Guernsey has a long history of football, dating back to as far as 1893, when the Guernsey Football Association was first established. Since then a number of local players have graced the stage at national level, arguably the most famous of whom being Matt Le Tissier who played for Southampton and England.
The island continues to produce elite players, two currently playing for England and another three for national teams. Now, however, local training has taken on a whole new dimension in the shape of a dedicated high tech football arena – Aztech Soccer.
The arena was the brainchild and life-long dream of owner Rob Jones, which he now runs with his business partner, Tony Vance. Rob’s early memory of playing football is kicking a ball endlessly against a garden wall with a painted goal mouth, but his love for the game crystallised when he visited Anfield as a young boy. He still recalls that feeling of utter amazement when he entered the stadium for the first time and since then, has always wanted to create his own centre and see youngsters react in a similar way.
And why wouldn’t they? The facility has both indoor and outdoor pitches, a café serving snacks and drinks and a contemporary style restaurant overlooking the indoor areas. But what sets the arena apart is the cutting-edge equipment in the Tech Zone – which is enough to get even those who are luke-warm towards the game excited and itching to have a go.
Visitors can either become members or ‘pay-as-you-go’ users (fees are extremely reasonable in line with Rob’s vision of the arena being accessible to all) and on registering are given a wrist band that tracks their own individual performance on the various pieces of equipment. Individuals can compete against their friends, other high-profile users or just themselves and all data is stored in the Cloud for their next visit. The equipment tests and improves fitness, passing accuracy, goal scoring, reflex speed and much more – all of which can be done without the need for 21 other players and a referee. With a wide range of challenges built into the kit, it will appeal to players looking for serious football fitness training as well as those who just want a bit of fun.
Rob himself has always been active on the local soccer scene, since he moved to the island with his parents at the age of 18. He played for many years for Vale Rec – one of the seven local clubs – and is proud of (in his own words) his Muratti cap. He now plays for the Guernsey over-50s Super Vets and following a 35-year career in the finance sector he has finally been able to realise his dream.
The biggest challenge was finding the right site and the search took several years. But once the purchase of the building was secured, the site was transformed from its previous use as an indoor cricket centre to the state-of-the-art facility it has now become, in only nine months. The arena opened its doors on 1 November 2022
If Guernsey hasn’t ever seen anything quite like Aztech Soccer, neither has most of the UK population. With the exception of one comparable centre in Bournemouth, Guernsey seems to be leading the charge, and Rob intends to stay a step ahead.
He and Tony have a close working relationship with the equipment manufacturers ESA, so will be made aware of the latest technological developments, but for now he is delighted to be ahead of the game and sees that as a real feather in Guernsey’s cap.
As well as creating a training facility to develop Guernsey’s next generation of elite players, Rob’s vision is for Aztech Soccer to become a hub for the community. Memberships start from the age of seven years, but groups of any ages can hire the pitches and he is in discussion with schools and playgroups to develop usage during the day to complement the after-school soccer clubs. Corporate team building and social events are another potential target.
Part of his vision is also to create a safe space where young girls can come and train together. With local player Maya Le Tissier in the England squad, the girls have the perfect role model.
Rob is a role model in his own right and has created something amazing – a world away from a painted goal mouth on his garden wall.
Towards the end of last year, Swoffers announced a three-year sponsorship deal to support Liberte Netball Club. The financial support covers player registration fees, match and training court fees, and new dresses and hoodies.
Natalie Carre, the chairman of Liberte Netball Club, said the financial commitment from Swoffers had put the club, which was founded in 2019, in a strong position.
“Having the support from Swoffers has been really important for us. Their support has meant that we’ve been able to provide training for every single one of the teams,’ she said.
‘It’s been really good for us. We’re all kitted out now, we’ve got the Swoffers logo on us and we’re all very proud to wear it.’
