Island band recruiting musicians, could you be Jersey’s Biggest Loser?, and charity challenge celebrating tenth anniversary – Community News round-up

The charity have been working with former GB bobsleigh team member Will Golder, now sales manager for the race registration company Race Nation, to set up the registration system to make it quicker and easier for participants to enter the event.

Around 500 people are expected to sign up for the challenge which takes place on Sunday 17 May and involves a 15-mile route from La Rocque to Corbière.

They will include a number of adults with a learning disability who have already started training for it.

‘To mark this special event, the booking system has now gone live with an on-line registration facility launched through Race Nation,’ said Walk co-ordinator and Jersey Mencap administrator Alex Wiles. ‘This user-friendly and professional registration system will offer easy and swift registration at any time of the day. Participants can support the charity by promoting the event and raise sponsorship using social media which all links back to the site.

‘This is a perfect way to celebrate ten years of the South Coast Charity Challenge and we hope it will not only offer people an easy way to pledge their support but by using social media, help raise awareness of the work Jersey Mencap do to support those living with a learning disability in Jersey.

All the projects we maintain are popular and thriving but with costs of over £100,000 per year, we rely on fundraising events such as this one.’

Over the past nine years, the event has raised more than £200,000 and organisers are hoping that this year’s walk will be another fund-raising success.

Further details are available here

AS March begins, it is safe to assume most New Year resolutions have by now fallen by the wayside – so what better time to sign up for the Jersey’s Biggest Loser challenge?

Last year's Biggest Loser, Helen Bliss, after losing three stone

Now in its fifth consecutive year, the annual 12-week challenge is due to begin on Tuesday 10 March and will see co-organiser Ben Boakye – of Big Ben’s Fitness Club – putting recruits through their paces.

‘If you have tried every diet but nothing works, or you just want to get into those favourite jeans, then this could be the challenge for you,’ says Ben.

The three month programme sees participants undergoing a series of regular educational workshops designed to help tackle subjects such as nutrition, fitness, healthy eating and emotional eating.

‘Being part of a group not only gives you the emotional support you need, it also gives you the opportunity to make new friends,’ says Ben.

Alongside the workshops there will also be two exercise classes a week and a group walk every Sunday morning.

1. Drink hot water with a squeeze of fresh lemon first thing in the morning.

2. Always eat breakfast.

3. Eat slowly (I usually read the paper or a magazine).

4. Plan your food and meals for the week in advance.

5. Personally, I keep my food in the bottom part of the fridge – it’s for me only!

6. Try and eat three or four fish and/or white meat and one red meat per week.

7. Read the labels, especially on items like yoghurt and cereals. Just because something says it is low in fat does not mean it is low in sugar (look for five grams of sugar per 100 grams as a rule of thumb).

8. Always have a main meal, followed by a pudding such as mousse, yoghurt or fruit.

9. Keep lots of fruit in the house for if you feel the urge for a snack.

10. Keep focussed and don’t over-react: remember, one bad meal will not automatically make you fat!

Additionally, participants will be given three month membership to Les Ormes Gym, use of the swimming pool, one-to-one personal training sessions and cookery classes.

Local activities co-ordinator Helen Bliss was last year crowned biggest loser after losing over three stone.

‘I’d always struggled with my weight,’ she said. ‘I’d yo-yo up and down. I remember going on holiday to the US and feeling skinny over there because everyone was so big, but once I got back home I started experiencing terrible pains.’

Helen visited her doctor where it was discovered she was suffering with gall stones. ‘I thought, “Crikey, I better do something about this”. I had never been one for going to the gym. I preferred to be a couch potato, watching films with a glass of wine and a box of chocolates. But I knew the time had come to do something radical. I’d heard about Ben on the grapevine and so I dragged a friend along and signed up.’

Helen threw herself into the Biggest Loser challenge and says that a combination of badgering by Ben and a change in lifestyle has since enabled her to keep the weight off.

‘I’ve stop snacking between meals. I’ve also joined a gym which I go to four times a week, as well as going to see Ben twice a week, too.’

