Gallery [Alternative] October 2015 by Gallery Magazine Guernsey

Guernsey’s Style Magazine | No. 43 | October 2015 | the

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WIN A HOUSE!

Take a tour around the Val Fleury

STRESS LESS

Guide to the most relaxing therapies

GET HOOKED

Discover a new sushi menu

THE INTERVIEW

Take a spin in the fast lane with Alex Ford

LOCAL FASHION

New handbag brand Catherine and Jean

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Ray & Scott Jewellers The Bridge, St Sampsons, Guernsey, GY2 4QN +44 1481 244 610 „The Knightsbridge of Guernsey“ 6

www.kriegernet.com

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Gallery is published 11 times a year as a fresh yet discerning guide to all that happens on the island and beyond. With quality and style in mind, our tone is not too superior or too serious, written by the people of Guernsey for people everywhere.

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Claud De La Mare claud@gallery.gg CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Excellence in all aspects of family law

Ross Weston ross@gallery.gg PHOTOGRAPHY

Simon Boucher-Harris 07911 732595 Etienne Laine 07781 413437

ADVERTISING SALES & ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Simon de la Rue T: 01481 711100 M: 07839 777946 simon@gallery.gg Leon Robertson T: 01481 711100 M: 07839 722203 leon@gallery.gg DISTRIBUTION

deliveries@gallery.gg ACCOUNTS

accounts@gallery.gg You will find additional contacts on the contributors page

Entertain us with jokes, ideas, YouTube clips, etc.

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A5 • Hirzel Court • St Peter Port Guernsey • GY1 2NN T: 01481 740002 E: enquiries@brownsadvocates.com www.brownsadvocates.com 8

Recycle. Gallery recycles all its storage and packing materials, boxes and any old magazines that are returned. We don’t get that many fortunately. We love to know our readers hang on to previous copies but when you move or find that they’re taking up too much space, drop them down to various recycling bins across the Island. To find out more about recycling visit: www.gov.gg/recycling

Published with gusto in Guernsey by Gallery Magazine Ltd

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

EDITOR’S NOTE

Guernsey’s Style Magazine | No. 43 | October 2015 | the

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ISSUE #43 [ALTERNATIVE]

COVER CREDITS MODEL Viki Stunell — PHOTOGRAPHY Simon Boucher-Harris — ASSISTANT Shanine Levrier

SOCIAL NETWORKING Be our friend and we will tell you our secrets!

INTRO

editor’s note It’s been an exciting month at Gallery as we welcome two new faces to our team. Superstar DJ Leon Robertson makes a fine addition to the sales team, and one of our island’s unique design talents plus all-around nice chap Ross Weston will now be producing the magazine each month.

As our team expands so does our dedication to bringing you a high quality publication that we hope will make a regular feature on your coffee table, all month long. Expect to see some changes in the coming months as Ross unleashes his creative talents and we develop Gallery even further. As a reader your feedback is invaluable to us, so please do let us know what you would like to see more of on our pages. This month we enjoyed working with the theme ‘alternative’ because what is life without variety? Gallery spoke to Simon Boucher-Harris about his leap from the finance industry into a career in photography. Looking for an alternative to buying your own home? We showcase Val Fleury and the house up for grabs in the Sarnia Property Lottery. If you are feeling a bit stressed out this month as we pick up the pace after the summer, then let the Gallery Stress Less Guide help. Featuring reviews on some of our island’s top alternative stress therapies, sleepless nights will soon be a thing of the past… Embrace the alternative. Claud @Claudarelli

ARE YOU IN? You can also view paparazzi photos on our facebook page.

