support of the people around the club, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped FC Saint Jean throughout the year. A huge thank you goes to St John FC, Nigel Perree and Corey Bisson for their continued support, allowing us to use the pitch and changing facilities and helping us out with equipment when needed. Their support has been invaluable to the club.
Most importantly, the day demonstrated exactly what FC Saint Jean is about: getting people together, enjoying football, supporting a good cause and creating memories along the way.
Building for the Future
We would also like to thank our coach, Richard Heaume for his work and commitment during his time with the club and wish him all the very best for the future. A particularly big thank you goes to Signature Decorators for coming on board as our main sponsor and supporting the men's team with a full playing kit. We are incredibly grateful for their backing and look forward to developing that relationship in the seasons ahead.
Another major step forward this season was securing a main team sponsor in Signature Decorators. Their support has enabled us to provide a full squad men's playing kit for match days, which has made a huge difference to the team. We are incredibly grateful for their support, and even more excited that Signature Decorators are looking to build a relationship with FC Saint Jean into the future. For a grassroots club, having the backing of a local business is hugely valuable and helps us continue to develop both on and off the pitch. Finally, thank you to St John’s Inn, who have become an important part of our home match days by reserving tables for the team and providing post-match food. That support and hospitality has helped create the social side of the club that is just as important as what happens on the pitch. Here's to another season of football, friendship, community — and hopefully a few more trophies for FC Saint Jean!
Get Involved If you like the sound of what we’re building at FC Saint Jean - whether you’re keen to play in either of our ladies’ or men’s groups - interested in helping organise and/or behind the scenes - or even keen to sponsor us or help us out in any other way - we would love to hear from you! E: fcsaintjean@yahoo.com / Insta: @fcsaintjean
As we look towards next season, there is plenty to be optimistic about. We have a growing club, a new ladies’ team, a men's team with a trophy to show for their efforts, new sponsorship and, perhaps most importantly, a group of players and volunteers who are willing to step up and help the club succeed. There will always be challenges at grassroots level, but this season has shown that FC Saint Jean has the people and the spirit to overcome them.
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Autumn 2026
NEWS from the
Pews
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By Reverend Beverley Sproats
It's been a full and varied few months at St John's since our last update – here's a look back at what's been happening. Services and Special Sundays We closed the school year with our whole-school end-of-year service, including a special moment for our Year 6 children as they reflected on primary school and looked ahead to secondary. In May we held a "Come and See" service — a relaxed gathering for anyone exploring faith or finding their way back to church. It was a modest but warm turnout, with mostly familiar faces reengaging, and a lovely reminder that the door is always open. Summer term brought our Gift Day (12th July) and Sea Sunday (19th July) which included a blessing of the boats and a welcome presence from local rescue services. Sunday Club has continued with craft mornings, including the children making their own little scenes from Bible stories. We've also introduced something new this year — a ladies' brunch — alongside our regular coffee and croissants gatherings.
Around the Church Our building has had real care and attention this summer. Three stained glass windows — including some of our Bosdet windows — have been beautifully restored, funded by the church. Both faces of the church clock have also been repainted in gold and work has continued on the roof, both Neil Mackenzie working on the funded by the parish — our thanks stained-glass windows for making this possible. Alongside this, a team of volunteers has been giving their time to practical jobs around the church from repointing walls to fitting gutter covers. There's always room for more hands if you'd like to get involved. Contact Gregor Allan, Churchwarden, on gregor@ gdalgetty.com for more details.
Prayer and Home group We also continue to hold in prayer those in our parish who have experienced bereavement in recent months and give thanks for the support of the wider church family at these times. Our Home Group continues to meet twice a month, watching and discussing episodes of "The Chosen", the popular miniseries bringing the life of Jesus to the screen.
Can't join us in person? Our services are live-streamed on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/@stjohnschurchje
Looking Ahead Sunday 27th September, 10.30am Pet Service with outdoor pet blessing in the churchyard
We've celebrated the baptisms of Grace, Harley, Eliza and Charlotte. Coming up, we look forward to welcoming Elizabeth, Tilly, and Oscar Baptism of Harley and Eliza and Orla to be baptised.