Swoffers caught up with the club at one of its training sessions. Watch the video here:
It has been 20 years since Guernsey last hosted an Island Games and the competition will be coming back to the island bigger and better than ever before this July. At Swoffers we are passionate about supporting women in sport, and even have our very own shooting superstar competing in the Games. Nikki Trebert, our senior property manager, will be facing nine other islands to win a medal in the shooting events. We spoke with Nikki to find out why she loves the sport and more about the competition.
How did you get into shooting?
I’ve been shooting since I was 14. It was a sport we had the opportunity to try at school. I really enjoyed it so joined the Guernsey Pistol Club and realised I was actually quite good at it.
I then entered the Junior British Championships and won! And it just continued from there. I have now been shooting for 32 years and have been lucky enough to participate in many international competitions including two Commonwealth Games (Glasgow in 2014 and Gold Coast in 2018).
How many medals have you won?
In total I’ve won ten gold medals, six silver and five bronze.
Which pistols do you use?
I use an air pistol pellet gun which is for indoor use and has a shooting range of 10m. I also use a .22 pistol for outdoors which has a 25m range and much smaller bullets.
What do you enjoy about shooting?
I find it really calming, it allows my mind to focus and forget about the rest of the world. My favourite discipline is 25m Pistol, which has 2 parts, you shoot 30 shots precision and 30 shots rapid at turning paper targets. The rapid section is my favourite; each shot has to be taken within three seconds, there is no time to overthink the shot so I just concentrate on technique and do not think about nerves.
How many Island Games have you competed in?
This will be my 10th Island Games. My first one was in Jersey in 1997. This year though I will not only be competing but also helping organise the shooting competitions as the Island Games Pistol Co-ordinator.
Which Island Games events will you be competing in this year?
I will be competing in the ladies’ standard pistol on 11 July. This is where 20 shots of five shots are fired in under 150 seconds, 20 seconds, and 10 seconds. On 13 July I’m competing in the 25m sport pistol event.
There are both individual and team competitions. For the team events I will be partnering with Tara Leighton-Dyson, a very strong shooter, and our scores will be combined.
I’m yet to qualify for the air pistol events as there are more qualifying competitions to still take place. I am hoping to qualify for the ladies’ air pistol events which will be shot on electronic targets – a first for Guernsey.
What are you looking forward to for this year’s Island Games?
I’m looking forward to welcoming the other Island shooters to Guernsey’s home range. We’ve met many times before and, even though we are competing against each other, it’s like a big family.
I also would love to win a medal. The strongest competition will be Jersey, Gibraltar, Gotland, and Isle of Wight.
How have you been preparing?
I train four times a week, but closer to the Games I’ll up this to five times. I’ve been practising at the outdoor range at Chouet, and, when its dark in the evenings, at the indoor range. Practising outside helps to train for different weather conditions and lighting. I also train at home doing dry firing where no bullets are used. This helps me practice my trigger control, timing, lifts, and visualisation.
The Island Games is the first competition I’ve taken part in since the 2019 Gibraltar Island Games due to Covid. I’m hoping to go to France in April to compete and to go to the Channel Island Championships in Jersey so I can practice under competition pressures.
What’s new to this year’s Games?
The use of electronic targets for the air pistol and air rifle events. They will provide instant results, and the technology will enable people to view the targets online and watch the shooting event. Perhaps not an advantage for Guernsey air shooters, as the range will only be assembled just before the Games, so it will be a new temporary range at Aztec Centre.
After the games they will stay on island, which will massively benefit local shooters, especially when preparing for national competitions; so a brilliant legacy of the Games. Unfortunately spectators will not be able to view the full bore disciplines at Chouet, due to a lack of space on the range. But there will hopefully be a camera, so people can log on to livestream the shooting events.
How can others get into shooting?
I’d recommend trying Air Pistol or Air Rifle at the Cobo United Air Rifle Club Cobo-arc.co.uk. For those who wish to shoot Pistol, more details can be found on guernseypistolclub.com. It would be great if more people could get into the sport.
Just before Christmas, Swoffers – the island’s most experienced estate agents – launched its Big Property Survey, and almost 1,300 people responded. The results are in, and we have a sneak preview for you. In short, Guernsey people love their island, they love their houses, and they really love their cars!