LEARN MORE www.gallery.gg

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CONTENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE

Editor’s Note ��9 Contributors �� 12 Behind the Scenes �� 14 The News Upfront �� 15 Events Listings �� 16 My Island �� 18 Georgie’s Pic of the Month �� 20 The Weather Fox �� 22 Community �� 26 Charity of the month �� 28 SOCIAL CIRCLES �� 29 Spectacle Wearer Competition �� 30 Penelope Hope Launch �� 32 Sure Big Screen �� 34 STYLE ��35 Shoot: Alternative �� 36 Jorja’s Wardrobe �� 44 Fashion Profile �� 46 BEAUTY & WELLBEING �� 49

Beauty Buzz �� 50 Gallery Stress Less Guide �� 51 Mind, Body, Health, Self �� 57

Shields �� 88 Fine & Country �� 92 Sarnia Estates �� 94

APPETITE �� 59 Food Review: Hooked �� 60 Duke of Richmond �� 62 Kitchen Library: Amelia Freer �� 64

BUSINESS �� 97 The Interview �� 98 From suit to photo shoot �� 100 Movers & Shakers �� 102 Business News �� 104 Career Choice �� 106

ART & DESIGN �� 65 Artist Profile �� 66 Photography: Test Shoot �� 68 Michele Hilton Interiors �� 70 PROPERTY �� 71 Expert Analysis �� 72 Val Fleury �� 74 Livingroom �� 76 Vision �� 78 Bonsai �� 80 Cranfords �� 84 Carre Properties �� 86

SPORT �� 109 Zero to Sixty �� 110 HARDWARE �� 113 How to manage your data �� 116 Get Appy ��117 PAPARAZZI ��118 Boardom ��122

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inspired by arctic beauty

CERAMIC COLLECTION Hig h -te c h ce r a mic, scratch-resistant sapphire cr ystal, SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS

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BERING Watches from just £85.00, sold exclusively in Guernsey at TIME, The Bridge, Guernsey, GY2 4QF „The Knightsbridge of Guernsey“ Tel: 01481 247 925 www.facebook.com/timejewellers

KEYBOARD CONNOISSEURS

A-TEAM

CONTRIBUTORS

Get to know some of our existing contributors a little better...

LIAM APOLLO DOHERTY

TOM BRADSHAW

KATIE WHITFORD

What is your signature dance move?

Unnamed, indescribable and mercilessly cringeworthy.

The pneumatic drill!

Nowadays it’s mummy-dancing to the Hokey Cokey.

Writer & extrovert

If you could change one thing about Guernsey, what would it be? I would cull those who complain about the gem of an island they choose to live on while making zero effort to experience and or improve it.

Where can we usually find you on a Saturday night? Slurping marshmallows from a Bailey’s hot chocolate watching Mean Girls.

Writer, musical genius & dad of two

If you could change one thing about Guernsey, what would it be? The house prices.

Where can we usually find you on a Saturday night? Playing a gig with Buffalo Huddleston.

If you could get away with one crime what would it be? Taking Claud’s husband’s VW splitty for a joyride. That’s one sweet set of wheels! —

Writer. kitchen pioneer

If you could change one thing about Guernsey, what would it be? The lack of a tunnel between here and the UK/France.

Where can we usually find you on a Saturday night? At home, snoozing in front of a really good Netflix film. However in my dreams we will be having a serene dinner party at home with good friends.

If you could get away with one crime what would it be?

Double denim.

Crossing a filter when it’s not my turn (but who knows whose turn it is anyway?).

—

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contributors@gallery.gg

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Rip it, scrap it, comment, critique, research, report. Opinions wanted on politics, business, news, home, property, music, gadgets, sports and culture. Something annoyed you and you want to tell the island? We’re here for you baby. If you’d like to see your name in... er... print, get in touch.

The medium is the message. The quality of a magazine reflects on the businesses that advertise within it. Gallery is the highest quality magazine for stylish and progressive brands. If you have a business or strategy to promote to Guernsey’s forwardthinking consumer, get in touch.

If you are an artist with work to exhibit, an event or entertainment organiser with an exciting event coming up or a business with some exciting news or a new product to feature, get in touch. We’re keen to feature anything of interest that will entertain our readers.

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Disclaimer.

All rights reserved. Any form of reproduction of Gallery Magazine, in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. Any views expressed by advertisers or contributors may not be those of the publisher. Unsolicited artwork, manuscripts and copy are accepted by Gallery Magazine, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage. All material, copy and artwork supplied is assumed to be copyright free unless otherwise advised. Contributions for Gallery should be emailed to editorial@gallery.gg. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and no penguins were harmed in the manufacture of this magazine, you can’t prove nuffing. Why are you still reading the small print? How about researching what really makes the best paper aeroplane? Test them with your friends or colleagues, add a picture to our Facebook and we’ll send you some doughnuts...

