The annual Royal Horticultural Society Show at Tatton Park isrenowned as a feast of stunning floral displays from the bestgarden designers in Britain. So when the St Helier Parks andGardens Department received an invite to compete againstmore than 20 local authorities, it leapt at the chance.

Now months of dedicated hard work and painstaking efforthas paid off. In this year’s show at the end of July, St Helier wongold for its superb exhibit featuring the Jersey cow. Our specialthanks and congratulations to everyone involved. Greatgardening!

inthisissue4 Recycling trials begin5 D Day Vets return to Normandy6 Balancing the books8 Parish Matters10 That was the week that was13 Parish People – Deputy Shona Pitman14 St Helier prepares for Battle20 Parish in Pictures24 Town Fashion26 St Helier Gazette

Town Cr ierThe

Your parish online www.sthelier.je

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

NOW DELIVERED TO ST HELIERRESIDENTS EVERY MONTH

St Helier Wins Gold at the RHS Parish takes top prize

2.69%2.8%

P a g e 2

f

There is a growing sense of excited anticipation around the Parish. And it’snothing to do with elections, music festivals, sporting events or even thenew Parish Rate! On August12th, in the Battle ofFlowers arena onVictoria Avenue, a floatfrom St Helier will takeits place in thecompetition after anabsence of seven years.We will be very proudto see it there - andespecially proud ofteam that made it happen. There are no apologies, therefore, for featuringthe story in a special centre page spread of this latest Town Crier. Come onSt Helier!As if one major event in the Parish isn’t enough, we look back on anotherthat took place in July. This year’s Fête de St Hélier turned out t o be anothergreat success, building on that already achieved in previous years. Look outfor some fantastic pictures and a round up of Fête events on page 10. Andat another important – though less glamorous - event in July, a ParishAssembly set this year’s Rate, so we meet Parish Finance Director, AndyPemberton, to find out where St Helier’s money comes from and where itgoes. There are also some new contributors this month – look out f orspecial features on fashion. And, of course, there is the usual round-up ofnews, events and happenings from around the Parish. In every edition of the Town Crier we hope to include something of interestto all of St Helier ’s residents. But there is always room for more. If you havea story to tell, pass it on. Or if ther e is something you would like to seefeatured, let us know. There may even be some things you really don’t likeabout our magazine – we would welcome the feedback. Get in touch; welook forward to hearing from you. To contact the editorial team, please call 811811 or emailtowncrier@posh.gov.je

How often do billscome down thesedays? Whether it’sfor electricity,postal charges,food or taxes, thecost of living inJersey seems only to go one way – up! So there issome great news for St Helier ratepayers becausethe Parish bucked this trend recently by setting alower Rate than that of last year.At a special Parish Assembly on 7th July, a Rate of1.10 pence per quarter was proposed and accepted.At 5.2% less than last year, which was set at 1.16pence, it should mean lower bills all round. Who saidprices never come down in Jersey!

P a g e 3

Rates comedown!

As featured on our frontpage, there was great newsfrom the recent RoyalHorticultural Society showat Tatton Park as St Helier’sentry won a gold medal inthe National Flower BedCompetition. Competing against 20 other boroughs and councilsfrom across the UK, the Parish’s exhibit, themedaround the Jersey Cow, stood out in the eyes of thejudges. The creation was the work of the St Helier ’sParks and Gardens Department together withmembers of the Community in Bloom Group. Andgiven that St Helier grows all its own plants beforetransporting them to the show via boat andmotorway, it underlines how well the team did.

Welcome to the Town Crier

f

The St Helier HonoraryPolice Force has a longand proud tradition ofcommunity service.The commitment anddedication of these voluntary officers is vital to make events such as therecent Motor Festival and Town Cycle Race possible, while also improvinglevels of community safety within the Parish. The Constable is looking for men and women between the ages of 20 and69 who would consider doing a three-year term as an Honorary PoliceOfficer. The immediate challenge facing St Helier is t o recruit two newCenteniers before the end of September this year so the Parish can play it’spart in maintaining Jersey’s unique criminal justice system. If you would liketo find out more about these important roles in Parish life, contact him on811823 or email constable@posh.gov.je.

Wanted:Peopleinterestedin making adifference

f

f

Stop Press: Parish winsgold at RHS

The Town Crier is printed on FSC Certified Paper

f

Following months of preparation, the next phase in plansto introduce kerbside recycling across the Parish gotunderway in July with the launch of a new pilot scheme in the La Pouquelaye area. How far are people prepared to go to help the environment? That’s oneof the questions to hopefully be answered through a pilot householdwaste recycling scheme now being trialled in the La Pouquelaye area.The results of thepilot should alsohelp Parish staffunderstand howbest to collect andsort the recyclablematerials, as well asproviding a cost-benefit assessmentof recycling as awhole. For parishioners taking part in the pilot, the scheme is r elativelystraightforward. Each household receives two different coloured bags,red for disposing tins, cans and plastic bottles, blue for paper and lightcard. Once filled, the bags are left outside to be collected on a weeklybasis as usual. Parish workers collect the bags using their normalvehicles, and return them to the Depot for separation, processing andonward despatch to recycling firms. The pilot scheme, which involves 600 homes, follows Parish Assemblyendorsement in November 2009 of a plan to reorganise refusecollection by the introduction of kerbside recycling. The chosenmethod was arrived at following extensive investigation of possibleschemes and consultation with the workforce. The current intention isfor the pilot to run for 13 weeks, although if it proves successful thereare plans to continue offering the facility. Further information on the pilot trial c an be found on the Parishwebsite at www.sthelier.je, or by calling Debra D'Orleans on 811703or email debra.dorleans@posh.gov.je, or by calling Phil Hague on 811706 or email philip.hague@posh.gov.je

Thanks to a recent decision by a local charity, work to createan educational environment in a stretch of Parish-ownedwoodland is about start. For a number a years there has been no public access to the woodsdirectly behind St Ewolds Residential Home and Avranches Day Nursery.Now, thanks to financial support from local charity Help a Jersey Child,the Parish is embarking on an ambitious project to create a ‘Forest

P a g e 4

Town Cr ierThe

La Pouquelaye trials recycling

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

•Large Construction Projects•Minor works•General Refurbishment and Fit-outs

L IMITED

Contact: Deerglen (01534) 768590

e-mail info@deerglen.co.uk

Schools’ outdoor educationalfacility for use by children

and islanders ingeneral.

While the ForestSchools concept canbenefit people of allages, the model is

particularly relevantto children. Through

organised visits to awoodland environment,

children learn about the naturalworld, using the materials they findthere to develop practical, socialand intellectual skills. Trainedmembers of staff coordinate andencourage games and scavengerhunts, or demonstrate skills such asshelter-building or cooking on anopen fire. There are also

opportunities to observe and learn about the wildlife inhabiting the woods,including squirrels, birds and insects. Commenting on the plans, a delighted Parish Nurseries Manager, Val Payne,said ‘We are so pleased to be going ahead with this dev elopment. TheParish has been considering options to do something with these woods fora number of years, and the fact that our children and others from aroundthe island will now get to use them is great. We also plan to fosterrelationships with other agencies such as M en of the Trees, States Parks andGardens, and with Mike Stentiford to ensure the whole community willbenefit.’While activity to clear and make the area safe has already started, thereremains plenty of ongoing work creating steps and pathways through thewood. In the longer term, there are further plans to provide rest and picnicareas with tables and seats so that all islanders can enjo y the peace andtranquillity of this natural woodland environment.

Woodland project set to blossom

f

Parish workers handling the new separated waste bags

P a g e 5

f

Not ready to fade away

Top: Veterans meet the mayor of Avranches Middle: The party outside the Caen MemorialBelow: Visiting the British cemetery at Tilly-sur-Seulles

Old soldiers never die, goes the saying, they simplyfade away. Well in early July, one group of Jersey oldsoldiers (and sailors and airman) proved on a visitorganised by the Parish they were not ready to fadeaway just yet. In the summer of 1944, young men from across Britain took part inD-Day and the subsequent bitter campaign to expel the GermanArmy from Normandy. Sixty-six years later, a group of these nowoctogenarian ex-servicemen returned to Normandy to revisit thebattlefields of their youth, and recall some of the comrades whonever returned. Eight members of the Jersey NormandyVeterans Association travelled to Francewith their families, friends and followerson this three-day tour of historic wartimesites. Based in Caen, the tour took inmany of the popular Normandydestinations, including Pegasus Bridge,the D-Day Beaches and the Mulberr yHarbour at Arromanches. There was alsothe chance to visit some less well knownlocations, such as a restored Germanradar station at Douvres and the villageof Tilly-sur-Seulles that was destroyed inthe battles of June 1944.The trip was organised with the help of the C onstable of St Helier, SimonCrowcroft. After an approach for assistance by the Association, the Constablemade the necessary travel arrangements through Go France and securedfunding for the visit from veteran’s support organisations. He also arranged for a special Vin d’Honneur to take place in St Helier ’s twin town of Avranches.The trip ended with smiles and firm handshakes – and a pledge t o do it again next year!

