THIS year’s Jersey International Air Display is still up in the air, despite the organiser saying they received a number of pledges of sponsorship money over the weekend.
Former Deputy Mike Higgins, who has run the event for the past 23 years, said on Friday that he was days away from cancelling this year’s event, which is due to be held on Thursday 14 September.
This is because, he says, of the uncertainty caused by the government’s decision to change the way it allocates its annual grant.
In March, the government said it would put next year’s funding out to tender and invited ‘expressions of interest’ from would-be event organisers.
Four potential organisers, including long-time incumbent, a not-for-profit company called Jersey International Air Display Ltd, led by Mr Higgins, have applied. However, this year’s display is still being run by JIAD.
Mr Higgins said previously that he was still £75,000 short and called for financial support from sponsors. He said yesterday that he had received ‘a number of £5,000 pledges’ but was still short.
Remaining optimistic, he said that he had extended the deadline – when a decision has to be taken on whether to go ahead or not – from the end of today to Friday.
He said: ‘We are especially appealing to those companies who benefit from the air display or use it to host various corporate hospitality events on the day for their clients and/or employees, to come forward to help fund it.’
Anyone interested in sponsoring the display can email Mr Higgins at m.r.higgins@live.com.
The government has given JIAD Ltd a £40,000 grant this year, awarded through Ports of Jersey. It says that, in making this offer, it was clear that any other money required to stage the display would have to be raised by sponsorship and commercial agreements.
Aircraft already booked for the show include the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the French Air Force National Aerobatic Display Team, the Patrouille de France, and the RAF Parachute Display Team, the Falcons.