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PROMOTER: ALEX FORD CONTACT: 07781132304

PERMIT NUMBER: 2015/18

FEATURE

BEHIND THE SCENES

Behind the scenes at this month’s fashion shoot Words: Simon Boucher-Harris

This month we were given the theme of ‘alternative’ and to be honest it was a concept that I initially struggled with, just because the obvious choice would have been to find a model with tattoos and piercings, and I really don’t like to do the obvious… A few days of brainstorming followed until I realised the answer was right in front of me all the time - our incredibly talented makeup artist Shanine Levrier. Shanine has created beautiful hair and makeup for our cover and editorial shoots over recent months and it was a fantastic opportunity to let her flex her creative muscles and have some fun with some alternative looks for this shoot. One slightly tipsy visit to ebay later and a couple of quality wigs were sourced (joking about the quality - thank goodness nobody on set smoked as our model would have gone up like a Roman candle). With summer seemingly on the way out and thoughts turning to the party season, Katie at Free Love boutique provided some stunning evening wear which really pulled the look together - but if you’re looking to buy anything we’ve shot I’d be quick as our makeup artist, model, and even our super-stylish editor, were picking out the pieces they wanted before the shoot was even finished! Creating such an edgy editorial required a model capable of pulling off such a dramatic look, so I was delighted to have the beautiful Viki Stunell join us for the shoot, and yet again she nailed it. Visit pg. 36 to see the full shoot.

Images 01 02 03 04

Reflecting extra light Hair and makeup The glam squad Sparkly shoes selected for shoot 04

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

NEWS / INSTAGANGS

THE NEWS UPFRONT Top of our feeds

UPFRONT

INSTAGANGS

Whose Instagang are you in? Here’s a run down of our favourite ‘alternative’ Instagram accounts.

FOODIE NEWS: NEW OPENING! Looks like the facelift down at the Bridge is gathering pace with newcomer to the café scene RendezVous. Owner Dom Watson has totally renovated the old Victor Hugo site bringing to it a new fresh, clean feel. They will be serving top quality coffee and light lunches so pop down and check it out for yourself!

OAKLEY CHARITY SPIN Over 500 bikers took to the roads of Guernsey for the Full-Boar Motorcycle Club’s ninth annual Oakley Spin in memory of Oakley Waterman, who died aged six from a rare type of cancer. Islanders were treated to a convoy of spectacular vehicles and riders were able to enjoy the open road thanks to cooperation from the Guernsey Police. Thanks to Bryan Collenette for supplying imagery.

YEW TO THE HIGHSTREET Manzur Asghar has done it again, but this time the superstar DJ/hairdresser has turned his hand to menswear. New store Yew recently opened in the Lower Pollet and stocks a wide range of casual wear from jeans and jumpers to shirts and shoes, all from unique brands you won’t find anywhere else on the island.

GALLERY GOES COCKTAIL MAD Judging the cocktail competition at the GIFF was a tough job, but someone had to do it! Our editor Claud was invited to taste eight deliciously crafted cocktails from our island’s leading mixologists. James from the Duke of Richmond claimed first place with second and third tied between Elvis from Red and Sam from The Rock Garden. Crowd favourite ‘the king’ took second after a heated ‘shake off’. Congratulations to all.

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@Morganbrechler

Follow alternative mother Morgan and daughter Hadlie, aged 3, on their adventures as they rock climb and conquer national parks around the world. ‘These trips are shaping her character and the person she is going to become,’ says Morgan, selfconfessed nature groupie.

@Mikeescamilla

What’s the alternative to sitting in an office? Skydiving, exploring abandoned aqueducts, smashing windows on a BMX bike and kayaking off a waterfall of course. Live vicariously through Mike ‘Rooftop’ Escamilla’s well-framed, dramatic news feed.