Following the end of the post-Covid property explosion, the last quarter of 2022 saw activity stabilise and us estate agents were able to get back to what we love the best – talking to people and finding the perfect property for our loyal clients. We wanted to get a snapshot of what was making people tick, their likes and dislikes, as well as the things that kept them awake at night. So, we launched our Big Property Survey, which has yielded some interesting results.
It’s heart-warming to note that while many communities yearn for something bigger and better, overall people in Guernsey seem happy with their lot. It appears the grass isn’t always greener, and the island’s charm still holds the hearts of its local population.
The survey was split into three sections – for renters, homeowners and non-islanders – with some questions allowing respondents to highlight their top three answers, and others asking for a single response. Overwhelmingly, islanders said they appreciated the safety and quality of life that we are blessed with in Guernsey; three-quarters of respondents listed these in the top three best things about living on the island. Respondents who took the survey but don’t live in Guernsey said the same. Many were born in Guernsey and had moved away, or had family in Guernsey; almost all wished they could live on the island, or intended to move back at some point.
We didn’t want to be one-sided, so we asked what the worst thing about living in Guernsey was. Unsurprisingly, based on the average house price alone, the cost of living was a concern (77.8%). The cost of getting off the island was also raised as an issue by 84.5% of survey participants. What really struck us was just how appreciative islanders are of their own homes, whatever the size. Faced with the option of choosing the answers: “I love my house”, “I wish my house was bigger, but I can’t afford to move”, and “My house needs an upgrade”, the vast majority (46%) said they loved their home, with 22% saying their house could do with an upgrade and 15% saying they would like more space but were restricted by cost.
In terms of what buyers look for in a new property, it is overwhelmingly a garden and parking, with parking nudging ahead slightly. School catchments were at the bottom of the list, indicating that the island has a spread of good schools. Out of 862 responses to the question: “What is most important to you in a new home?” 618 placed parking in their top 3, with 589 listing the need for a garden and 564 including location.
The biggest dealbreaker, again, was having no parking. 42% of respondents choose no parking as being a barrier to buying a property. Being above budget was in second place (22% said this), while having no garden was third, with 19% of the vote. People are more prepared to go over budget than buy somewhere without parking!
“It appears the grass isn’t always greener, and the island’s charm still holds the hearts of its local population.”
Local homeowners were also questioned on how they look for a new property and the role of estate agents; we were very happy to see that more than half agreed or strongly agreed that Swoffers was the island’s most trusted estate agent.
In terms of finding properties to buy, the island showed its commitment to online activity, with the vast majority saying they would look on estate agents’ websites or social media.
See the full results here.
If you’re looking to relocate to Guernsey, or live in Guernsey and are thinking of moving, get in touch with one of our friendly team.
Call 01481 711766 or email sales@swoffers.co.uk
In the decade since Dave Matheson opened Red Grill House and cocktail bar, the business has expanded to include tapas bar Tinto, Rosso pizzeria and Rouge, which serves wine, cheese and charcuterie. Dave has had a colourful and varied career all over the world, but the past two years have been the most challenging of his professional life, with both the pandemic and a fire that engulfed the premises to contend with. We grilled Dave to find out about him and his Red empire.
Did you always want to work in hospitality?
When I was 14 I watched ‘Cocktail’, and although I don’t have quite the dashing good looks of Tom Cruise, I did follow his path all the way through to working in exactly the same bar in Jamaica that appears in the film. Before that I did a gap year working in bars throughout Australia, then I went to Nottingham University to study philosophy. Whilst I was there I trained in cocktail bars and then I went on a six-month exchange programme called Work Jamaica – and stayed for five years.
What brought you back to Guernsey?
I was actually planning on opening a bar in the USA but I was there trying to sort out my visa application when 9/11 happened, so they shut down all immigration. I came back to Guernsey to reevaluate what I was going to do, and I opened Laska cocktail bar in 2001. We had a huge collection of rum which I brought back from the Caribbean, and when three years later I opened Hojo, a chef I’d worked with in Jamaica joined me and jerk chicken was one of our biggest sellers.
