- Major new sponsor for Battle of Flowers
- Channel Island Lines to invest tens of thousands over next four years
- Re-live Battle 2014 with our video and gallery, below
- Did you know? The origins of the first Battle
TENS of thousands of pounds are to be invested in the Battle of Flowers for the next four years following the announcement of a major new sponsor.
Freight company Channel Island Lines has confirmed that it will be investing a ‘significant’ amount of money into the festival until 2018, in addition to providing shipping services to bring arena seating into the Island.
The funding deal was reached following the pull-out of long term sponsor CPA last year and the publication of a damning independent report on the festival earlier this year which called for a radical overhaul of the event.
Jackie Donald, events director for the Battle of Flowers, said that the funding would allow the festival to maintain its high standards and to allow the addition of a unique finale to both the daytime and evening parades this year.
‘It’s been difficult this year to secure sponsorship because of the Island Games, but what this deal shows is that there are still fantastic local companies who want to support major festivals in the Island,’ she said.
‘There were no stipulations to the sponsorship from Channel Island Lines but we have reacted to the report and the money will allow us to have two surprise finales, something which people will definitely not have seen at the Battle before.’
Mrs Donald added: ‘We are particularly pleased to have a local company on board who are so clearly proud of their heritage and hope this year is just the start of a successful and mutually beneficial partnership for the next three years.’
Read about this year’s Miss Parish title holders here
Meanwhile, Andy Cook, Channel Island Lines group chief executive officer, said that it was a ‘proud’ moment for the company to become one of the festival’s major sponsors.
‘We want to make sure that it’s appropriately funded,’ he said.
‘We think it’s such a positive event for the Island, something that we have all grown up with and now take our children and grandchildren to see, and we are very proud to be involved.’
He added that the sponsorship would be a mixture of support, as the company would provide both cash and freight services.
Re-live Battle 2014 with our gallery of pictures here and the video below:
- The first Battle of Flowers took place on Saturday 9 August 1902 on Victoria Avenue.
- It was originally planned as a one-off event to celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII and was the idea of the then Constable of St Helier, Philippe Baudains (pictured left seated centre), the president of the Fêtes Committee.
- That first floral parade was watched by around 30,000 people and was reported on heavily in the national press two days later.
- At the end of the event, a spontaneous battle took place, during which spectators ripped flowers from the entries and pelted each other with them.
- Because the parade was such a success it was decided to make it an annual event and it was from that unplanned flower-fight at the end of the first parade that the Battle was given its name