The Peoples Park, St Helier.Thursday 26th August (from6.00pm), daily to Bank HolidayMonday 30th August 2010FeaturingFood Favourites from Madeira and Mainland Portugal - Music - EntertainmentOpen Air Roman Catholic Mass(Sun, August 29th)For more information please contactMartyn Farley, MediaMasters, Tel: (01534) 866956; e-mail: mfarley@mediamasters.je

f

Looking Forward to thePortuguese Food Fair

Jersey Road & Driveway Repairs Limited2, Brock Villas

La Route de Saint-Aubin, St. Helier, Jersey JE2 3LN

01534 733 130

•Supply and lay kerbs and garden edgings•Supply and lay slabs, bricks and paving stones

•Supply and lay cobbles•Decking

•Property and garden maintenance undertaken

Jersey Road & Driveway Repairs For all tarmac needs, from Pot holes

to complete driveways.

P a g e 6

Town Cr ierThe

Keeping St Helier running is potentially very costly.With more than 28,000 inhabitants, 19,000 homesand 2,000 businesses, as well as being the Island’scapital, there is the ever present risk that Parishexpenditure could quickly outstrip income. The keyto prevent this, explains Andy, who has been theParish’s Finance Director for six years, is a continualfocus on getting best value for money. Ratepayersquite rightly expect the high level of services theycurrently enjoy and are supportive of new initiatives,but they don’t want to pay more than is necessary forthe privilege. So where does the Parish’s money come from, andwhere does it go? ‘Excluding Homes and Nurserieswhich are self-funding,’ explains Andy, ‘the moniesreceived from the Rates remains the overwhelmingsource of income, representing three-quarters of thetotal. The remaining income is a mix of licensing,fines, property rentals and other services.’ Its one ofAndy’s aims to reduce the reliance on the Rates byincreasing the income earned from these otherservices. ‘We have made good progress in recentyears,’ he says, ‘by charging commercial rents and feesfor example, and by introducing more alfrescolicences and hiring out Town Hall rooms. But thereremain other opportunities to be explored.’ In terms of expenditure, the largest single item is staffcosts. ‘Wages make up over 60% of our annual costs,’explains Andy, ‘although this includes social securitypayments and more than £1 million in pensioncontributions.’ Although this figure may seem high,the Parish employs nearly 300 people in order toprovide its services. And its a number constantlyunder review. ‘One of the easiest ways for costs tospiral out of control is through increasing employeenumbers,’ says Andy, ‘whereas we have actuallyreduced headcount by around 25 people, including16 managers, in the last ten years.’ What are the trends going forward? Shouldratepayers expect their bills to rise in future years?‘Not if the Constable and I have anything to do with.’smiles Andy, ‘It’s our mission in life to ensure that ifanything, Rates will go down rather than up!’ Watchthis space… The Constable’s Accounts for the year ended 30th April2010 and Estimates for the year ending 30th April 2011can be downloaded from the Parish website atwww.sthelier.je.

Balancing the booksAt a Parish Assembly on 7 July this year, parishionersapproved a Rate of 1.10 pence for the year January toDecember 2010 - down from 1.16 pence in theprevious year. But what does this mean to the residentsof St Helier when it comes to the money they pay inRates? We asked St Helier’s Finance Director, AndyPemberton, to explain where the Parish’s money comesfrom, and where it goes.

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

Top: Parish FinanceDirector AndyPemberton A.C.A.Right: Breakdown ofForecast ParishIncome for 2010/11 Bottom: Breakdown ofForecast ParishExpenditure for2010/11

Rates

75%

Forecast Parish Income for 2010/11

ParkingFees

7%

Fines

6%

Property

4%

Services

2% Other

4%

Staff Costs

63%

Forecast ParishExpenditure for

2010/11

OperatingCosts

18%

RoadMaintenance

15%

Vehicles

3%Other

1%

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

P a g e 8

Town Cr ierThe

A round-up of news fromaround the Parish

f

Highways, byways and buildingsRoad work continued to concentrate on smaller projects away from thecentre of Town for July and into August. At P eople’s Park, the installationof granite kerbstones between the roads and grass progressed, whilepavement refurbishment took place in Upper Clarendon Road and atClos St Andre. Looking forward, plans are in hand for some majorprojects during the winter months, including the refurbishment of LewisStreet and Cleveland Road. On 14 July, the first of the annual Visite du Branchage saw theConstable, members of the Roads Committee and the Honorary Policetravelling round the Parish to ensure hedges and trees had been cutback to the necessary standards. In total, there were 48 infractions notedincurring fines of between £10 and £50.

Parks, gardens, cemeteries and open spacesThe parks, gardens and many of the streets of St Helier are nowresplendent in dazzling colour following the planting-out of theremaining bedding plants. The Town Hall is looking particularlyimpressive following the addition of window boxes along its Seale Streetfacade.

At the Parish’s Mont à l'Abbé Depot, final preparations were being madein July for the Parish’s entry in the Royal Horticultural Show at TattonPark in Cheshire. After months of hardwork, the centre-piece exhibits and all of

the flowersused in thedisplay werefinally readyfor transportto the UK.This year’sshow datesare 21st to25th July–look out for aspecialreport on

how the Parish entry faredin the next edition of the Town Crier.

Events & activitiesAt the end of June, the Albert Pier wasthe focal point for events as the JerseyEvacuees Association held their annualceremony followed by a specialcommemoration to mark the 70thanniversary of the bombing in 1940. O nboth occasions, a respectable crowdshowed the depth of public interest andsupport for the Island’s wartimeexperiences.

AugustMinden Day ParadeMinden Place, 11am Sunday 1stJersey Seaside FestivalHavre des Pas Lido11am to 8pm Sunday 8thSt Helier Morris MenParade Gardens 8pmKing Street Precinct (Cider Press) 9pm Monday 9thBand of the Island of Jersey ConcertHoward Davis Park, 7.30pm Monday 9thRoads Committee MeetingTown Hall, (meeting held in public at 9.30am) Wednesday 11th Battle of Flowers Grand Day ParadeVictoria Avenue, 2.00pm to 5.30pm Thursday 12th Battle of Flowers Moonlight ParadeVictoria Avenue, 9.00pm to 10.45pm Friday 13th Dennis Rollins’ Velocity TrioJersey Arts Centre, 8pm Saturday 14thJersey Film FestivalAl Fresco at Howard Davis Park8.30pm to 11pmFor details of what’s on, please email cinecentre@jerseymail.co.uk Saturday to Friday 14th to 20thCenteniers Nomination MeetingTown Hall, 7.30pm Tuesday 24thParish AssemblyTown Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 25th

d i a r y d a t e s 2 0 1 0 More details on our website, www.sthelier.je

Parish m a t t e r sIndoors at the Town Hall, there wasthe usual mix of public and privateevents taking place, including Vind’Honneurs for The Royal HampshireRegiment Comrades Association on12th July and to mark Bastille D ayon 14th July. The St Helier Battle ofFlowers Association quite rightlymonopolised many of the roomswith two fund-raising bingoevenings, numerous meetings and aspecial training session on makingpaper flowers. For details on all forthcoming events, visitthe Events section of the Parish website atwww.sthelier.je/events.

Sporadic showers failed to dampenspirits during July’s excellent Fête de StHélier. From poetry in the streets todancing in the parks, thousands ofparishioners and visitors to St Helierenjoyed the packed program. The TownCrier had its roving photographer atmost of the events and so, for those whomissed it or those who want t o enjoysome of the fantastic sights again, w epresent a selection of Fête photos. At the end of the week, RichardMacKenzie, the man responsible forbringing it all together, summed up howthe Fête had gone. ‘It was marvellous,’said the exhilarated but by thenexhausted Town Centre

Manager, ‘I was sopleased with wayeverything cametogether inplanning, how StHelier responded

and how much thecrowds enjoyed it. The only problem Ihave now is how to make it even betternext year!’How would you make the Fête de StHélier better next year? Contact Richardwith any ideas, plans, proposals (or evengripes) by calling 48186 or emailingrichard.mackenzie@posh.gov.je.