What inspired you to open Red Grill House?
In 2009 I moved to Bordeaux to learn how to make wine and that’s when everything shifted more towards wine. I was working for free, studying under a sommelier there and building up contacts, and I started to come up with the concept of Red.
I also did some training in a New York steakhouse. It was the hottest summer on record in the city, and I was stuck in a kitchen in front of these grills that were about 1000 degrees. It was a great experience to learn about the provenance of beef, the butchery and the cooking at high temperatures.
How important is the provenance of your beef?
We’re laser focused on the provenance of our beef. Guernsey beef is being done brilliantly in Alderney and Sark, and next week I’m going to a farm where they specialise in Hereford cattle and Middle White pork. We don’t buy beef from anywhere that I haven’t been to see. Sometimes we’ll get a specialist bit of beef like Japanese wagyu but even then, I’ve been to Kobe to make sure it’s the real deal. In this day and age people are a little bit wary of eating too much red meat, but my personal belief is that we should eat less beef, but better. It’s the same with wine – if you want to consume less alcohol drink less, but drink better.
It’s clear that quality is important to you
Probably about 30% of my week is spent resourcing and maintaining the quality of the products, whether it be the wine or the beef, or the fish for dishes at Tinto. We source local, seasonal ingredients where we can: for instance, at the moment it’s asparagus season, and we have an agreement with a farm here that grows stunning asparagus. You can’t just use local produce because it’s local, it has to be quality as well. Luckily, we have a huge amount of quality here, from the relishes that we use in Rouge to amazing chocolates and lovely fudge from the Hudge lady.
Are you still passionate about wine?
Extremely! Sourcing the wine is almost a full-time job: we have over 10,000 bottles, and more than 300 wines on the list. A wine list like that can be a bit daunting, but it’s all about taking the mystique and snobbishness out of it, and making people feel comfortable to take a chance. Thirty pounds or so is a lot of money to spend on a bottle of wine, and that’s one of the reasons why people stick to what they know. But we’ll say if you don’t like it, we’ll drink it, and we do about 25 different wines by the glass. I think that people want to talk about wine, but they don’t want to be bored by you. People often ask for recommendations and we have a lot of repeat customers, so we pay attention to what kind of wine they like and what kind of budget they normally go for. But it’s just communication – you don’t try to rip anyone off.
Can you tell us about the adversity you’ve faced over the past couple of years?
Rouge opened in December 2019 and three weeks later we had the fire and it turned our whole world upside down. When I found out we’d be closed for at least a year I was pretty devastated, but you can either give up or crack on. When we were hit by the pandemic, Rouge was a lifesaver. We were very fortunate, but we were also good at adapting. I was basically a delivery driver, and the staff adapted from what they normally do to slicing and packing cheese and boxing our wine. We learnt a lot – I’d refurbished restaurants before but we had to start from scratch. I think if we’d opened as a replica of what we were before the fire, our customers would have been a bit disappointed, and I would have been a bit disappointed. The industry has had to learn lessons too: people are interested in working in hospitality again, but employers have got to make sure that they’re paying people properly and treating them properly.
Does it ever feel too much, having four establishments?
I don’t know how big chefs have restaurants all over the globe and keep the standard – and sometimes they can’t. I only opened more places because they’re literally within walking distance so I can monitor them all the time. In hospitality, staffing is the trickiest problem but I’m extremely lucky in that I have a core team who have been with me for a long time: Marietta started 10 years ago as a part-time waitress, and now she’s General Manager of the group and runs Red. Then there’s Christophe, the Executive Chef, Benoit who runs Rouge, Emma who runs Tinto, and Alex who runs Rosso.
What’s next for you?
I love running restaurants, I’m really lucky to do what I love. But I’m just as passionate about the creative side of it too, and I take a lot of inspiration from going to other places and learning new things. I’d like to take a bit more time off to travel again – and to be able to source new wines, new cuts of beef and new dishes.