Helen has cut out bread from her diet and says the cooking demonstrations held during the Biggest Loser challenge have helped her with healthy home cooking. ‘We were given demonstrations on how to use different herbs and spices,’ she said. ‘Diet food can be very boring but Ben helped show us how to liven it up.’

She has also found that the weight loss has acted as a real boost to her confidence.

‘I’d worked as a health care assistant for over 25 years,’ she said, ‘but losing the weight gave me the confidence to go for job interviews and now I’m an activities co-ordinator, which I really enjoy. Ultimately, it’s made me a happier, healthier person. I really can’t thank Ben enough.’

The deadline for entries for this year’s Biggest Loser competition is Friday 6 March. Ben is hoping to encourage around 20 Islanders to sign up, all of whom will then raise sponsorship for a yet-to-be-decided charity.

‘The Biggest Loser is open to anyone who is overweight, or who simply wants to get fit,’ he said.

Anyone interested in taking part in this year’s challenge can call Ben on 07700 331681 or sign up online at bigbensfitclub.com

Island Brownies should be more visible at night in future thanks to a gift of high-visibility vests from Specsavers.

Nearly 300 vests were presented to children at Plat Douet School by staff from Specsavers in St Brelade.

Yvonne Mundy, 9th Greve D’azette Brownie leader, said that the gift would enable the girls to be much safer when out and about, especially during the winter months and when pursuing activities such as star gazing, sleepovers and night hikes. The donation is part of a national campaign by Specsavers to try to make Britain’s roads safer

IF you are an experienced brass instrument player, drummer or tune percussionist, or would like to learn to play any of these, the Band of the Island of Jersey would like to hear from you.

Come and join us: The Band of the Island of Jersey are keen to attract new members

The band currently has 48 members and musical director Nick Manning says that he would really like to increase that to 55 members to ensure that they have cover for holidays and to replace those who leave to go to university.

The band is looking in particular for players of the cornet, the e-flat bass and the e-flat horn, as well as side-drummers and a tune percussionist.

In addition to taking part in the annual Battle of Flowers and the usual concerts and marching displays, the band is this year looking forward to performing at a number of special events, including the

arrival of the new Condor ferry, the Liberation; leading the Jersey team at the opening ceremony of this summer’s NatWest Island Games at Howard Davis Park; and accompanying members of the Jersey Normandy Veterans Association on a trip to Arromanches and Bayeux.

Different sections of the band hold practices at their band room in Rue de Crevecoeur, Grouville, on Monday (brass), Wednesday (drum corps) and Thursday (brass ensemble) evenings.

Mr Manning added that anyone who wanted to learn to play an instrument was welcome to join the training band, taught by deputy musical director Chris Le Maistre at the band room each Saturday from 9 am to 11 am.

The band is self-funding and provides all the instruments, uniforms and music to members, who pay no subscriptions.

‘They just have to turn up,’ said Mr Manning, who added that anyone interested in joining or who wanted more information could all him on 07797 711925.

LAST year’s Kitchen Inferno cooking competition raised a magnificent £17,000 for the Jersey Cheshire Home.

Jersey Cheshire Home residents (front row) David Abbott, Fatima Rodrigues and Jackie Tyler with sponsors and supporters of the event

The money will go towards the Home’s Big Splash Appeal, which is raising funds for a vital renovation of their Hydrotherapy Centre.

The refurbished facility, costing over £305,000, will offer new features and improved standards to users, who include residents and others in care homes and in the community.

David Lord, general manager of the Jersey Cheshire Home, said that everyone at the home wanted to express their gratitude for the support given.

‘Kitchen Inferno not only generated plenty of heat in the kitchen along with competitive spirit, but also this amazing contribution towards the residents’ support fund,’ he said. ‘Thank you so much on behalf of everyone at Eric Young House.

‘This is an amazing contribution towards the residents support fund,’ he said.

The cooking competition involving amateur chefs was held at Highlands College and resulted in a win for a team led by Blue Islands managing director Rob Veron.

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