@Baddiewinkle

Meet Baddie Winkle, who has been ‘stealing your man,’ as her profile puts it, ‘since 1928.’ Her fabulous news feed displays an alternative to growing old gracefully and with over 996K followers and shout-outs from Rihanna this baddie is badder than ever.

HASHTAG THIS!

Get in touch this month using the tag #mypetisweird The best photos, comments or rants will be published.

EVENTS

OCTOBER IN GUERNSEY

ON THIS OCTOBER

KEEP US POSTED WITH YOUR EVENTS

IN GUERNSEY

Email: events@gallery.gg

03.10.15

PETIT BOT HILL CLIMB Bet you can’t guess where! 10am £Free

Time trials and races, refreshments also available on site.

10.10.15 – 18.10.15 1.10.15 – 11.11.15

TENNERFEST Islandwide tennerfest.com From £10

It’s back and better than ever. Eat at your favourite restaurants for a fraction of the price. We want to hear which ones have the best menus, so get tweeting.

AUTUMN FLORAL FESTIVAL Islandwide £Free

Talks and walks plus workshops suitable for beginners and experienced gardeners. Detailed programme available from the Guernsey Information Centre.

12.10.15

THE CONNECTION MOVIE Beau Sejour 10am and 7pm guernseytickets.gg £Free

Filmmaker Shannon Harvey travels the world in search of the missing link in healthcare, delving into the link between our mind and body. Complimentary drink with Raj and Nicky from Mindful Guernsey in the bar afterwards.

12.10.15

ALDERNEY FOOD FESTIVAL info@visitalderney.com 01481 822333

If you’re stuffed after our own food festival and Tennerfest then make some room for some local Alderney grub. Themed menus and Halloween suppers all using fresh seafood and home-reared meat.

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER IN JERSEY

EVENTS

IN JERSEY

4.10.15

THE WEDDING EXHIBITION The Venue, Fermain 11am – 4pm £Free From wedding flowers to photographers and transport, this is your one-stop wedding shop. Free glass of bubbles on arrival!

25.10.15

WEDDING FAYRE Castle Cornet 1-4pm £Free It’s officially wedding fayre season. Another beautiful venue, packed with bride-beautiful ideas. Catwalk at 3pm.

04.10.15

STANDARD CHARTERED JERSEY MARATHON Weighbridge 9am onwards You may be a little late to sign up and join the race, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be one of the thousands of supporters willing on the runners at various stages around the island. A recent runner said; ‘The Jersey Marathon is a small race with a very big atmosphere’. The event starts and finishes in the ‘Weighbridge’ area, in the heart of St Helier and this is a great place to soak up the atmosphere and be part of the large crowds waiting to welcome the runners across the fi nish line after completing their 26.2 miles.

09.10.15

CONCORDIA CHOIR LISTINGSCONCERT St Ouen’s parish hall 8pm FOC with a retiring collection Concordia women’s choir are having a 21st birthday concert party; wine, cake and song! And they’re welcoming you to come and join in the fun. Retiring collection in aid of the Jersey Brain Tumour Support and Concordia.

23.10.15

JERSEY RUGBY CLUB NIGHT GAME JRFC, St Peter 7.45pm Tickets from £6 A chance for rugby fans to experience ‘Friday night lights’. The Championship game against Nottingham will be the first-ever evening kick-off at 7.45pm - for a league match at St Peter, following last season’s British & Irish Cup clash with Plymouth Albion. The home side will be seeking a fifth straight win over the Green and Whites of Nottingham.

24.10.15

CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP Les Quennevais cycle track 11am £10 per entry Cyclocross returns with a six round Championship. It doesn’t matter whether you are a racing regular or a Cyclocross rookie, come and join the fun. The Under 12s race will kick things off at 11:00. This will be followed by the Ladies/Fun race at 11:45. Next up is the Under 16s at 12:45, with the final event being the Men’s race at 13:30. Dancing and fancy dress is advised (Superhero theme please). The event will be raising money for Macmillan Cancer

ON THIS OCTOBER...

