JERSEY International Air Display organiser Mike Higgins expressed his ‘relief’ and thanked supporters of this year’s show as aircraft took to the skies during an event that nearly did not take place.
The 2023 display was saved by a successful last-ditch call for funding made by organisers, as well as a £60,000 grant from the Economic Development Department.
Speaking yesterday as crowds lined the Avenue to watch a range of planes and flying teams – which included the Red Arrows and their French equivalent the Patrouille de France – Mr Higgins described his ‘relief’ that the event had come to fruition.
‘With the air display, it is so stressful in the time [leading] up to it,’ he said.
‘I have absolute confidence in the team – we have been together, most of us, for 25 years. The new people who have come on are equally good – so I am relaxed and delighted.’
He thanked the individuals and companies who came forward ‘at the eleventh hour’ to help finance this year’s show.
‘We had the reception at Government House last night [Wednesday] and I think most of them, if not all, were there. I actually said, had they not contributed their money, we would not have had a show.’
Mr Higgins also said the Island ‘had to’ try to keep the event going, citing the positive impact it had on the community.
‘I’ll give you an example – an 11-year-old sent me an email the other day and he had all of the previous air display brochures.
‘He said how much he was looking forward to it and that he was so delighted the display was going to happen; he even produced his own programme for 2023,’ he continued.
Mr Higgins said that preparation had already begun for next year’s show, and added: ‘There are things that are planned which I would have had this year had we not had the delays and lack of money and everything else.’
An air display picture supplement can be found on pages 31 to 38 of today’s paper.