P a g e 1 0

Town Cr ierThe

f

As the dust settles on yet another memorableweek of events, we take the opportunity to lookback on this year’s Fête de St Hélier and remindourselves of the great times had by all.

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

f

Above: Locals and visitors enjoy French fare at theRennes MarketBelow: Entertaining passers-by in King Streetleft: The crowd gathered to take part in the PilgrimageserviceBottom: The pilgrims approach Elizabeth Castle

That was the week that was!

P a g e 1 1

Agil®-It’s the world’s best hearing aid!Have you heard the latest?

Mark Vellam FSHAA Inst.Eng, local Swiss trained audiologist

HELPING YOU HEAR MORE CLEARLY

£200 Voucher

off your purchase!

Call now for your priority appointment and free lifestyle hearing assessment

(No appointment required on Tuesdays 10am-2pm)

DIGITAL HEARING HEALTHCARE 866477Little Grove Clinic Rue de Haut St Lawrence JE 3 1JZ

Our local family business has two decades of experience caring for all forms of hearing problems. We are totally committed to the highest standards of after care-our absolute commitment to safeguarding your hearing in the years to come. Both new and

experienced users discover that they can now enjoy clear conversation even where there is background noise.

Hearing aids so small they are almost undetectable!

PITCHER & LE QUESNE LTD(Inc G E Croad)

FUNERAL DIRECTORSServing the Island for over 100 years

AVAILABLE 24 HOURS59 Kensington Place, St Helier. JE2 3PA Tel: 733330

Funeral DirectorPaul Battrick MBE

Funeral DirectorAndy Errington-Rennell

At a time of bereavement you need care, sensitivity and professionalism.When you call us,quiet words and guidance from our experienced staff are here to help you.

SPECIALISTS IN WORLDWIDE REPATRIATION AND PREARRANGED FUNERAL PLANS.

P a g e 1 2

Town Cr ierThe

I take my hat off to the Minister of Planning &Environment, Senator Freddie Cohen, for listeningto the arguments of the Parish’s electedrepresentatives during a recent debate on whetherto build homes on the site of the Millennium TownPark. Although the vote went against us, theMinisterial decision didn't, and the North of Town Masterplan isgoing to be revised as a result. The Transport & TechnicalServices Department is now taking forward the first phases ofdelivering this long-awaited park, beginning withconsultation on the type of park that should beconstructed, and the remediation of the contaminatedland. Of course, many people have already submittedtheir ideas about the park, and I have been assured thatthe results of the various earlier consultation exercises(dating back a dozen years or more) will be dusted off andincluded in the draft plans drawn up by the department'slandscape architects.There is still real concern about where the drivers who usethe private and public car parks are going to park theirvehicles, especially residents with commercial vehicles,shoppers and visitors. The temporary car park at AnnCourt will provide vital short-stay shoppers' parkingclose to the markets and the town centre, but in thelonger term it is good to see that Le Masuriers are keento develop their sites in the vicinity and that they areprepared to provide as much public car parking as the Statesrequire. Their proposals, outlined in last month's Town Crier, arean exciting mix of housing, retail and new open space which arejust what this area of town needs. If the price of all thisregeneration, including parking for shoppers, residents andvisitors, is the demolition of the f ormer Odeon cinema then Ithink that is a price worth paying.

C o n s t a b l e’s Comment

ff

Town m a t t e r s

Town Centre Manager Richard Mackenzie brings us upto date with monthly events and activities around thestreets of St Helier.

England and Portugal’s early demise in the World Cup maynot have gone down well with supporters but proved a

winner as far as Town retailers were concerned. As the tournament star ted,there was a noticeable downturn in trade with fans staying away to watchRooney, Ronaldo and co. Fortunately (if that is the right w ord!) with both

national sides crashing out of thetournament sooner thanexpected it was back toshopping business asusual. On the empty shop front,its positive to report thesituation in St Helierremains favourable – in factthe ratio of empty shops tothose occupied is running athalf that reported in the UK.And there are new onesopening up all the time. Thelatest to join the Town lineup is Professor Banana’sSweet Emporium that

recently opened in Beresford Street. Professor Bananas has something of aunique offering – a traditional sweet shop selling sweets out of a jar. How itbrings back childhood memories! The great news is that with this newoutlet and the opening of nearby Pan Imaging, Beresford Street’s shops arepractically full again. It all helps to keep this part of Town busy and vibrant. Great weather also helps. Fingers crossed that the sunshine of June andJuly remains with us for the rest of the summer.

Buy local for a full after sales service andfree home surveys. We offer a cost

effective solution for every budget withunbeatable lifetime, “No Quibble”

manufacturers’ warranty

Shower trays andscreens for every need

and taste.Level access trays with

watertight seal.Wet floor systems with

guaranteed waterdrainage for domestic

and commercialsettings.

Plus a full range ofassistive accessories

including seats and rails.

Please call our friendly sales team Tel: 888975

Level Best, elegantand contemporarydesign with effortlessaccess. Great for allthe family.

Designed for your comfort

P a g e 1 3

f

Victor Hugo Wines are focused on supplying quality wines, value for money and a personalised service from trained staff. With traditional classics

the New World, we pride ourselves in bringing you a constantly updated selection

PRIVATE ACCOUNTS * SALE OR RETURN FREE DELIVERY * FREE GLASS LOAN * IN-HOUSE TASTINGS

OVER 60’S “VINTAGE CLUB” with 10% DISCOUNT

Sales Outlet, Longueville Road, St Saviour, JE2 7SA Tel: 764044

www.victor-hugo-wines.com * sales@victor-hugo-ltd.com Part Of The

WHEN QUALIT

V

WHEN QUALITY REALLuaer

ines are focused on supplying ictor Hugo WV

service from trained staff. Wquality wines, value for money and a personalised

LY REALLY M

ines are focused on supplying

ith traditional classics service from trained staff. Wquality wines, value for money and a personalised

ATATTERS!

ith traditional classics quality wines, value for money and a personalised

he

orld, we pride ourselves in bringing you the New Wa constantly updated selection

orld, we pride ourselves in bringing you a constantly updated selection

orld, we pride ourselves in bringing you

.victor-hugo-wines.com * sales@victor-hugo-ltd.comwww

Sales Outlet

.victor-hugo-wines.com * sales@victor-hugo-ltd.com

oad, St Saville R, LongueSales Outlet

.victor-hugo-wines.com * sales@victor-hugo-ltd.com

, JE2 7viourr,oad, St Sa

el: 764044TTe, JE2 7SA

Part Of The

P a r i s h p e o p l e

In the latest of our series on ParishPeople, we meet Deputy Shona Pitman,representative of St Helier No 2 Distric t,and ask for her views on life in St Helier.

1. Why did you choose to represent StHelier?I lived in St Helier No 2 distric t from theage of 16 until I was 27 (in bet weenbeing away at University for five years). Ithen moved to the outskirts of St Helierfor a further six years. So I feel I canrelate well to the issues that St Helierparishioners have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. I have also rented myWinchester Street office, right in themiddle of my district, since first electedin 2005.

2. What do you like most about life inSt Helier? I love the atmosphere of town whenthere are open-air concerts and festivals,and when sports events take place atSpringfield Stadium.

3. What do you like least about life in St Helier?The Waterfront (particularly the leisure complexand Radisson Hotel) and the relatively new glass

and concrete buildings thathave been constructedaround this area, at theEsplanade and inGloucester Street. It is verysad to see our heritageripped down and replacedby a mass of ‘big city’ugliness. Suchconstructions really donothing to vitalise the spiritof St Helier.

4. When not representingSt Helier, how do you liketo relax? I love gardening.

5. If you had five minutesto spare in St Helierwhere would you spendit? I would spend it in abulldozer and flatten theRadisson Hotel - and anyother ugly monstrosity of abuilding that got in myway, where developers andproperty speculators have

totally disregarded St Helier’s character and heritage inthrowing up quick-buck ‘modern’ architecture.

that, the response is equally conclusive. ‘Westart work on next year’s entry – there a lot todo you know!’

Building from the ground upWhere do you start if it’s your first Battle ofFlowers entry? Clearly, one early key decision isa theme for the float. For St Helier’s team, therewas an obvious choice - with the terribleflooding in Madeira dominating news at thetime, they wanted something reflecting theParish’s strong ties with that Atlantic island.With Art and Design Teacher, Angela Crowcroft,as part of the team, the idea quickly turned intoa graphic design and colour scheme so thatwork could commence on building the float. At that stage, the team secured the fantastichelp of a number of local businesses andorganisations. Architects Nigel Biggar &Partners kindly agreed to provide scale designdrawings while Pentagon offered to supply allthe materials needed free of charge. BuilderNelio Caldeira stepped in with a team ofcarpenters to construct the float’s frameworkand body, while the Parish workforcecontributed help and expertise wheneverrequired.

