The Royal British Legion has been supporting ex-service personnel emotionally and financially for decades and the Guernsey branch has recently launched a mental health support service for people in the island. Express spoke to the chair of the welfare team, Marlene Place, and the chair of the central RBL committee, Ben Rowe, about the service and why it has been launched. ★ Support this podcast ★...
Jan 20, 2022•23 min•Ep. 77
Welcome to the first of Bailiwick Express's new political pods - this week, Samarès Vs Plémont. Not a battle of two well-known Jersey places, but a venting of voices on the health service, sparked by a row over the right location for rehab care. It's been a week of Ministerial U-turns, what was described as a catharsis of strong views on the state of the health service, and finally... an ultimatum: bring back Samarès, or there may be a vote of no confidence. Editor James Filleul unpicks all that...
Jan 20, 2022•21 min•Ep. 76
It's no secret that the aviation industry has been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. Express speaks with Airport Director Robin MacRae to find how Jersey is bouncing back. ★ Support this podcast ★
Jan 20, 2022•20 min•Ep. 75
Experts in the UK tasked with valuing the record-breaking 2,000-year-old Le Câtillon coin hoard started with a figure of £2m... so how did the island end up paying more than double? And could this decision have kickstarted the creation of "casino metal detecting"? Express speaks to Andy Brockman, UK archaeologist and Editor of investigative publication The Pipeline, about the "explosive" precedent the island has set and the impact it could have on future finds both on the island, and across the ...
Jan 14, 2022•23 min•Ep. 74
The President of Policy and Resources, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, recently announced that he is unlikely to stand for the top job again. Express wanted to find out why, so we invited him in for a chat. During our conversation we discussed rumours, avoiding social media, and P&R's intention to buy Guernsey its very own ferry... ★ Support this podcast ★
Jan 14, 2022•36 min•Ep. 73
This week, Jersey Amateur Dramatic Club brought Panto back after two years. But between covid restrictions, mandatory mask-wearing, cast absences and restricted audiences, the road to the stage was as icy as the kingdom of the Snow Queen, the subject of this year's show, as Director Debbie Taylor explained. ★ Support this podcast ★
Jan 06, 2022•12 min•Ep. 72
With the festive coming to a close and islanders thinking about throwing old items out, one man is encouraging both the Government and locals to be more aware about what they can reuse and repair. Inspired by the BBC series of the same name, Nigel Crespel has spent the last year repairing items for islanders from 'The Repair Shop' overlooking the English Harbour, and has already had droves of islanders looking for a fix. Express sits down with him during a day of work at the shop to discuss all ...
Dec 30, 2021•11 min•Ep. 71
While Jersey now celebrates the festive season much like the rest of Europe, things used to be very different. Express chats to local Jèrriais expert Geraint Jennings about the weird, wonderful and heart-warming traditions that have died out... and the ones he'd like to see return! ★ Support this podcast ★
Dec 24, 2021•25 min•Ep. 70
Express speaks to the chair of the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority, Chris Bolt, and the Chief Executive, Michael Byrne. We discuss the future of regulation in Guernsey after the GCRA's split from the JCRA, the £1.5 million fine handed to the MSG, and why most of their work goes unnoticed by the general public. ★ Support this podcast ★
Dec 23, 2021•39 min•Ep. 69
Senior Government policymaker Steve Skelton explains what is the Carbon Neutral Roadmap - a key document that sets out how Jersey will reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero by 2050. ★ Support this podcast ★
Dec 16, 2021•19 min•Ep. 68
Next week, St. Helier parishioners will be asked a £6.5m question: should they agree to sell a significant amount of land to the Government to make way for the new hospital's (controversial) access road? Express spoke to Procureur du Bien Public Geraint Jennings - one of the individuals responsible for the Parish's finances - to understand, how did the negotiations work? What happens if the deal falls through? And where will the money go if it goes ahead? ★ Support this podcast ★...