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Congratulations to Brandon and Anna on their wedding blessing, and to Katie and Rhees, married at Trinity Church. Coming up, we're delighted to be marking two 25th wedding anniversaries with renewal of vows services for Kerrie and Rich, and Samantha and Sharnie.
Watching from Home
Baptisms
Wedding of Katie and Rhees
Weddings and Blessings
Sunday 4th October Harvest Service Saturday 10th October Harvest Quiz evening Sunday 18th October Parklife Choir from Grace Trust leading our service
Baptism of Grace
Wedding blessing of Brandon and Anna
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Catholic Church NEWS
Coffee mornings Come along and enjoy a cuppa and croissant and meet your fellow parishioners for a friendly chat every second Tuesday in the month at St John's Church between 10am and 12pm.
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St John’s Church Ladies’ Brunch If you would like to join us for Brunch, we meet together on a two-monthly basis for a delicious breakfast and a relaxed chat to make new friends in the parish.
St John’s Church Craft Group Please join us for a friendly morning of chat, coffee and crafting. Bring along whatever you enjoy making, or maybe we can teach you something new?! We meet on the last Saturday of each month between 10am and 12pm, in the vestry at St John's Church. For all inquiries, please ring Val on 07797744057 or just turn up on the day. We are also hosting a 'Craft for a Cure’ activity morning on Saturday 27th September at St John's Church Vestry, from 10am to 12.30pm. Crafts and refreshments will be provided. The cost is ten pounds per person, adults only. All proceeds will be donated to Blood Cancer UK. If you are interested to join, please contact Val at vwood1955@ gmail.com or on the above number.
It was sad news for the Catholic parish in Jersey recently when parishioners attended the last mass held at St Patricks Church.
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ollowing consultation with the Diocese of Portsmouth it was decided that St Patricks Church and the Church of St Mary and St Peter would close due to a lack of priests and the high cost of maintaining seven churches in the island. The Polish priest will relocate from the presbytery at St Mary and St Peter to the presbytery at the Church of Our Lady and the Martyrs of Japan at St Martin, as will the Sunday morning Polish mass. We were blessed once again by fine weather for our second Catholic parish mass and picnic in the park. Three hundred people attended the event in the beautiful grounds of Coronation Park at Millbrook. The diversity of our congregation was evident in the delicious food spread out on the various tables around the marquee including Portuguese, Polish, Indian, Filipino and African dishes and many of the attendees wore distinctive, colourful clothes reflecting their national origins.
Join us Our church services are still going strong, whether you prefer to join us in person or catch the action on our Facebook livestream. On Sundays Traditional Holy Communion is at 8am or more contemporary Holy Communion at 9.30am. And, if you ever need a quiet moment to yourself, remember our doors are open daily for some private prayer time. For all the latest on services, courses, and what's coming up, be sure to follow our Church Facebook page. You can find us at www.facebook.com/ stjohnschurchje/ or just scan the QR code. Looking forward to seeing you there! You can also connect with us on social media @stjohnschurchje or reach out to Rev. Beverley Sproats at 861677 or 07700 731 114 or shoot her an email at beverleysproats@gmail.com
St John’s Church are privileged to enjoy time each month spent with our friends, the residents and staff of Cheval Roc, leading a service of Praise and Worship, and once a quarter the Rector accompanies us to include a Service of Holy Communion.
L
iving on our beautiful Island, with beaches so easily accessible, I wonder if you have ever discovered a piece of sea-glass. It is either broken when it goes into the sea, or it’s broken by the rocks, The team leading the service at Cheval Roc then the fragments are tossed about, scraped against the seabed, and gradually worked smooth to the point where it acquires a new and beautiful appearance. Sometimes in our lives, due to circumstances beyond our control, we too can feel as if life is spinning us around, pulling us this way and that. Maybe this is a good time to think of the journey of the sea-glass and remember those wise words from St. Paul: ‘Whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable - in difficult times think about such things.’
Blessings, Heather Woods and the Team.