Special decorationsAs the float’s body took shape, thoughts turnedto the floral decorations,and, having decided toenter the Battle’s ‘Semi-Floral 10 – 20ft’ category,a mix of real and paperflowers were required. Early on in the process, the

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

P a g e 1 4

Town Cr ierThe

A community effortLeading from the frontDebbie de Sousa likes to be busy. But as ifbeing a Parish Deputy, a member of Scrutinyand a mother and wife wasn’t enough, lastyear Debbie also decided St Helier shouldenter a float in the Battle of F lowers oncemore – and promptly set about making ithappen. ‘To me it just didn’t make sense for theParish not take part in Battle,’ she explained,‘particularly given that a lot of the ev entactually happens in St Helier. I just had to dosomething about it.’ But doing somethingturned out to be quite a challenge, even forsomeone with Debbie’s drive andenthusiasm. ‘I got a few like-minded peopletogether, and we started working out whatneeded to be done. I soon realised the scaleof what I was tak ing on – and it wasdefinitely not something to make happenon my own. It was going to need a reallyspecial team.’ Like all great Battle of Flowers entries,success is down to teamwork, and Debbie isvery proud of the team at the heart of thereformed St Helier Battle of FlowersAssociation. ‘Everyone involved has beenfantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a moreenthusiastic, engaging and creative group towork on our entry. I can’t thank themenough.’When asked what she is look ing forward tomost, Debbie smiles, ‘That’s easy – beingthere on Battle day is going to be so special.I can’t wait to sit back and see all thesemonths of hard work come together in thearena.’ And when asked what happens af ter

The Battle of Flowers holds aspecial place in the minds of bothislanders and visitors alike. Formore than 100 years, thespectacle has drawn the crowdsand enthralled them with a feastof extravagant sights and sounds.During the last few years,however, something has beenmissing. Parish stalwarts St Helierhave not entered a float in thecompetition since 2002. This year,thanks to the efforts of DeputyDebbie De Sousa and her StHelier Battle of Flower Associationteam, that is set to change.

f

P a g e 1 5

before, this certainly is one! But the StHelier Battle of Flowers Committee reallyseems to know their stuff, so I can’t thinkof a better team to be working with on myfirst float! The theme for this year’s St Helier float is avery important one – the twinning of StHelier with Funchal in Madeira. This meansthe float will be full of c olour thanks to abeautiful design by Angela Crowcroft. Thefloat is really coming along and everyoneis working their hardest to put in the timeand effort. I’ve heard the dancers arebrilliant too, and can’t wait to see them! I cannot begin to describe how much I amlooking forward to the Battle of Flowers –not only do I have the honour of beingMiss Battle of Flowers, but I am alsoprivileged to be a part of St Helier ’s firstfloat in eight years.Opposite top left: Deputy Debbie De Sousa, chair of the St Helier Battle ofFlowers AssociationOpposite bottom: The parish float starts to take shapeOpposite inset: Miss Battle and Miss St Helier, Sarah WatsonAbove inset: Grow our own, volunteers tend to the specially grown Aster crop Above: A winning teambelow: Residents of St Ewolds making the paper flowers: Pauline Bailey, Theo LeFlour, Elsie Le Marquand and Audrey Nicolle.

Parish team decided to do somethingdifferent when it came to real flowers.While most floats rely on imported blooms,flown or shipped in during the final stagesof construction, St Helier took a differentapproach and grew its own Given the cost associated with buyingflowers from overseas, and environmentalprice paid in transporting them to theIsland, it made sense to use the Parish’sextensive experience. The organisation’sgreenhouses provided the ideal startingenvironment for the host of Sunflowersand Asters called for by the design, whiledonated fields at Surville and in StLawrence completed the growing cycle. Help with tending the crop came from ateam of Income Support Volunteers – agreat example of help from within thecommunity.

Engaging the communityOne of Debbie’s early commitments was toinvolve the community in the Parish’sentry. With a strong belief that Battleshould be more about local communitiesand organisations coming together createsomething special and enjoying being partof a team, she set about involving as manyin St Helier as possible. Visits to Parish schools and homesfollowed, to explain what the Associationwas planning and to ask for help. And helpwas forthcoming. Children and adultsvolunteered to assist with the floatbuilding and to perform as dancers in theparade. Residents of St Ewolds set to workmaking some of the 10,000 paper flo wersneeded to adorn the float in colour. Fromacross the Parish, residents and businesseshave come forward with offers of support,

or contributed to the fund-raising. All-in-all, it has been a real communityeffort – and one that everyone involvedshould be proud of.

Looking forward to her big day:Miss Battle of FlowersOne enthusiastic supporter of theParish’s efforts has been Miss StHelier, Sarah Watson, who justhappens to be Miss Battle as well. Sothe festival is going to be doublyimportant to Sarah as we found out. Preparations for Battle are going great.Everyone is really enjoying workingtogether, and I think that St Helier's float isgoing to be fantastic! The idea is brilliant, and the whole t eam isreally putting everything in to make thebig day a success. The fundraising efforthas been a great too, not only helping toget the float going, but also getting theteam to work together. With regards to the big day itself, I amextremely excited! Although I will be in theparade as Miss Battle, I will of course begiving all of mysupport to StHelier in the leadup and on theday itself. For me,to be involved inthe float this yearis so important. Ireally do love achallenge sohaving neverworked on thecreation of a float

P a g e 1 7

Prize No Prize Ticket No1st 2 weeks break in a cottage in Dinan and Ferry for 2 people.

Donated by Condor Ferries and John & Judy C ornwall 104152nd Family of four to see the Red Arrows prepare for their departure.

Donated by Deputy Mike Higgins 52973rd £500 cash.

Donated by Alex Picot, Barclays Wealth, RBSI and HSBC 34444th Studio Sit and 10” Framed Picture.

Donated by Steve Wellum Photography 115015th Southampton football shirt Championship 2008/09.

Donated by Flybe 25776th Samsung 22 LCD television.

Donated by JEC 02377th One hour location shoot and picture disk.

Donated by QPIX 13798th Discover scuba introductory for four people.

Donated by Mrs Jacqui Rutter 74379th H Letto & Son Ltd voucher.

Donated by Reads (Audit) Ltd. 1020110th Marks & Spence voucher.

Donated by Deloitte 761411th B G Romerils voucher.

Donated by B G Romerils 240612th Meal to the value of £100 at the Quayside Restaurant

La Nautique Nightclub. Donated by Martin Sayers 8041

13th 2 months Active Card membership. Donated by Education, Sport & Culture 1686

14th BBQ table and four chairs and umbrella.Donated by B & Q store Jersey 11610

15th Ariel trekking for two adults at Creepy Valley.Donated by Creepy Valley Activity Centre 7296

16th Mobile Phone. Donated by Sure Cable & Wireless Jersey Limited 11295

17th IPOD Shuffle First Generation 1GB. Donated by Education, Sport and Culture Youth Service 11633

18th Family Day at Merton Aquadome.Donated by Seymour Hotels of Jersey 11647

19th Bottle of Champagne. Donated by Marks & Spencers 4945

20th Bottle of Champagne. Donated by Marks & Spencers 6821

21st M & S Hairdryer. Donated by Marks & Spencers 1350

22nd M & S Toiletry Bag. Donated by Marks & Spencers 0096

Congratulations to the lucky winners.

The Move on Youth Project recently held a raffle to raise funds towardsthe refurbishment of their café, here are the results

St Helierupgradesits fleet

Move on Youth Café raffle results

What’s big, blue and beautiful? The answer is the first of t wo new refusetrucks that recently arrived in Jersey for use by the Parish’s MunicipalServices team. Perhaps beautiful is not quite the word to describe a refusetruck, but there is no denying the Dennis Eagle Olympus has a purposefulsense of style about it. So when the Parish decided it needed two newvehicles to replace some older refuse trucks, the decision was to purchasefrom the market leader in the UK – at a pric e that was right of course. Forour technically minded readers, the new trucks feature an Elite 2 4x2chassis, the latest Volvo six-cylinder Euro 5 engine, an Allison MD 3000 6speed gearbox and a state-of-the art driver’s cab. Resplendent in Parishcrests, they are now taking their place on the refuse collection roundsthroughout St Helier, including the recycling pilot at La Pouquelaye.