Picture: Red group’s general manager Marietta Dochód, left, and Dave Matheson
Guernsey has a thriving motorsports scene, with a full calendar of events. Two members of the Swoffers team – Local Market Negotiator Jess Bichard and General Administration Assistant Steph Best – talk about how they have pursued their love of cars and bikes on the island.
Anyone who has driven up the Val des Terres in St Peter Port or down to Petit Bot knows to keep their speed low with one foot on the brake. However, that’s not the case during the Hill Climb, where up to 100 cars, motorbikes and karts drastically exceed the island’s 35mph speed limit one by one, cheered on by family and friends.
One of these cars is driven by Swoffers’ own Jess Bichard. Having married into a racing family, Jess was supporting her husband, Matt, when she wondered what it would be like to have a go. ‘I thought it would be really good fun to take part myself, seeing as I was there all the time anyway. My sister-in-law ended up selling her race car to me, and I’ve now been doing it for three years.’
Steph Best was also influenced by her family’s love of motorsports. Her father raced motorbikes in his youth, as did his friends and their children. Steph was not an instant convert, however. ‘When I was younger, I used to dance, but I didn’t take it seriously and grew out of it. I wanted a something with a bit more pace. My parents were against me racing at first because they saw it as being too dangerous, but I knew it was something I wanted to do. I’ve been doing it for five years now, and my parents ended up buying me a bike.’
Jess recalls the first time she took part in the Hill Climb. ‘The only way I can explain it is if you’re lining up for a roller coaster and your palms are getting sweaty and you’ve got that intense feeling of nervous energy and excitement all at once. I’d say that I’m a good driver normally, but this is very different. I want to make sure I take the car home in one piece and more importantly, not break any bones. It can be quite scary at times.’
The Hill Climb is just one of the events organised by the local clubs. There is a sprint along Vazon coast road, whilst other disciplines – Motocross, Sand Racing and Autocross – make the most of the island’s beaches.
Steph races in the Motocross B group at Vazon, a bay which has a vast expanse of firm sand when the tide is out. Sand riding is a skill in itself, requiring a different technique to riding on any other surface. Steph can attest that you need to have a good level of fitness to compete. ‘I can just about finish a Motocross race, and I’m exhausted by the end of it,’ she says. ‘On the beach we only do five laps so we’re probably out there for four or five minutes. It might look easy just going around in a circle, but it is actually exercise. We’ve had up to 20 riders on the track and it’s quite narrow, especially on the infield when everyone’s switching and changing. It takes a lot of concentration to hold onto the bike – you’ve just got to hold on and hope for the best really.’
How far you take your chosen motorsport is up to you. Jess bought a new helmet when she started, but borrowed everything else from family and friends; now she is sponsored by her father and she has a brand new race suit. ‘Obviously you’ve got the general maintenance of your car, like you would with your normal road car. But you can then enhance it,’ she explains. ‘That said, you have to be careful; if you change the car too much, it could place you in a different category. We’re now looking at getting another car that I can hopefully perform a little bit better in after having the year off.’
Steph reveals that she tends to rebuild her motorbike each year, depending on how much racing she has done. ‘Luckily I’ve got a lot of friends who do it for me,’ she adds. ‘I know the general bits and bobs but when it comes to taking the bike apart and putting it back together I leave that to the experts. If I do something wrong, I don’t want the responsibility for that!’
Both car and bike racing are male-dominated sports. The number of women taking part in the Hill Climb has increased in recent years, but Steph is one of only four female sand racers. They both agree, however, that they have received nothing but support. Jess says: ‘There is an element of competition but if something goes wrong with your car, somebody will be running along with the toolbox to help you out – it’s just good camaraderie. Everyone has been really welcoming and actually pushing for more women to take part. It’s nice to see that it’s open to all.’
‘When I first started it was me and 16 boys,’ adds Steph. ‘It was intimidating at first but it was quite easy to slot in and I think they want as much support as they can because they know it will improve the sport for everyone.’
