Mick Jandron
(43) drives fuel tankers for Channel Islands Fuels Ltd. He is chairman of the St Brelade Battle team
When was your first Battle?
I was involved for the first time at the age of 12 with the Band of The Island of Jersey, which I was a member of until 1999. I didn’t start working on the parish float until 1999.
How have you been involved since?
Since I have been involved with the float I’ve done almost every job there is to do, from welding to making cups of tea and even guiding the float in the parade. The only job I haven’t done is dancing – and I don’t really see me doing that!
What are you doing this year?
I am now chairman of the St Brelade Battle of Flowers team and I also drive the parish float. I am also involved in construction of the float, but I’m not very good at flowering or hairstailing so I leave that job to the people who can do it.
What’s your favourite thing about Battle?
The number of people who get involved and have a good time – we get people from all walks of life in the shed. It’s great to see new faces and it’s really important to try and get new and young people interested. I don’t really see much of the parade as I’m under the float, but my guiders tell me it’s a great show.
What was your favourite float to work on?
I don’t have a favourite as they’re all so different to work on, but last year’s float was one of the best, because of the stained glass church window which we lit up for the Moonlight Parade. It took 15 people to make it and we won the Best Illuminated trophy for it.
The best float you’ve ever seen?
Over the years there have been so many fantastic floats, but I think the one that sticks in my mind was St Saviour’s Hanamachi, which won the Prix d’Honneur in 2009 – it was just so well built and flowered.
Sum up Battle in three words?
I could say ‘lots of work’, but I think it should be ‘fantastic day out’.