Seeing to the Church clock
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Parish Diary
Useful Contacts \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
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Bell Ringing Justin Read 888484
SEPTEMBER
Bingo Colette colettebisson@gmail.com / 07797 720 615
25th McMillan Coffee Morning, Parish Hall 10am -12pm 26/27th Two-day Moto-X at Sorel 27th 10:30am Pet Service in the church grounds 29th Northern Parishes B of F Bingo - Parish Hall 30st Golden Age Club Lunch - leave Parish Hall 12:00pm
Bonne Nuit Boat Owners Neil Cotillard 07797 797834 Brownies Donna Tupper 865728 Caesarean Bell Ringers Diane Nelson 481898
OCTOBER 4nd
13th 18th 19th 20th 27th 29th 31st
Church Rectory 861677 / beverleysproats@gmail.com
Interactive Harvest Celebration service 10:30am with Little Oaks Sunday Club St John WI - Guide Dogs for the Blind Speaker:- Ken Syvret Park Life Choir & Grace Trust leading Service Moto-X training at Sorel Point Church “coffee & croissants” 10 – 11:30am Northern Parishes B.of F. - Bingo - Parish Hall Golden Age – Parish Hall 2:30pm Poppy Appeal Coffee Morning 10am - 12pm Parish Hall
Football Club Nigel Perrée 865113 Friends of Bonne Nuit Peter Pearce 07797 782694 / bonnenuitfriends@gmail.com Golden Age Club Richard Dupré 866880 Magazine Parish Contacts & Diary 866880 Netball Club Becky Duncan / Paige Brandie
07797790093 / stjohnsnetball@hotmail.com
NOVEMBER 4th 8th
10th 17th 24th 25th 29th
Pétanque Club Ron Le Herissier 07797822229
Electoral Assembly 7pm, Parish Assembly 7.15pm 10:15am St John Group of Churches Remembrance Sunday Service & after Vin d’Honneur in the Parish Hall St John WI – Christmas Craft Church “coffee & croissants” 10 – 11:30am Northern Parishes B. of F. - Bingo - Parish Hall Golden Age Club AGM – Parish Hall 2:30pm 4:30pm Advent Service of Remembrance, In Church
Recreation Centre Caretaker centrecaretaker@gmail.com School 861692 Shooting Club Peter Quimby 07797 775568 Skateboard Association Sophie 07700 862188 Twinning Association Stephen Masters 862880
WI - all ladies welcome to join – see useful contacts
Woman’s Institute - ALL WELCOME
Terina Le Couillard 07797 741281 / tlecouilliard@yahoo.co.uk
Church Events check Facebook page
www.facebook.com/stjohnschurchje
United Reformed Church Mike Ruskin 482366
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Youth Project St John’s Rec.
CHURCH & PARISH EVENTS Little Oaks Sunday Club
3rd October, 1st November & 6th December meet in Church at 9:30am 26th September, 31st October & 28th November all meet in the church vestry 10am-12pm.
Pétanque Club
Every Monday, meet in the carpark behind L’Auberge du Nord. All welcome \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
MOBILE LIBRARY
Parish precinct Mondays 11:30am to 12:15pm
parishhall@stjohn.je
www.stjohn.je
Mr Andy Jehan andy.jehan@stjohn.je M: 07797 758086 H: 864916 Twitter: @AndyJehan
Procureurs du Bien Publique
Julian Guegan, John Rondel
Duty Centenier 866560 Centeniers
Andrew Bisson, Christopher Rudd, David Morris, Sharnie Olliver
Parish Secretary
Sue Morin Sue.Morin@stjohn.je
Assistant Parish Secretary
Rev. Beverley Sproats
Sandra Coutanche Sandra.coutanche@stjohn.je
Deputies
Administrator
Hilary Jeune, Kirsten Morel, Phil Romeril
Kieranne Grimshaw Kieranne.grimshaw@stjohn.je
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For the latest parish
Office Opening Hours
Autumn 2026
Connétable
Rector
PARISH HALL
MONDAY, TUESDAY & FRIDAY WEDNESDAY THURS
Parish Administration \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Anything Goes Craft Group
861999
Georgia le Brocq 07797 795890 / georgialebrocq@jys.je
9:00am to 4:00pm 9:00am to 7:00pm 9:00am to 1:00pm
NEWS & EVENTS direct to your inbox, sign up at
www.stjohn.je/news-events
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SUPPLIED CONTENT
UPDATE www.gov.je/Leisure/Library
Mathieu Alexandre and the Arrival of Print in Jersey The introduction of printing to Jersey in 1784 was one of the most significant cultural developments in the Island’s history.