Both feel that their participation in motorsport has given them more confidence in themselves, which benefits them in all aspects of their lives – including work. ‘If I do something wrong there’s a commentator saying, “Oh she’s on the wrong side of the road”, so you do have to have that confidence about you to go for it anyway and make quick decisions,’ says Jess. ‘Because we live in a place that is very community focused, suddenly you’re in the paper, you’re on the website, spectators hear your name over the commentary.’
‘It has helped me to put myself out there more and increase my confidence,’ agrees Steph.
It also provides for interesting office conversation on a Monday morning. ‘It’s nice to have someone else you can chat about it with,’ says Steph. ‘It’s good to have a hobby in general, something that you’re doing outside of work aside from your normal socialising or what you’re doing with your family.’
If you would like to know more about the Guernsey Motor Racing & Car Club or would like to attend any of their events, click here https://gsymccc.co.uk/
Justin Bellinger is a man with a mission.
As chief executive of Sure, the island’s biggest telecommunications company, he is at the helm of the team which aims to make Guernsey an ultra-fast internet paradise. The £37.5m. project called Guernsey Fibre is already underway and all island homes should be connected by the end of 2026. Mr Bellinger said it was the biggest project and biggest change in the island’s domestic telecommunications infrastructure for 125 years.
‘It’s ubiquitous and equitable, which means that it’s going to get to every property on the island and it will be at exactly the same price,’ he said.
‘The timing is perfect, we were always going to do it, but it would have taken longer if we hadn’t partnered with government, the partnership means that we can do it all in the next five years to 100% of all premises, which is pretty cool. In terms of features and benefits it’s an absolute state of the art network which will keep us going for many, many generations to come.
‘Every time you double broadband connectivity speeds you should expect to see an increase in GDP per capita of around 0.3%, but with full fibre network that increase in GDP per capita goes up to between 1.1 and 1.3%.
‘So, this investment will see a boost to the island long-term prospects as well as in the short term.’
Put simply, the project is replacing copper lines with fibre optic cables. Copper lines use electrical signals to transmit data, but fibre uses pulses of light which means it can provide boosted speeds. The investment will offer the opportunity to all, of 1 gigabit-per-second internet speed. To put that into perspective, a gigabit is 1,000 megabits, and basic broadband speed on the island is currently around 20 megabits. Or in other words, it will be 50 times faster than today’s basic speed.
People happy with their current internet speed might wonder what all the fuss is about. The reality is that technology is changing very fast, for instance there could be new forms of face-to-face communication, holograms could become a thing, and virtual reality and the metaverse. Satellite broadcasters are now increasingly using the internet to get into our lounges. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Apple Plus, Discovery Plus and many others are all producing richer content with higher definition.
All of that means that Guernsey will be future-proofing itself for these changes. Businesses and schools in Guernsey have already had the option of fibre internet since the early 2000s, but the pandemic has accelerated the culture of working from home. For many of our overseas clients at Swoffers, internet speed is key. Fibre is the holy grail, and this ultimate goal is well on track.
Mr Bellinger said working on Guernsey Fibre was the highlight of his career.
‘I’m a Guernseyman, and this is probably the biggest change that I’ve been able to effect in our community and it means a lot to me.
‘Before this I was instrumental in setting up the online gambling industry, which did a bit for Guernsey, but it didn’t help my mum out, or my auntie and uncle, or my cousins or my friends down the Legion or whatever.
‘This is making a big difference and I’m really chuffed to be involved in it.’
Mr Bellinger is happy to admit that he’s a ‘bit of a geek’ when it comes to technology, and even geeks need to get away from screens sometimes. To relax he goes out on his ‘shang (the Guernsey word for bicycle). Since the first lockdown he has completed a personal challenge to ride down every road in the island, and Alderney and Sark too.
‘I don’t own any lycra, but I’ve got camo shorts, a pair of sunnies, and a bottle of gin in my panniers.’