IN JERSEY

17.10.15 01.10.15 - 11.11.15

11.10

SANDSTORM TENNERFEST

PLÉMO PROGR

ADVENTURE RACE VARIOUS £ //VARIOUS TIMES/ / VARIOUS LOCATIONS Simon sand gravel quarry, St The Channel Islands can look forward to six Ouen weeks of great meals at fixed prices. Across 9am

Guernsey and Jersey, over 180 restaurants will Sand is Jersey’s be taking part,Storm meaning diners aredefinitive once again adventure race, openmenus to everyone guaranteed to find outstanding and old enough and brave enough to have a meals created from the wealth of good food 31.10.15 Competitors will need to availablego. in the islands. Restaurateurs on both overcome the terrain andatbeat the islands are offering menus starting £10 with obstacles as they throw themselves £12.50, £15.00, £17.50 and now £20 options. Castle Cornet over walls, crawl under barbed wire, All day scramble up and fling themselves From £1.50 for kids down sand dunes and plough through water obstacles to be Mark the changing of the seasons with the fi rst over the line! Online entry traditional folk dancing, live music, STANDARD closes on 15CHARTERED October. storytelling and special guided tours led www.sandstormjersey.com by characters in costume. Family fun! JERSEY MARATHON

LES LAND £VARIED

HALLOWTIDE

04.10.15

FOC // 9AM ONWARDS

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You may be a little late to sign up and join the race, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be one of the thousands of supporters willing on the runners at various stages around the island.

17.10.15

Plémont rev freshly lands Learn about National Tru get to know areas. The w Trust memb

SAND STORM ADVENTURE RACE SIMON SAND & GRAVEL QUARRY, ST OUEN // 9AM

Sand Storm is Jersey’s definitive adventure race, open to everyone old enough and brave enough to have a go. Competitors will need to overcome the terrain and beat the obstacles as

FEATURE

MY ISLAND

M Y

I S L A N D

Alternative island views Words: Tom Bradshaw Experimental photographer David Gilliver has a real knack for capturing alternative images of iconic island scenes. The Scotsman, who has lived locally for 14 years, has achieved worldwide recognition for his breathtaking light photography of local landscapes. His French wife Melissa, a popular artist, is creating an equally impressive local legacy with her numerous works from caricatures to bedroom murals. This month they are leaving the island for an extended holiday with their one-yearold daughter Léa, to visit both sides of the family in Scotland and the south of France. Born and Bred in Glasgow, David graduated from the fine art photography course at the city’s School of Art in the year 2001, before moving to Guernsey. Soon after arriving he met the love of his life Melissa, who had come to the island from her family home in Perpignan. David has worked full time in finance while increasingly indulging his love of photography. ‘I have been truly spoiled for subject matter, surrounded by stunning scenery in every direction. Several years ago I decided to dedicate some time to creating art work within the Guernsey landscape in an attempt to capture this beautiful Island in my own unique style.’ His initial project focused on creating a series of light paintings. Over the years he has also spent a lot of time documenting the coastal areas of the island, turning his attention to other techniques such as macro and high-speed photography. Always keen to share his passion with others, David also regularly teaches night photography and light painting workshops over the years. More recently he has developed his Little People and Star Wars collections, which feature model figures going about

their lives and facing everyday challenges in their miniature worlds. A number of these photographs, as with a lot of David’s work, have been picked up and published by media worldwide. The recent work also featured in an exclusive exhibition at the Catherine Best Gallery last month, to considerable acclaim. ‘My work has received some very welcome attention over the past few years and this has led to me becoming involved in some great projects. It has been used both in a fine art context as well as in commercial fields, something which greatly pleases me.’

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

MY ISLAND

FEATURE

What appeals to you about photography? The whole concept and process of recording light fascinates me. It has since my early teens and I love recording memories as well as attempting to create meaningful pieces of art using this medium.

What is next for your photography? I am currently working on a lighthearted body of work that uses the Star Wars saga as its main inspiration. Yet another excuse for me to play with toys!

Who are your favourite local photographers and why? I have seen a lot of work by Karl Taylor that has really impressed me. I also have a deep respect for Simon Boucher-Harris and Chris Tostevin-Hall. Both friends of mine and very talented photographers in their own right.