Dec 09, 2021•35 min•Ep. 67
In a recent letter to the politicians reviewing the Government's funding plans, the co-founder of children's dental charity, Super Smiles, said that "immediate" action to reduce "inequalities" in the island's dental services needed to be taken. She said that "children are waiting seven years for Orthodontic treatment and in the community department over 5,000 children are awaiting a dental appointment." In this week's Bailiwick podcast, Sarah Pollard discusses the issues raised in her letter aro...
Dec 02, 2021•17 min•Ep. 66
The community redevelopment project being undertaken at La Vallette is nearing completion, with the charity responsible excited for opening up a true community space for St Peter Port. 'Vive La Vallette' was set-up in 2019 with the sole intention of wholly redeveloping the area and the facilities that serve the children and ladies' pool. It's now set to open for Easter 2022 and Express spoke to one of the charity's community leads, Helen Bonner-Morgan about the journey so far... ★ Support this p...
Nov 26, 2021•16 min•Ep. 65
So close yet so far... New procedures introduced in the wake of Brexit are threatening links between Jersey and its closest neighbour, France. From stricter customs checks on the importation of produce to passport requirements dissuading French nationals from visiting the island, could Brexit be the end of the French Connection? Christine Bonhomme, Manager of the Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche, shared her concerns about the future of cultural links between Jersey and France. ★ Support th...
Nov 25, 2021•13 min•Ep. 64
The 26th annual UN summit on climate change (COP26) has come and gone, with Guernsey represented as one of hundreds of jurisdictions looking to make serious inroads in tackling climate change. We were represented at the event by two deputies, one of which was the President of Environment and Infrastructure and self-proclaimed environmentalist, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez. She sat down with Express to talk about the event, what Guernsey is doing right, and wrong, and why she remains so passionate...
Nov 19, 2021•23 min•Ep. 63
COP 26 is done, climate change has had its week leading the news agenda...now that happens next? Is it all blah, blah blah...or are enough people now calling for lasting, meaningful change? Locally, we have the trade-off between carbon neutrality and net zero - and a focus on, basically, how much you use your car, how often you fly, and how you heat your home. So, what's happened to recycling? Rather than worrying about what bin to put our plastic bottles in, should we really be thinking about a...
Nov 18, 2021•26 min•Ep. 62
Today marks the 103rd anniversary of the Armistice - the end of the First World War. Many will know something about the trenches, the Battles of the Somme and Ypres and the bloody slaughter of troops on both sides. But what was the impact of the Armistice in Jersey, how was it celebrated and what were the longer term repercussions? Express met local historian Ian Ronayne to find out the answers to these questions and more ... ★ Support this podcast ★...
Nov 11, 2021•23 min•Ep. 61
While we were all on lockdown, shielding ourselves from the effects of coronavirus last year - one group continually put itself in the line of fire. Nurses and carers continued to venue out in the community, providing assistance to islanders from all walks of life. It wasn't an easy ask, though - there were PPE struggles, Government communications difficulties, and an impact on workforce wellbeing. Coming out of covid, the care sector has learnt a lot, but is also facing new challenges in the fo...
Nov 05, 2021•30 min•Ep. 60
The 26th UN summit on climate change, COP26, is well underway, with hundreds of nations coming together in Glasgow this year to tackle climate change. To give his insight on the event so far expert economist, strategist, and local advocate for sustainable finance, Dr Andy Sloan, came in to talk to us. He's the founder of the International Sustainability Institute and sits on the board of the ESI Monitor, he explained the important role Guernsey plays in a diverse global issue. ★ Support this pod...