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t the centre of this story stands Mathieu Alexandre, whose brief but influential career as a printer produced Jersey’s first magazine, first newspaper, and first locally printed book, while also drawing him into one of the Island’s earliest controversies over press freedoms. Born in 1754 at Les Ormes, St Brelade, Alexandre lived during a period when the rapidly increasing volume of printed material was transforming political and cultural life throughout Europe and beyond. Newspapers, pamphlets, and journals became the principal means through which ideas of the Enlightenment circulated and shaped public opinion. While printing presses had proliferated across Britain, Jersey remained dependent on word of mouth for the dissemination of news and political information. Alexandre’s decision to establish a local press coincided with a turbulent period in Island politics. The long-running struggle between the supporters of Lieutenant-Bailiff Charles Lemprière and the reforming party led by Jean Dumaresq had created deep divisions. By the early 1780s, the reformist party, known as the Magots, recognised that a printing press could provide a powerful means of influencing opinion beyond the States Chamber. Backed financially by leading Magots, Alexandre travelled to England to learn the printing trade before returning to Jersey with a press and type. In October 1784 he produced Le Magasin de
The frontispiece of King David playing the harp from the Book of Psalms, which was printed in Jersey in 1786.
The frontispiece from the first edition of Le Magasin de l'Ile de Jersey, depicting an allegorical image of the spirit of printing presenting the printing press to an allegorical representation of Jersey.
The title page from the Liturgy, the first book to be printed in Jersey, published in 1785.
The title page from the first edition of Le Magasin de l'Ile de Jersey.
l’Île de Jersey, the Island’s first monthly magazine. Its frontispiece, designed by Jersey-born artist Philippe Jean, presented printing as an instrument of enlightenment and progress. Its contents, however, were unapologetically partisan, disseminating Magot political ideas. The publication’s downfall came in 1785 when Alexandre printed a satirical allegory describing the corruption of rulers of the fictional island of “Yeseri”. The piece was a thinly disguised attack on prominent Jersey figures whose identities were immediately recognisable. Criminal libel proceedings followed, initiated by Thomas Pipon and William Charles Lemprière. The legal battle dragged on for years, raising important questions about the limits of political criticism and MOBILE LIBRARY the role of juries in libel cases. Despite these difficulties, Alexandre’s press remained active. In 1785 he printed a French-language liturgy for use in the Anglican Church, the first book published in Jersey. This was followed a year later by a book of Psalms, which included the first music to be printed in the Island. Also in 1786, he launched the Gazette de l’Île de Jersey, generally regarded as Jersey’s first newspaper, which became an influential voice in local politics. It provided the reform movement with a platform to shape public debate. Alexandre’s direct involvement in printing appears to have ended by 1788. Thereafter he devoted himself to public duties and the management of a substantial family inheritance until his death in 1808. His significance, however, far exceeded the brevity of his printing career. Alexandre fundamentally altered the Jersey’s political and cultural landscape, laying the foundations for a publishing tradition that continues to this day.
TIMETABLE MONDAY 10:00 - 10:30 St Ouen's Parish Hall 10:45 - 11:15 Greve de Lecq 11:30 - 12:15 St John’s Parish Hall
TUESDAY 09:30 - 11:00 Holme Grown 11:15 - 12:45 Gorey Common Carpark 14:45 - 15:30 Jersey Zoo 15:45 - 16:30 Maufant
WEDNESDAY 09:30 - 11:00 Langtry Gardens 11:15 - 12:45 St Martin's Village Green 14:30 - 15:30 Le Rocquier School
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PS: Gimme one final lap around the Parish! Your lasting wish is our command. 01534 737291 maillardsfunerals.co.uk
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Autumn 2026
SERVING DISABLED PEOPLE SINCE 2005
Shopmobility, charity no. 70
Shopmobility
Mobility scooters, wheelchairs, rollators and more, available for hire from Sand Street Car Park. FREE Parking at Sand Street included! office@shopmobility.org.je
T: 739672 www.shopmobility.org.je “Delivery available for rentals longer than 24 hours.”
TRADES & SERVICES IN YOUR PARISH
Great reads in a cool place 01534 743044
Autumn 2026
19 The Quay, Commercial Buildings, St Helier
theharbourgalleryjersey
www.theharbourgalleryjersey.com
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