Do you have any other hobbies? I love fishing! I am also obsessed with F1...

How do you like to spend your days off? My days off are currently spent either catching up on my photo-editing, or looking after our beautiful daughter.

What is your favourite food? Currently sushi. Although I am also a fond admirer of a good steak, cheeseburgers, and pizza!

Where do you like to eat out in Guernsey? Red, Hook, Les Douvres, China Red and Taste of India at L’Eree.

Where is your local? The Cock & Bull.

What is your favourite part of the island and why? That is tricky as I love so many areas including Petit Bot, Port Soif, Grandes Rocques and Vazon. But I think my favourite area might be Moulin Huet. I can see why Pierre-Auguste Renoir chose to paint there. There is something very special about that beach – I just love spending time there.

What quote sums you up? Opinionated but open minded.

What inspires you? Other art and nature.

What makes you happy? Playing with my baby daughter Léa and catching up with family. If I need a break

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from people, fishing will always make me feel at peace. As will my photography.

Which charities do you support? I have supported many over time, but I am currently most involved with Cancer Research and Les Bourgs Hospice.

What song would be the soundtrack to the story of your life? Your Hand in Mine, by Explosions in the Sky. View loads more work by David at his website davidgilliver.com

Images 01 02 03 04 05 06

David Gilliver Last of the defences The Cup and Saucer at sunset David light painting on location Rainbow road, bathing pools Where rainbows sleep

FEATURE

PIC(K) OF THE MONTH

PIC(K) OF THE MONTH The Guernsey Symphony Orchestra brought the Proms to the Crown Pier for the 10th year running to mark the 120th anniversary of the Proms series, they were followed by the live broadcast of the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ from the Royal Albert Hall in London. As the music cast its spell over spectators and visiting yachtsman the sky was lit up with a spectacular firework display. See the whole back catalogue and sign up for Chris’ daily updates at chrisgeorge.dphoto.com

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LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS

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FEATURE

REPORT

GUERNSEY WEATHER FOX

Autumnal jetstreams and the rhyme of the modern surfers Words: Guernsey Weather Fox

Whatever you do, do not take the poem on the opposite page as a forecast, although considering that it’s about the final week in October, then perhaps the odds are fairly high that it will happen again. Nope; I wrote that little ditty a few years ago, after getting aroused by a weather chart in the early hours of an autumn morning. No doubt the majority of the population was snoring or getting aroused in other ways, but for this particular geek it was all about the black and white squiggles on a North Atlantic and European ASSX (pronounced azux). If you translate ASSX from meteorological jargon into plain English, then the halfway point is Analysis of the Synoptic Situation (the X is just there for fun). The final translation is a weather chart that is drawn up from an array of observations from official calibrated weather stations. It takes a short time to gather these observations, filter out the ones that are obviously spurious and then join the dots to produce a picture that is relatively easy

on the eye. In this day and age, an ASSX is produced and made publicly available so quickly that it is generally considered to be a representation of present weather, rather than the recent past. This is mainly due to modern communication technology and computer processing power, however human input is still essential for the vetting and the story-telling processes which means that there is continuity between the ASSX that was drawn six hours earlier and the FSSX that is drawn for six hours in the future (I’ll let you guess what the F means...). It is partially because I have worked at the UK Met Office, alongside the Chief Forecasters (who produce these charts) that I got so excited; you see I know that those guys have brains as big as planets so I have a lot of faith in the stories that they tell with these charts. I was also super-excited because the deep low pressure system that I saw in the midAtlantic was not something that might happen in the future but something that was happening at that very moment. As a surfer, all I had to do was wait five days for an army of waves that already existed,

to follow Newton’s First Law of Motion all the way to our coastline. I was bouncing off the walls, and after a quick Facebook post, I soon found a bunch of other surfdorks were equally animated. October is usually the month when autumn is officially accepted. A few people like to talk about it in August, every time a leaf has the cheek to fall off a tree. September can often (but not always) be the finest month of summer. But people are usually resigned to the new season in October. It’s easy when the trees look like they’re done up for a Brazillian Carnival; semi-nude and multi-coloured all at the same time. It puts you in the mood for a Halloween party and a big bonfire. And the painful blow of the consuming darkness is anaesthetised for many people, by the good old Tennerfest. Oh yes, the bars and restaurants slash their prices so much, that consumers can afford to absorb sufficient alcohol to forgive all kinds of things. However distracted one might be, there are some physical facts that are inescapable in October. The earth is tilting,