Residents and staff go for gold at St E woldsThe Parish’s Director of Municipal ServicesDebra D’Orleans hands over the vehicle keysto Garage Manager John Le Moignan

f

Can you measure up?It’s probably fair to say that few people welcome the arrival of theirParish Rates bill, and even less like handing over the money. But noRates means no Parish services, a situation hard to contemplategiven our demanding lifestyles. Now the people who star t theprocess of determining how much parishioners pay for their Ratesare looking for more volunteers. And they wondered if any of ourreaders measure up to the job.In St Helier, as with the other island parishes , the job of a R ates Assessor isa voluntary one. Their role is however vital. The rateable values of allproperties in the Parish are assessed based on information returnedannually by the owner. One job of the R ates Assessors is to send out,collect and then process the forms needed to gather this information.More challenging is the work of assessing newly-built properties in StHelier or dealing with those changed or modified sinc e the previous year.Building work in the Parish never seems to stand still, so, as can beimagined, this is one of the mor e interesting aspects of the role. There isalso a requirement to discuss assessments with existing ratepayers todetermine the system remains fair for all who have to pay. For residential properties, the things that may influence the Rate payableincludes the number of bedrooms, reception rooms, conservatories,bathrooms, swimming pools, garages, parking spaces, etc. Also taken intoaccount are the property’s age, view and structural condition. For businessproperties, the location is impor tant - King Street shops are rated higherthan Cheapside for example - as well as facilities such as air -conditioningand lifts. To comply with the law, St Helier needs at least sev en but no more thantwelve Rates Assessors. Elected by a Parish Assembly, they serve a three-year term, working for around three mornings a week between January

and July. Ideally, candidates would have somebackground in property matters, but anyone joiningreceives training on the processes and systems used. It’s a great opportunity to get involved in importantand interesting work. If anyone feels they domeasure up, contact Edward Trevor for a discussionon 811815 or email edward.trevor@posh.gov.je

Generation gamesWith a glorious sun shining down, St Ewolds ResidentialHome and Avranches Nursery couldn’t have picked abetter occasion to hold their joint spor ts day. In perfect conditions, residents, children and staff competed on 2nd July this year in a number oforganised races and sporting events, while onlookers cheered them on from the sides. Egg & spoon, wheel-barrow and sack races all featured, alongside traditional (and non-traditional!) sprints. After a fantastic day, judging by the smiles everyone was a winner.

f

f

with youevery

lengthof theway

swim l i fe

For more Information contact the Aquasplash today!The Waterfront Centre, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4HETelephone: 01534 734524Web: www.aquasplash.je

* Terms and conditions apply

learn to swimswimming lessons available now

at the Aquasplash

per monthPay by Direct Debit and get:• 36 weeks of swimming lessons • Unlimited swimming outside of lessons*• Goody bag including goggles, costume and logbook • Priority enrolment• Annual guest pass • 15% off children’s parties

Newcoursesnowstarting!

Pay by courseoption available

Adultswimminglessonsavailable

Aquasplash is managed by Serco working in partnership with the States of Jersey

Direct Debitonly

£21.00

P a g e 1 9

Affiliated to and supported by the Parish are a number oforganisations, committees and associations, including ourthree twinning committees. Here is a round up of their la testnews and activities, and contact details for anyone wantingto become involved.

St Helier in BloomIt’s been a packed month for the St Helier in Bloom Gr oup. In July, judging tookplace in the St Helier Gardens Competition and the St Helier ’s Schools Green FingersCompetition Constable’s Challenge. Winners to be announced in September. At thesame time, St Helier itself was under the scrutiny of judges alongside otherparishes entering the Britain in Bloom competition. Fingers crossed! Several Bloom initiatives came to fruition recently. Debbie Seal and a team of artstudents created a number of meerkat models for painting and placement in StHelier floral displays. The choice of meerkat reflects a continued relationship withDurrell following last year’s cooperation on the Tatton Park display. Snails alsomade an appearance at First Tower - and not the slimy variety, but a group ofsculptured displays painted in bright colours. Finally, vines returned to Vine Streetfollowing an initiative led by the Town Centre Manager with the suppor t of HSBCbank on whose building they will gr ow. Look out for further reports and picture onthese activities in a future edition. For more information on the St Helier in Bloom Group, please contact TonyAndrews on 811700 or email anthony.andrews@posh.gov.je.

St Helier’s Honorary PoliceAfter a hectic couple of months, public events in the Parish have quietened downas we move into August, leading to a lesser demand on Honorary Police time.Looking forward, the exciting events coming up are the Seaside Festival on 8thAugust, followed in the next week by the Battle of Flowers and then the Air D isplayin September. One of the rewards of being in the Honorary Police is a ringside seatat some of the best events in Jersey! It was great to see Vingtenier Liana Le Rossignol re-taking her oath of office beforethe Royal Court recently. On the same day, we welcomed Miss Marta Fontes whowas sworn in as a new Constable’s Officer. Both will be involved in one of the newroles we have taken on – visiting people released from prison on Home CurfewLicence. This important check, which two or three officers normally carry outtogether, has proved very encouraging for both the prison authorities and r eleasedperson. It’s a win-win situation all round. Whether its events or home visits, if varied and interesting work appeals to youthen get in touch with St Helier’s Honorary Police. We would welcome a call. Please contact the Town Hall on 811811 if you interested in joining the StHelier Honorary Police, or email the Constable on constable@posh.gov.je.St Helier – Bad Wurzach PartnerschaftA chance meeting on Liberation Day in 2002 led to the twinning of St Helier withBad Wurzach, the southern German town in which many Islanders were internedduring the Second World War. Since that time, the Partnerschaft Committee hasdeveloped cultural links between the two through visits and exchanges ofinformation. Anyone wishing to join the Committee, or take part in the 2011 Bad Wurzachvisit, or just wanting more information on the Partnerschaft, should contactAngela Trigg on 483675 / 07797 795911 or email ajtrigg@hotmail .co.uk St Helier – Funchal GeminaçãoThe Funchal - St Helier Geminação contributed to the successful celebration ofMadeira Day on 1st July. Following the communion service organised by FatherNicholas France there was a lively celebration in the grounds of the church withtraditional dancing by the local 'bailhinho' group. The event was attended by theBailiff and Chief Minister, as well as a number of States Members. During hiswelcome speech the Constable of St Helier said that the Parish was hoping that theFunchal government would agree to visit St Helier next year to sign the twinningagreement between the two towns. The next event the twinning committee are involved in will be this month’sPortuguese Food Festival (see feature on page 5). For more information on the St Helier-Funchal Geminação or to join thecommittee, please call Simon Crowcroft on 811823 or emailconstable@posh.gov.je.

A team from St Helier and their t win town Avranches took 7thplace at the recent international twinning games, the Jeux-Intervilles in France.Held every two years, the contest is organised by the Jersey-Normandie Association. Itinvolves the 11 parishes twinned with Norman communities forming teams thatcompete against each other in games of skill and endur ance. The Jeux-Intervilles areheld every two years and switch between Jersey and France. The event this year washeld in Granville on 26th and 27th June.This year's team included six members from Avranches, and six members from St Helier.Christophe Kalinauckas, member of the St Helier-Avranches twinning committee, whotravelled with the parish team, said that it was a great weekend. ‘Our team bondedreally well and tried hard to win at each event.’ he said, ‘And despite the demandingtasks under Saturday’s midday sunshine, the team managed to keep its cool underpressure. The treasure hunt on the Sunday morning was a great way to see Granville andinteract with the team members from Avranches.’About 200 participants and supporters from Jersey travelled to Granville for theweekend, which as well as the games included a gala dinner, barbeque and a Vind'Honneur in the Granville casino. ‘The weekend was an illustration of what is bestabout the twinning.’ added Mr Kalinauckas, ‘It was a combination of sport, friendshipand socialising across borders.’The team was accompanied by the Constable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft, and thetwinning committee chairman Annabelle Bishop. The next Jeux-Intervilles will be heldin two years in St Brelade.To find out more about the St Helier-Avranches twinning committee, to get involved, orpass on any suggestions on how to improve links between St Helier and Avranches,please contact Annabelle Bishop on annabelle.bishop@googlemail.com or 07797762008. The twinning committee meets once a month at the Town Hall, and is alwayslooking for new members and new ideas .

