Simultaneously the rain is pummelling against the windows of Government House and the white tops of the waves whipped up by the wind across St Aubin’s Bay are just visible through the mist. The beauty of another lovely Jersey summer is a memory: winter has firmly gripped the Island.
Whilst the weather may be grim and the Island is not looking its best, there is nevertheless something truly magical and exciting about Christmas. At its heart is the Christmas message of love, hope and renewal and the opportunity for families to come together. It is also a time, at the year’s end, to reflect on the 12 months that has passed.
The year has been jam-packed but the events that stand out for me are those held to commemorate the outbreak of the First World War a century ago. On 4 August, the day the Great Britain declared war in 1914, around 3,000 to 4,000 people gathered in the Royal Square for the ‘Festival of Light’. It was a wonderfully poignant, immaculately organised, act of remembrance which made me very proud of the Island.
The Minister with special responsibility for the Crown Dependencies, Lord Faulks, was visiting Jersey and staying at Government House. On the way home at the end of the evening he said how deeply moved he was by the ceremony. As he sat with us in the square his brother Sebastian was at the service in Westminster Abbey giving a reading from his novel ‘Birdsong’.
In the UK the climax of the year’s remembrance events came on 11 November as a 13-year-old Army Cadet planted the last ceramic poppy in the moat at the Tower of London. The 888,246 poppies included in the installation ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ represented one for each British or colonial servicemen killed during the war.
In the New Years Honours List and in the Birthday List eight recipients were honoured for their contribution to the community. They were all immensely worthy of recognition but they represent the tip of an iceberg of volunteers and extraordinary people who enrich our Island.
One of the great privileges of the year has been to visit many of the charities that provide support to those who need it, whatever the reason. That work is never more important than at Christmas time, when some are having difficulty in providing for their families and others are lonely or ill. This remarkable army of volunteers really is a force for good and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the tremendous difference that they make.
Despite the challenges at home we are extremely fortunate to live in such a safe, secure, and caring environment. Beyond our shores the world appears to be ever more volatile. In October I attended a briefing in London from the Ministry of Defence at which four main threats were identified: Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Russia in the Ukraine, and Ebola.
The briefer noted that in the same briefing a year earlier only one of the four, Al-Qaeda, had been mentioned. He also said that for the first time for at least three decades there were more British servicemen deployed in Africa than in any other theatre.
Such volatility underlines the importance of vigilance and the need to be proactive in dealing with challenges. Although this year marked the end of the 13-year combat phase in Afghanistan, there is no doubt that diplomacy, military assistance and a comprehensive aid package will be required in that country and elsewhere for decades to come. In this context the Island’s efforts through the Field Squadron and the Overseas Aid Commission remain of critical importance.
‘The Jersey Christmas Appeal is a fun event with the serious purpose of reminding us of the most vulnerable amongst us’
It is always interesting to see ourselves through the eyes of others. This year as part of the Island’s energetic efforts to project the Jersey identity and commercial contacts across the globe we have welcomed a series of ambassadors to Government House.
Their number has included representatives from Japan, New Zealand, China, Romania and Turkey. The visit programmes have focused on briefings from ministers and business groups but have included a taste of the Island’s distinctive history and culture.
They have all clearly been surprised and impressed by the Islands’ independence, energy, competence and confidence. They all departed commenting on the beauty of the most southerly part of the British Isles and expressing a determination to return.
The Jersey Christmas Appeal is a fun event with the serious purpose of reminding us of the most vulnerable amongst us, and providing support at a special time. As we welcome our own family home for Christmas we will reflect on how lucky we are.
For others, such as those in the emergency services, Armed Forces, and the health and social services, their duties may force them to be separated from those that they love over the Christmas holidays. We will be praying for those enduring separation and dealing with adversity, in the hope that better times lie ahead.
Gene joins with me in wishing you all a happy Christmas and a safe and successful New Year.