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

GUERNSEY WEATHER FOX

October, October, Thy days are so brief. The Polar Front came in the night like a thief! Tiptoeing softly toward the Equator, doping the sun to rise later and later. 03

High latitudes plunge into endless night, jetstreams quicken, the gradient’s tight across winter’s wandering heavenly border. Earth suffers seasonal affective disorder. It’s Thursday, October the 24th, the depression is deepest at 51 north; a turbulent soul, in a spin of emotion, throwing waves of despair all over the ocean. They’re seeking our shores to SHAKE them to LIFE! The party hits Guernsey on the 29th.

REPORT

such that the North Pole will soon have lost all of its daylight. The temperature contrast between equator and pole thus becomes more severe and, as a result, the famous river of air that flows from North America to Europe at jet-cruising altitudes becomes much quicker. When rivers flow fast, their peripheral eddies spin faster, and in the atmosphere that translates into deeper, more violent low pressure systems. For those that live on or near the sea, it also means big waves. Whether you love to ride them, or whether you live in fear of tidal flooding, it’s almost as sure as eggs is eggs. If you’ve read my articles in Gallery before then you’ll know that I write them about three weeks prior to the month, so the forecast sections are inevitably rather vague. However, the general feeling amongst UK forecasters is that, due to the strong El Niño event that is underway in the Pacific, there is an increased likelihood of a positive North Atlantic Oscillation. Sorry about the jargon, but what this means is an even stronger jetstream than would normally be expected in autumn. So we might be in for lots of wet and windy weather. If this got underway in September (I’m afraid I don’t know at the time of writing) then that would have meant cooler than average temperatures for that month, because September is frequently very warm and sunny. However, as we move through October and especially into November, wet and windy weather actually brings above average temperatures. Thus, autumn is most likely to be warmer than it could be, but probably very unsettled and rather unpleasant. Watch out particularly for the big spring tides of October 28th and 29th.

Images

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High tides over town front Hauteville Choppy seas at Vazon Hanois lighthouse

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Soldstory is a new Guernsey-owned marketplace for authentic, handcrafted creative works by passionate artists working in all accessible mediums. Soldstory allows creatives to personalise their online presence; setting out their story and explaining to their potential consumers a little more about themselves and their work. Research has shown that consumers want more personal contact and personality from online retailers in general and those they choose to feature in their homes specifically. They want to know the story. “Living on the small island of Guernsey shouldn’t be a barrier to how artwork is seen or published; the power of global, social connectivity means we now have access to the world at the touch of a button.” Soldstory is a global community for talented creatives; no matter how isolated a creative’s studio may be they need no longer feel that they work alone – there is real potential to have a global impact through Soldstory and we think that’s exciting - especially for talented local creatives. ”I really want Soldstory to be a springboard for islanders to showcase their work to the world. When creatives become members I will do my very best to market their skills and spend every minute increasing their audience to get the best possible exposure. We already have over 10,000 followers through social media and direct e-mail sign-ups. That’s a promising and humbling start given we are only a week old. It’s important to me that Soldstory is not an anonymous company formed in a corporate, ivory tower. Soldstory is much more about a true connection with its members through intrinsic understanding. I am a creative; I know we can be a different breed. We dare to dream big, we are passionate about what we do and, most of all, we like to be surrounded by those who are likeminded yet highly individual.”