‘I feel it because we can see it,’ says Helen Young as she sits on one of the island’s beautiful west coast beaches, and explains the inspiration for her green, ethical lifestyle.
Helen is one of Guernsey’s new generation of ‘good lifers’ who have thrown off the shackles of the rat race and ‘normal’ modern living.
In 2017 she launched the charity Plastic Free Guernsey to reduce the island’s consumption of single use plastic. The island may be small, she says, but it can also be mighty.
‘The idea behind Plastic Free Guernsey was I realised how little people know about recycling, that recycling is not the perfect answer,’ she said.
‘By doing it, it’s helped me learn a lot and you realise that we have to try to cut down on what we’re using, every bit of plastic that has ever been produced is still out there, which is horrific.
‘Bringing a little person into the world made me even more aware of that.’
Her daughter Olive is playing with her pre-loved dinosaurs in the sand, along with a gentle instruction not to accidentally lose them. She is well-schooled in the re-use concept and is delighted with her fourth-hand school uniform, and sometimes asks about the children who have read or played with the books and toys before her.
‘I actively involve her, whether it’s planting, whether it’s cleaning the beach, picking up litter, not wasting things, recycling – but it’s talking to kids in a way without giving them too much eco-anxiety. They see the little bits they can do, and they work on that and build up, but they mustn’t think they’ve got to do it all.’
Strong communities have sprung up in Guernsey in recent years to encourage greater respect of the environment. For instance, when a cargo spill earlier this year resulted in thousands of plastic products washing up on island beaches, an army of beachcombers leapt into action and picked up the rubbish, demanding accountability from the company responsible. Repair cafes and clothes swaps have popped up to challenge the throwaway culture.
Helen said there were some good island networks, although they were mainly populated by women.
‘It’s not always easy to reach those people, but when you have reached them, they are very encouraging. It is mainly women, from the Plastic Free Guernsey people, I think 80% or more are women, and the team that run it we’re all women, and we don’t know how to get more men onboard.’
Some men were mentioned in despatches, but they tend to operate more as lone wolves, whereas the women like to club together. Environmentalism runs through Helen’s lifestyle, for instance she makes reusable face wipes, kitchen roll, sanitary towels, and fruit and vegetable produce bags. She loves a second, third or fourth-hand bargain, and has grown her own vegetables and fruits for the past 14 years.
‘You don’t have to be green-fingered; I grow whatever I throw in the ground really, it’s quite experimental, it’s not always that reliable, but it’s enjoyable getting your hands in the dirt,’ said Helen.
This year’s bounty includes potatoes, raspberry canes that have gone ‘absolutely bananas’, cabbages, broccoli, onions, tomatoes, and courgettes. The proof of the pudding is in the tasting, and Olive declares, after some contemplating, that her mum is a good cook, and her best dish is ‘spaghetti carbonara’.
Plastic Free Guernsey’s next project is a coffee cup deposit scheme, which aims to replace disposable cups in the island with reusable mugs. Helen is more than happy to point out that she is not perfect, and that no one can be 100% sustainable.
But as a relatively affluent island, she hopes that Guernsey can do its bit.
‘Those of us who are privileged enough to be able to choose to live more sustainably and can afford to make those choices, we are the ones who should.
‘Living on an island it’s impossible not to see the effects, you can’t not see it.’
At Swoffers we are extremely proud of our colleagues and the work they do for local charities. Today we want to put the spotlight on our Senior Property Manager, Nikki Trebert.
She’s best known in the island for her haul of 21 Island Games medals for shooting. But what you might not know about Nikki is that she is also an Ambassador for the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation.
The foundation offers a range of help to families who are going through immensely difficult times with a premature baby or sick child. For instance, it manages two apartments near Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton – Aggie’s Burrow and Isaac’s Pad – providing families with a home away from home. This month (November) marks the 19th birthday of the charity and a #BuyANight campaign is being launched to help keep these lifeline properties running.
Nikki became involved with the foundation after her daughter was born and needed a short stay in the Guernsey intensive care special baby unit. Nikki herself was ill in intensive care when she received a gift from the charity.