Above: Meerkatsculptures awaitingdecoration andplacement by BloomGroupRight: Super snails ondisplay outside theParish Depot

Parish organisations, committees a n d associations

Twinning games inGranville a great success

f f

below: The St Helier /Avranches joint team

P a g e 2 0

Town Cr ierThe

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

We have really been enjoying receiving your pictures of St Helier. Featured on this page are some of the best, together withsome information about the photographers. Please keep sending your pictures in. No rules on what is right or wrong -they can be of the town or countryside, show events, special occasions, super views, etc. All that we ask is that theyfeature St Helier in some way, are original photographs and that you are happy for their publication without charge. Creditwill of course be given. To submit photos, email in jpeg format to towncrier@posh.gov.je, together with any caption andyour name. To submit photos, email in jpeg format to towncrier@posh.gov.je, together with any caption and your name.

Paul Marshall ‘Powering to the Line’By Paul Marshall of St Helier. As a keen photographer I was out in the r ainwatching the RUBIS Jersey Town Criterium mens elite race at the end of M ay. Itwas a good opportunity to watch a great race and get up close to take somesnaps!

Matt Le Bail‘Sunset View FromWestmount’

Steve Wellum Steve Wellum kindlycontributes another imagefrom his series of ‘JerseyViews’. Seewww.jerseyviews.co.uk.

f

YourParish inpictures

If you would like to make a booking, please call us on 01534 735816or 07700811719 or use our website to send us a shor t message. Serving times:Dinner - 7 days a week 18.00 – 21.30Lunch - Tuesday to Sunday 12.00 – 14.30 (Please note that the above are serving times and you are welcome to stay till late).

If you are looking for something more than just great food Seven Angels is the

perfect place for you. We opened two monthsago and offer delicious homemade meals incosy surrounding, perfect for dinner with

friends, formal luncheon or meetings outsidethe office. We also provide tailored menus for

parties and take bookings for Christmas events.

We are located at 80 Bath Street, St. Helier. We invite you to taste internationalcuisine and experience our angelic customerservice. We offer delicious steaks, fish and

seafood as well as vegetarian options.

You can view our menu at www.sevenangels.je We look forward to seeing

you at Seven Angels.

P a g e 2 1

TheCommunityNotes…The Parish of StHelier, withapproximately 19,000residences andbusinesses, is hometo communities fromaround the world. It isa truly cosmopolitanenvironment.The Town Crier will becelebrating this withregular contributorsoriginating fromwithin our overseascommunities

Foire de LessayBy Aurélie LEROYDu 10 au 12 septembre prochain,c’est la Foire de Lessay, évènement sipopulaire dans le cœur des Jersiais.Lessay se transforme le deuxièmeweek-end de septembre engigantesque vitrine de l’agricultureet de l’élevage de la région. 400 000visiteurs, 1 600 exposants, des

milliers d’animaux… Créée en 1056, c’est la plusancienne foire de Normandie. On y retrouve l’ambianceet l’authenticité d’antan. Trois jours durant, les produitsde la terre et les hommes et femmes qui la cultivent sontmis à l’honneur. Le vendredi, vous assisterez à la foire auxéquidés (chevaux, poneys et ânes). Le lendemain, place àla foire aux moutons, chèvres et prolongation de la foireaux chevaux. Environ 3000 bêtes sont exposées (contre10 000 il y a un siècle) dont 1000 v endues. A côté desanimaux, vous pourrez aussi trouver un espace pour lematériel agricole, mais aussi des poteries locales, desstands de vêtements, des animations et enfin unegrande fête foraine. « Lessay-vous » tenter !

Foire de LessayThe Foire de Lessay will take place from the 10th to the 12th ofSeptember, a very special event for Jersey people. The town ofLessay becomes a huge agricultural fair every second weekendof September and the biggest trading fair for cattle animals inthe region. Around 400,000 visitors, 1,600 exhibitors andthousands of animals take par t of the event. Created in 1056, itis the oldest fair in Normandie wher e you can find the old wayof life of the old days. During three days, the work of men andwomen of the land will be honour ed. On Friday, it is usually thehorse, donkeys and pony day. The day after, it is the sheeps,cows, goats turn! Around 3000 animals are being shown(comparing to 10,000 a century ago) and about 1,000 are sold.Apart from the animals you can also find agriculture materialsand equipments areas, entertainments, local potteries, clothes,a funfair and off course food and drinks! Don’t miss it!

Wybory Prezydenckie w R.P.Magdalena Chmielewska

W rezultacie katastrofy w Smoleńsku, w Polsceodbyły się przyspieszone wybory prezydenckie.Do Państwowej Komisji Wyborczej(„PKW”)wpłynęły zawiadomienia od 22kandydatów na prezydenta. Jednak tylko 10 znich udało się zebrać wymagane 100 tys.podpisów. W pierwszej turze wyborów żaden znich nie uzyskał zdecydowanej większości, alenajwięcej głosów zebrali: Jarosław Kaczyński,brat tragicznie zmarłego prezydenta Polki orazBronisław Komorowski, były marszałek sejmu.Druga tura, która odbyła się 4 lipca 2010,przyniosła rozstrzygnięcie, ale do samego końcawynik nie był przesądzony. Prezeydentem Polskizostał Bronisław Komorowski, który zebrał53,01% głosów. Przy tak wyrównanym poparciu dla obukandydatów głosy rodaków z zagranicy byłybardzo ważne. Obaj kandydaci strali się zaskarbićsobie poparcie emigracji. Polacy mieszkający za granicą moglizarejestrować się przez intenet w komisjachwyborczych, ale glosować można było tylko wwybranych polskich placówkachdyplomatyczno-konsularnych. Dla osóbmieszkających na Jersey oznaczało to podróż doLondynu.Mam nadzieję, przy okazji kolejnych wyborów wPolsce, nasza nowa pani Konsul pomoże namzorganizować punkt wyborczy na Jersey,abyśmy również mogli oddać swój głos.

f

Presidentelection inPolandFollowing the sudden deathof the Polish President in aplane crash near Smolensk inRussia earlier this year, anearly Presidential electionwas announced. At first, the

Polish Election Committee had 22 candidates, but only10 of them managed to collect 100,000 signaturesneeded to go forward. After the first round, there weretwo main candidates: Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the brother ofthe previous Polish president, and BronislawKomorowski, with result being quite close. Neither ofthem received the required majority however. Thesecond round, which took place on 4 July 2010, was w onby Bronislaw Komorowski, who managed to secure53.1% of the vote.With the result being so close in both r ounds, thiselection showed that votes of Polish citizens leavingabroad could make a difference. Both candidates, beingaware of this fact, did their best to secure the votes ofPoles living abroad. Polish people could register via the internet, but theyhad to vote in person at certain Polish consulates. Forthose living in Jersey and wishing t o vote it required atrip to London - which is not practical at all of course.I hope that in future our new Consul will help to arrangea designated voting point in Jersey. f

P a g e 2 2

Town Cr ierThe

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

f

I' n'y'a pon d'rosessans pitchetsY'a bein des choses à un chôsyi, etbein des roses à un rôsyi. Véthe, etnou peut tréjous apprendre dé tchientouor les flieurs. La Pâraisseèrprend part dans la Batâle déFlieurs ch't' année, v'là tch'est àpropos pouor une pâraisseflieuthie d'même atout ses pars,ses gardîns et ses pann'léesd'flieurs.Mais les flieurs sont sŷmboliquesétout. Ou connaîssez sans doute latchaîse du Connêtabl'ye dans laSalle d'Assembliée, la cheinnedans tchi qu'i' s'assied quand i'préside les Assembliées d'Pâraisse.Mais av'-ous janmais r'gardéchutte tchaîse-là d'près? Av'-ousr'mèrtchi les roses stchulptées dansl'bouais du dos? Assa, i' s'adonnequé not' Connêtabl'ye n'est pontréjous sus des roses - mais quandil est jutchi sus sa tchaîse, i'pouôrrait dithe qué tout est couleud'rose.Ch'est en tchi la rose est un vièrsŷmbole politique en Jèrri. Audgiêx-neuvième siècl'ye, y'avaitdeux partis ès êlections: lé partid'la Rose et l'parti du Louothi. LesRôsièrs 'taient pouor la r' forme etl'progrès, et les Louothièrs 'taitpouor consèrver la constitution etgarder les traditions. Pièrre LéSueux 'tait un Rôsyi et un grandr'formateu coumme Connêtabl'ye,et né v'là pouortchi j'avons desroses sus la tchaîse duConnêtabl'ye, tchi 'tait à li.Y'avait dans châque camp d'sêlecteurs convaintchus, maisy'avait étout les cheins tchipouôrraient voter sait pouor unRôsyi sait pouor un Louothi s'lonl'caractéthe du candidat, épisy'avait étout les Vieaux - les cheinstchi vot'taient pouor l'chein tchipaiethait. À chu temps-là, l'sêlections 'taient publyiques, ch'esten tchi nou votait ouvèrtément. Etviyant qu'les grôsses têtes despartis savaient tchi qui votaitpouor tchi, y'avait la pôssibilitéd'acater des vouaix, car nousaithait à la siette dé tchi bordqu'un êlecteur avait voté. Ch'fut l'Connêtabl'ye Ph'lippeBaudains tchi proposit la louai susl'Scrutîn à seule fîn qu'lé ballotfûsse en s'gret. Nou-s'objectit toutcoumme qu'i' y'avait bein despouôrres êlecteurs tchidêpendaient d'la vendue d'lusvouaix ès riches candidats car,pouor ieux, la vie n'tait pon tout