Nov 05, 2021•18 min•Ep. 59
Independent shop owners at the Bridge remain unconvinced that Leales Yard will be developed anytime soon, arguing that the Co-op's hold on the land has stalled the redevelopment that the area "is crying out for". Express spoke to several business owners, to better understand why the development has taken so long and what it has meant for the area. ★ Support this podcast ★
Oct 29, 2021•20 min•Ep. 58
How does a school stripped to the bone make ends meet when there's nothing left to cut? Which children is the underfunding of schools hitting hardest? What does 'putting children first' really look like? And do Ministers even care? Philip Le Claire, Chair of the Board of Governors at Haute Vallée, had this to say... ★ Support this podcast ★
Oct 29, 2021•36 min•Ep. 57
It's a difficult time at the prison. While an ambitious programme to transform the service and introduce a new 'Seven Pathways' approach to reducing reoffending is underway, budget constraints, staffing and morale struggles, and the pandemic are all posing problems... Six months into the job, Express spoke to Prison Governor Susie Richardson about how she's balancing these pressures... ★ Support this podcast ★...
Oct 22, 2021•35 min•Ep. 56
You'd think that Herm Island couldn't get any more zen, but its gardening team have proved otherwise. The island beat out stiff competition to win one of this year's RHS community awards after developing its new 'Zen Garden' - a peaceful oasis built within an old quarry. We hopped over to Herm to meet with the gardening team, and discuss the inspiration behind their horticultural creation... ★ Support this podcast ★...
Oct 14, 2021•9 min•Ep. 55
A new Heritage report on the legacies of slavery in Jersey, released to coincide with Black History Month, has shown a number of people and places throughout Jersey's history have been linked to the transatlantic slave trade. One of the conclusions the report reaches is that No. 9 Pier Road, the Victorian House which forms part of the Jersey Museum, was built on proceeds accumulated from the trade. Following one of the report's recommendations, Jade Ecobichon-Gray, a member of the Jersey Heritag...
Oct 14, 2021•12 min•Ep. 55
Reports detailing serious bullying allegations, staff shortages, buildings which are no longer fit for purpose, and a new hospital which is still, at least, five years away. The daily challenges for senior managers in Jersey's health department only seem to worsening; but it is also the one part of government which quite literally affects the lives and wellbeing of every single person in Jersey, a role which also comes with the biggest price tag. It is rarely out of the news, and after 18 months...
Oct 07, 2021•38 min•Ep. 54
The States has made a political decision committing to local quarrying for the next 30 or so year. The proposed site at the Chouet Headland was preferred to a reliance on full importation of aggregate - which some say would only have moved the environmental questions "out of sight, out of mind". Others have questioned whether the decision simply delays the inevitable, with the Headland the last identified site for quarrying. Express spoke to Ronez Director Steve Roussel following the debate to d...
Oct 01, 2021•14 min•Ep. 53
This week saw young people directly address Ministers about their "traumatising" experiences of mental health care, with their key aim to put an end to children being admitted to adult facility Orchard House. Keeping an eye on that issue over a number of months has been Patricia Winchester, CEO of advocacy charity My Voice, who told Express about her concerns, but also why she is hopeful that change may be coming... ★ Support this podcast ★...
Sep 30, 2021•18 min•Ep. 52
An unexpected new sports drink is being campaigned for in Guernsey, and has received the support of dozens of prominent sports men and women. Milk. Good ol' fashioned milk. It's being championed as an isotonic drink by the Guernsey Dairy, who tell us that a glass of it can replenish our salts and support our muscles after strenuous exercise. The Dairy has launched a campaign; 'Raise a Glass to the Health of our Island', and it hopes to change the perception of milk. We spoke to Jon Taylor from t...
Sep 24, 2021•15 min•Ep. 51
Are you wondering why we've got a bank holiday on Monday? Express asked Stuart Nicolle, Senior Archivist at Jersey Heritage, about the riotous history of the holiday, and how those events 250 years ago shaped democracy as we know it today... ★ Support this podcast ★
Sep 22, 2021•27 min•Ep. 50
Express discusses the Belfast City Council Chief set to become the Government of Jersey's first ever female CEO, and examines the difficult process in appointing her... ★ Support this podcast ★
Sep 17, 2021•17 min•Ep. 49