‘My daughter wasn’t premature, but because she was receiving special care they sent me a book with photos to show me how she was doing. I wasn’t really aware of the charity before that, it really meant a lot to me so that’s why I wanted to get involved.’
Early on, Nikki was able to provide her Swoffers-honed property skills and helped with the compassionate housing in Southampton. Nowadays, she’s ‘happy and honoured’ to be an Ambassador helping out at fundraising events. She particularly enjoys get-togethers with all the families.
‘It’s incredible and so rewarding to see how children have developed from being sometimes very poorly and born very premature, to all grown up. Often it doesn’t matter if you’re born premature, you can achieve anything, it’s amazing to see how it doesn’t hold children back.
‘It’s not just premature babies that we aim to help, there are also sick children whose families need support to get through the tough times. When Swoffers asked us all to find a charity that we wanted to work with, I already knew that my answer was the PPBF. I always know that work will support me if I need to go off and help with anything they need.’
Since its launch in 2003, the foundation has raised well over £1m. and the money is used to buy equipment for the Guernsey neonatal unit. This has included ventilators, an incubator, a cerebral monitor, and training aids such as an advanced simulator doll. There are many smaller, but just as important items that have been given to the unit such as breast pumps, relaxing chairs, and a much-used camera printer.
The charity also puts together baby boxes for the new mums of premature babies. These contain small nappies and clothing like hand-knitted hats because it can be difficult to find small enough outfits.
To find out more about the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation, including information about how to donate, visit ppbf.org.gg
A potentially life-saving defibrillator has been installed outside the Guernsey Amalgamated Boxing Club’s premises, following support from four local businesses.
Swoffers, Gower Financial Services, Matt Walsh Box Cardio Tech, and the Guernsey Dental Laboratory, got together to buy the defibrillator so that it would be on hand in an emergency.
Swoffers director Spencer Noyon said the importance of accessible defibrillators was brought into sharp focus last summer when Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed during a game at the Euro 2020s.
‘It really struck me that a cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
‘Christian Eriksen was resuscitated on the pitch using a defibrillator, and this underlined the need for sports clubs and organisations to have the emergency life-saving equipment.
‘Last year Swoffers, along with other businesses, paid for three defibrillators at local football grounds, and this year we’re more than happy to extend that to the boxing club.’
The Guernsey Amalgamated Boxing Club was established in 1935 and, at its premises in the Route des Coutures in St Martin’s, it provides a safe place for personal training sessions and for learning and progressing in boxing.
The island’s boxing development officer Amanda Hobart said they hoped they would never have to use the defibrillator, but it was reassuring to know that it was there.
‘We were so pleased to receive it, it’s great to have it not just for the club, but for the community of St Martin’s.
‘We don’t all know what our genetic make-up is, a cardiac arrest could happen to any of us, someone just walking past the club could have a heart attack, so the more people that know it’s there the better.’
Defibrillators analyse a heart rhythm and, if necessary, automatically give a high energy electric shock to the heart to restore a more stable rhythm.
The compact devices are easy to use and don’t require prior training, the machines guide the lay person through the process by audio instructions and visual prompts.
Very little routine maintenance is required because they are designed to be stored for long periods without use.
Mike Froome from the Guernsey Cardiac Action Group said having a defibrillator close to hand could mean the difference between life and death because time is vital in these situations.
‘There’s a delay if you have to wait for an ambulance to get somewhere like the boxing club in St Martins, and every minute of delay means a 10% less chance of survival from cardiac arrest.
‘The more that we can put around the island, especially in public places, the better.
‘There are lots of houses around the boxing club, there’s a school nearby, there’re people walking up and down the street, so it’s a fantastic place to have one.’
Image L to R: Mark Clapham (Guernsey Dental Lab), Dave Haddlington (Boxing Club President), Scott Rowe (Gower Financial Services), Matt Walsh (Matt Walsh Box Cardio Tech), Spencer Noyon (Swoffers)