Mindful of the role and importance of the Island’sown linguistic inheritance, each edition of theTown Crier will contain a regular column in Jèrriaisby St Helier’s own Maître-Pêtre des Pages Jèrriaiseand Roads Inspector, Geraint Jennings.

roses. Mais la R' forme triomphit, etl'Connêtabl'ye Baudains avait beinméthité sa stchulptuthe dans lesGardîns d'la Pathade - parmi lesflieurs.

Every rose has itsthornThere are more things in heaven andearth... and you can always learnsomething new about flowers. It'sfitting that such a floral parish shouldbe taking part once again the Battle ofFlowers, as we're noted for our parks,gardens and baskets.Flowers can be symbols as well. You'reprobably familiar with the Constable'schair from which he presides at ParishAssemblies. But have you ever had aclose-up look at it? And have younoticed the roses carved into the back?Not everything for the Connétable isperhaps a bed of roses, but he mightbe able to look through rose-tintedspectacles when perched in his chair.The rose has been a political symbol inJersey. Through the 19th century, theprogressive Rose party and theconservative Laurel party fought eachother at elections. As a greatreforming Connétable, Pierre Le Sueurwas a Rose, and that's why we've gotroses on the Connétable's chair, whichwas his.Each camp had its committed voters,but there were also those who mightvote either for a Rose or a Laurelcandidate depending on thecandidate's character. But there werealso the so-called "Calves" - thosewho'd vote according to who paidthem. In those days, elections wereconducted openly, and the ballotwasn't secret. The bigwigs of eachparty knew how everyone voted, sothere was the possibility to purchasevotes through bribery or favour,knowing that each vote could later bechecked. It was Philippe Baudains, asConnétable, who put forward the lawon the secret ballot. There wereobjections that many poor voters, forwhom things weren't rosy, dependedon selling their vote to rich candidates.But the reformer's cause wastriumphant, and so ConnétableBaudains deserves his sculpture inParade Gardens - among the flowers.

Geraint Jennings

Ideas exchangeStreet cleansing staff from the Parish visited Cardiffrecently to compare notes with their counterpartsin Wales. more volunteers. And they wondered ifany of our readers measure up to the job. They were shown an electric cart that is used to empty therecycling litter bins in the city centre, and saw the lateststreet washing machines that are being used to tackle theproblem of pavement staining. The Constable of St Helier,Simon Crowcroft, who accompanied the parish staff said thatit was an extremely useful visit that had generated lots ofideas. 'We are about to purchase new litter bins for St Helier,as well as trying to improve our ability to keep townpavements clean, and talking to a council with similarchallenges is vital,' he said.

f

On Wednesday 17th November, the existingterrestrial analogue television services will beturned off for Jersey’s 50,000 homes.This change, which is part of the UK’s overall move to digitaltelevision, will allow the broadcast of up to 15 Freeview digitalchannels including BBC One, BBC Two, Channel Television,Channel 4 and Five, plus radio and text services.In order to receive the new digital channels, households willeither need a digital television or to convert existing analoguetelevisions by using a digital converter box. Anyone wanting to find out more about the DigitalSwitchover should consult local television suppliers, or visitwww. digitaluk.co.uk. A help scheme is available for disabledresidents and those aged 75 and o ver. More information canbe obtained by contacting the Help Scheme Regional Manager for the Channel Islands, Caroline Byng on 07950 306930.

Digital switchover: are youready for the change?

f

P a g e 2 3

This section of the Crier is devoted to the manyvoluntary clubs and groups run throughout StHelier. If you would like to promote yourorganisation or a planned special event, or just toinclude contact details, please telephone 811811 oremail towncrier@posh.gov.je. Clubs & groups contactsRainbows, Brownies & Girl Guides: All Saints Church Hall, The ParadeThursday and Friday eveningsContact Daphne on 07797 719225Beavers, Cubs and Scouts: Salvation Army Hall, MindenPlaceMonday and Wednesday evenings Contact Matthew Evans on 07797 741002 or email:matthew-evans@jerseymail.co.uk Jersey Sea Cadets: Fort RegentWednesday evenings and Sunday morningsContact jerseyseacadets@jerseymail.co.uk or visithttp://units.ms-sc.org/jersey/DefaultBingo: Springfield Sports StadiumWednesday eveningsContact Mrs Sandy Le Monnier on 872708

Women’s InstituteThere are four meetings in St Helier as follows: St Helier Sirens WI: 1st Thursday of each month at the Old M agistrate’sCourt at the Town HallContact Amanda Smith on 638024 / 07829 900341La Pouquelaye WI: 2nd Wednesday of each month, temporarily meeting atthe St Helier Municipal Services Depot on La GrandeRoute de St JeanContact Sheila Laugeard on 734600 / 07797 775483West Park WI: 1st Tuesday of each month at the meeting r oom at theKing George V Homes on La Grande Route de St AubinContact Sheila Sykes on 491856 First Tower & Millbrook WI: 2nd Wednesday of each month at the St Andrew’s Church Hall at 7.30pmMobile libraryGeorge V Cottage Homes – Mondays, 9.30-9.45amClos du Paradis – Wednesdays, 11.30am-12pmB&Q, Queen’s Road – Wednesdays, 12.05-1pm

Parish clubs a n d groups W e b n e w sWhile no one likes gettingparking fines, recentdevelopments by the Parishmean you can now pay themonline. It follows the introductionof this facility by the Car ParksDepartment of Transport &Technical Services and anagreement with the Parish toallow shared access. To use theservice go to the ‘Do it Online’section of the Parish website. Paying for parking fines is justone of the many services nowavailable via the Parish’s websiteat www.sthelier.je. Why not takea look next time you are onlineand see what it can offer you.

Copyright notice2010© Parish of St Helier .The entire content of this newsletter isprotected by copyright. All rights arereserved. No part of this magazine may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any form or by anymeans electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwisewithout the prior written consent of thecopyright owner.Reprint DetailsReprints of articles can be obtained bycontacting the publishers.DisclaimerWhilst the Parish of St Helier andcontributors to The Town Crier haveprovided the information contained in itin good faith, they accept noresponsibility, financial or otherwise, forany action taken by any other party as aresult of the information provided.Independent and appropriate adviceshould always be sought on such matters.The views expressed written in thismagazine are those of the authors and donot necessarily represent the views of theParish of St Helier or M ediaMasters. TheParish of St Helier and M ediaMastersaccept no responsibility for errors oromissions that may occur.

The Town CrierPublished by the Parish of St Helier In association with MediaMastersPO Box 133, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. JE4 9QXTel: (01534) 866956E-mail: mfarley@mediamasters.jeEditorialParish of St Helier - Editor Ian RonayneTel: (01534) 811821Other - Martyn FarleyTel: (01534) 866956AdvertisingNikki ZachariouTel: (01534) 866956

c o n t a c t

f

Classified

The Bean Counters Limited provides a friendly, localand professional service, tailored to meet yourrequirements and dedicated to keeping your accountson track.Whether you are a sole trader, partnership, orlimited company, The Bean Counters Limitedworks with you to provide an efficient bespokepackage from our range of services offered;• Daily, weekly or monthly bookkeeping• GST, ITIS and Social Security• Payroll• Cash flow and profit forecasts• Management accounts and annual financial

statements• Personal and company tax affairs• Monthly management of company finances• Monitor cash flow and take pre-emptive action• Purchase ledger management including supplier

payments• Sales ledger management including credit controlIf you have any accounting issues or problems,we will do our utmost to resolve them in aprofessional and friendly manner that fits yourworking practices and budget.Please contact us for a free, no obligationmeeting to discuss which services are requiredand how best we can assist you.Contact ust. 07797 795219e. info@thebeancounterslimited.comw. thebeancounterslimited.com

The Forum are conducting a wide rangingreview and consulting on what rate the

minimum wage should be set at from April2011.

