JERSEY is approaching a “significant milestone”, the Bailiff has said ahead of the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day.
Next year’s celebrations will be an “opportunity not only to honour the sacrifices and resilience of those who came before us but also to reflect on how far we have come as a community”, according to Sir Timothy Le Cocq.
In a seasonal message shared with the JEP, Sir Timothy also reflected on a busy 2024 highlighting what he described as the “great Island event of the year” when King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited Jersey in July.
Sir Timothy said the royals had a “wonderful visit” and were “so grateful” to the Islanders who turned out making the day “so memorable and enjoyable, despite the weather”.
The Bailiff said: “As we prepare to welcome 2025, we find ourselves approaching another significant milestone – the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day. On 9 May 1945, Jersey was freed from occupation, and that day remains one of the most defining moments in our Island’s recent history. Liberation Day will always be important to Islanders as we gather together to pay tribute to those who bore the brunt of war’s cruelty, those who endured hardships throughout the Island’s Occupation and who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our freedom.
“Next year’s commemorations will be an opportunity not only to honour the sacrifices and resilience of those who came before us but also to reflect on how far we have come as a community. The celebrations promise to be both poignant and inspiring, involving Islanders of all generations and paying tribute to our shared history. Inevitably Liberation Day, which is in effect our national day, will evolve and change to better reflect our community but it will, I trust, remain an important statement not only of our history but also our identity.”
Sir Timothy is due to retire from office in October next year. He took over the role as head of the judiciary on 17 October 2019 as the Island’s 90th Bailiff and will step down on 17 October 2025 after six years of service.
The Bailiff’s message can be read in full in the print and online editions of the JEP. For details of how to subscribe, see jerseyeveningpost.com/delivery-and-subscriptions
