INCREASING the number of Islanders meeting recommended physical activity levels, encouraging volunteers to get involved in sport, and securing funding for the facilities required to host the Island Games are among government priorities for the next five years.
Issuing a “half-time report” for the Inspiring an Active Jersey initiative, a ten-year project launched in 2020, Constable Andy Jehan, who has responsibility for sport, said that good progress had been made, but that he was “under no illusions” that more needed to be done.
“Our sports community has shown great resilience and remains in a strong position, in spite of challenges such as COVID-19 which occurred in the early stages of the strategy,” he said.
We continue to support sport and physical activity through the completion of Oakfield Sports Centre, a significant milestone for Jersey, and by making best use of all our public assets – I am confident that we are on the right track.”
The report acknowledges that the pandemic had affected many areas of the project, while global economic factors had meant some of the original ambitions, including an investment of £100 million for a range of new facilities, were no longer feasible.
A switch to a smaller-scale redevelopment programme includes secured funding for the Oakfield Sports Centre, new lighting and pitch at Springfield Stadium and a new skate park.
A list of “ageing infrastructure” requiring replacement or refurbishment includes Haute Vallée pool, the pitch at Le Rocquier, Les Quennevais Sports Centre and Pool, Langford Pool, FB Fields and the Aquasplash. Such projects would need to be finalised and funded in the 2028-2031 Budget should Jersey be selected to host the Island Games in 2035 following a recent expression of interest, the report notes.
Increasing the number of Islanders who meet the World Health Organisation’s recommended amount of physical activity is listed as a priority for the next five years, although no 2030 target figures are given. When Inspiring an Active Jersey was launched, 51% of adults and 20% of children reached this level, with the latest figures from 2024 showing slight increases to 55% and 22% respectively.
The importance of the role played by volunteers in sport is recognised, with figures showing that the proportion of Islanders volunteering had been 10% in 2019 and bounced back to 11% in 2024 after falling during the pandemic.
Government employees are given 22 hours of paid volunteering time per year, with Jersey Sport seeking to direct more of this time towards sport.
The report also notes that while around two-thirds (68%) of adults rated the range of sporting activities and events in Jersey as good or very good, there had been a steady decline since 2019.
In a bid to reverse this trend, the government has committed to develop a framework of events and to work in maximising the potential for Jersey to develop as a sports tourism destination.