The minimum wage is currently £6.20 per hourand the trainee rate is £4.65 per hour. The

Forum would like to receive comments frombusinesses that employ staff who are paid at,

or near to, the minimum wage.

If you would like to comment on the minimumwage, you can find a copy of the questionnaire

and more information on the website.

seewww.gov.je/Government/Consultations -

or you can email your comments to: E.Forum@gov.je

employment forum

Your chance to have a sayon the Minimum Wage

Each year the Employment Forumconsults on the minimum wage

and makes a recommendation tothe Social Security Minister.

P a g e 2 4

Town Cr ierThe

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

Ten years ago, it was unusual to find much costume jewellery onsale in Jersey that wasn’t just a simple construct of glass pearl andgold coloured metal. Since then, however, specialised costumejewellery shops have opened in St Helier and the c olour palettehas expanded, as Diana Wilson explains. As the market has grown, the old prejudices viewing costumejewellery as ‘not real’ have largely evaporated. Women have realisedthat buying bright jewellery made from Austrian cut crystal orVenetian foiled beads is not just an inexpensiv e way of looking good,but also an investment. Jewellery does not have to be at least semi-precious before it has any long-term value. For instance, a MiriamHaskell glass bead necklace bought in the 1950s for a few dollarscould easily re-sell now for more than £2,500 - as long as y ou couldbear to part with it!The trick is to spot the designers working now who will be theSchiaparellis of the future. And there are quite a few contenders witha growing reputation, such as Israeli firm Ayala Bar, Les Neriedes fromParis and the German company Konplott. So make a point of searching out the unusual small boutiques of StHelier. The best of the local independent r etailers won’t sell anythingthat can be found elsewhere in Jersey. They are also probably visitingtwo or three trade exhibitions every year and ordering next season’sdesigns. So the jewellery they have available is changing all the time.One small piece of advice: if you can manage it, keep the orig inalbranded packaging. That cardboard box alone can add as much as30% to the on-going value of your earrings.Diana Wilson Jewellery is at 40 Bath Street, a turquoise-fronted, threestorey terrace near the cows of West’s Centre.

St Helier fashion

f

P a g e 2 6

Town Cr ierThe

Connétable: Simon CrowcroftTel: 811823Fax: 619146Email: constable@posh.gov.jeTown HallPO Box 50, St HelierJersey, JE4 8PA

NOTICES SITUATIONS VACANT

TO LET

GENERAL

Nomination MeetingParoisse de St HelierAssembly of ElectorsElection of Centeniers

Notice is hereby given that an Assembly ofElectors of the Parish of St Helier will be heldat the Town Hall on Tuesday 24 August 2010at 7.30pm to proceed with the nomination oftwo Centeniers in conformity with the law. A S CrowcroftConnétableTown Hall

Honorary PoliceThe Parish of St Helier has a number of vacancies

for Honorary Police Officers.Interest in these voluntary positions is welcomed from men

and women between the ages of 20 and 69 who are residentin St Helier.

Contact the Constable on 811823 or email simon.crowcroft@posh.gov.je for more

information or a confidential chat.

Car Park SpacesCar park spaces are currently available in the Parish’s

Byron Road Car Park at £87.55 per month.Contact André Sty on 811846 or

email andre.sty@posh.gov.je

Rates AssessorsThe Parish of St Helier has a number of vacancies

for Rates Assessors.Parish Rates Assessors play a vital role in managing the process of determining

the rateable value of residential and business properties in St Helier. Thesevoluntary positions would suit individuals looking to undertake an interesting role in

support of their community.

Contact Edward Trevor on 811815 or email edward.trevor@posh.gov.je for more information

or a confidential chat.

Visite du BranchageThe second Visite du Branchage of 2010 whichincludes the annual Visite des Chemins will takeplace on Wednesday 1st September, 2010 at whichthe Connétable, Roads Committee, Honorary Policeand Parish Roads Inspectors will inspect roads in StHelier for overhanging branches and foliage (whichmust be cut to 8 feet above a footway and 12 feetabove a roadway) and note those roads whichrequire resurfacing.A S CrowcroftConnétableTown Hall

A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

Town Hall Opening Hours08.45 – 16.30 (Monday & Friday)09.00 – 16.30 ( Tuesday)08.30 – 16.30 ( Wednesday & Thursday)Parish MeetingsNotices of Parish meeting are published on our website,www.sthelier.je, in the Town Crier and the Jersey Evening Post

Procureurs & Parish Management Board Procureur du Bien Public, Clive BartonTel: 880088 Email: clive.barton@moorestephen-jersey.comProcureur du Bien Public, Patrick FreeleyTel: 724398 Email: patrickfreeley@talk21.comDirector, Finance: Andrew PembertonTel: 811829 Email: andrew.pemberton@posh.gov.jeDirector, Parks, Gardens & Open Spaces:

Anthony AndrewsTel: 811700 Email: anthony.andrews@posh.gov.jeDirector, Human Resources: Martin RobertsTel: 811824 Email: mar tin.roberts@posh.gov.jeDirector, Municipal Services: Debra D'OrleansTel: 811703 Email: debra.dorleans@posh.gov.jeDirector, Technical & Engineering: Peter NobleTel: 811840 Email: peter.noble@posh.gov.je

St Helier DeputiesNo 1 DistrictDeputy Judy Martin Tel: 780641Email: j.martin3@gov.jeDeputy Paul Le Claire Tel: 632856Email: p.leclaire@gov.jeDeputy Trevor Pitman Tel: 863436Email: t.pitman@gov.je

No 2 DistrictDeputy Shona Pitman Tel: 630714Email: s.pitman@gov.je Deputy Geoff Southern Tel: 728231Email: g.southern@gov.jeDeputy Debbie de Sousa Tel: 632817Email: d.desousa@gov.je

No 3 DistrictDeputy Ben Fox Tel: 873625Email: b.fox@gov.jeDeputy Jackie Hilton Tel: 731690Email: j.hilton@gov.jeDeputy Mike Higgins Tel: 873956Email: m.higgins@gov.jeDeputy Andrew Green Tel: 483356Email: a.green@gov.je

Other Parish ContactsResidents Parking: Stephen LaugéeTel: 811826 Email: s .laugee@posh.gov.je Customer Services Manager: Angela GoguelinTel: 811870 Email: a.goguelin@posh.gov.jeParish Depot: Tel: 811708Centenier’s Nightline: Tel: 875706Duty Centenier: Tel: 07797 748540Registrar: Tel: 811088Parish Nurseries & HomesAvranche & Westmount Nurseries: Val PayneTel: 811718 Email: val.payne@posh.gov.jeSt Helier House: Jaqueline Jolley Tel: 811715 Email: jacqueline.jolley@posh.gov.jeSt Ewolds: Ann McleanTel: 811716 Email: ann.mclean@posh.gov.jeMaison de Ville: Jules BroadTel: 878308 Email: jules.broad@posh.gov.je

Parish AssemblyParoisse de St Helier

Parish Assembly

An assembly of the Principals and Electors of theParish of St Helier will be held at the Town Hall onWednesday 25 August 2010 at 7.30pm to considervarious licensing requests. Parishioners are asked to arrive in good time tocheck their entitlement to vote, i.e. electors of theParish, ratepayers and nominated mandataires.A S CrowcroftConnétableTown Hall

Roads Committee MeetingParoisse de St Helier

A meeting of the St Helier Roads Committee will takeplace on Wednesday 9 September 2010 at 9.30am atthe Town Hall to consider various matters relating toroads and buildings in St Helier. Members of the public are invited to attend. A full agenda will be published closer to the time andwill be available from the Town Hall or the ParishWebsite at www.sthelier.je.

A S CrowcroftConnétableTown Hall

Room HireThe Town Hall has a number of

rooms available for hourly ordaily hire:

Assembly Room: Capacity up to 300 people

The Old Magistrates Court:Capacity 80 people

Le Capelain Gallery: Capacity 40 people

Committee Room 1: Capacity 8-12 peopleCommittee Room 2: Capacity 4-6 people

For bookings or moreinformation contact 811823 or

emailannie.lenoury@posh.gov.je

PARISH NOTICE PARISH NOTICE

PARISH NOTICE PARISH NOTICE

TOWN HALL AND PARISH OF ST HELIER CONTACTS