We’re delighted to offer the £7,500 Soldstory/Gallery Magazine Give Away offering 100 FREE £75 (Enhanced package) annual memberships to talented local creatives looking to sell their work online. Each member can create a personal gallery then upload images of their work to their product pages to enjoy discounted commission when they sell their works. If you’re a creative of a professional standard, over the age of 18 and living in Guernsey - Soldstory could be the perfect platform for you. “I am so looking forward to unearthing new talent. It’s a really exciting place to be right now as the online art market continues to grow. The value of the online art market has grown from $1 billion in 2013 to an estimated $2.64 billion this year. Based on that growth trajectory the Hiscox Online Art Trade Report estimates it will be worth $6.3 billion in 2019. It’s time for Guernsey to be part of the online art revolution.” Simon Torode, creator and founder of Soldstory. All you have to do is apply online and let the story begin.

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WWW.SOLDSTORY.COM

£7,500 #SOLDSTORY #GALLERY #CREATIVE #GIVEWAY

SOLDSTORY

THE CREATIVE MARKETPLACE

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NEWS & ACHIEVEMENTS

COMMUNITY

Community An Epic Achievement Warren Mauger and Philip Smith, together with UK athletes Robert Young, Adam Holland and Abi Schofield, ran a combined total of 691.76 miles during the EPIC48 event last month.

Four world records were broken over the weekend as well as five British records. Adam Holland attempted the quicker world and British records during the challenge. Within the first two hours, he broke the world record for the men’s half marathon by 22 seconds in 1:10:20. Over the 48 hours, he broke three world and three British records. ‘The experience was fantastic, I didn’t know what to expect as I’d never run for this long before. The support was amazing, not just from the brilliant Guernsey crowd that turned up to cheer us on but from the whole support crew involved,’ said Mr Holland. Abi Schofield was the only other athlete to break both world and British records. She broke the world record for the women’s marathon on a treadmill, completing it in 4:06:02.

Miss Schofield said, ‘It was a brilliant experience and I have learnt so much. It was heart-warming to be supported by the Guernsey community; however I never want to set foot on a treadmill again!’ The current figure raised is £27,000 but donations are still coming in and the team is also raffling a luxury bed worth £2,500 from Guernsey Beds & Bedding as well as selling the treadmills, with all proceeds going to EPIC48 charities.

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Record breakers; Warren Mauger, Philip Smith, Robert Young, Adam Holland & Abi Schofield. Carey Olsen staff and Jo Priaulx Greg & Naro Zimmerman RBA summer rugby camp Team building and Rue Mainguy

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NEWS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Carey Olsen supports two local charities Carey Olsen staff have chosen to support Guernsey Disability Swimming LBG and the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation (PPBF) as the firm’s chosen charities for the next two years.

Young players develop rugby skills at summer camp 111 children took part in a summer rugby camp last week run by the Guernsey Rugby Association (GRA).

Carey Olsen’s Charities Committee coordinates the firm’s fundraising activities in Guernsey and will be organising a range of events to raise awareness and money for their new causes.

Sponsored by Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management, the camp was aimed at helping young players develop their rugby skills during the school holidays under the guidance of experienced coaches.

Jo Priaulx said, ‘It’s extremely valuable for us to have Carey Olsen’s support. We are currently raising money for a new apartment in Southampton so that we can cater for the needs of multiple local families at one time.’

The coaches focused on developing the areas of evasion, running, handling, kicking and tackling and observed the players’ improvement over the course of the week. At the end of the camp each child was graded on their progress and presented with a certificate and medal.

New charity Guernsey Disability Swimming LBG was established by Ruth Parsons and Roger Allsopp, with the assistance of Richard De La Rue and Carey Olsen’s Adrian Sarchet, to continue the opportunity for disabled swimmers to meet on a weekly basis with assistance from volunteers. Roger Allsopp said, ‘Forming a new charity involves a lot of hard work and we are lucky to be supported by Carey Olsen not only with fundraising but also through access to the firm’s legal and commercial expertise, which is giving us invaluable knowledge in helping us to create solid foundations for the future.’

Alongside the team of local coaches and players the children had the chance to learn from Championship League team the Cornish Pirates, who were in the island to play against Guernsey on Friday. Andy Finch, Head of Wealth Management at Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management in Guernsey, said, ‘We are pleased to support programmes such as this which encourage interest in the game and promote a healthy lifestyle amongst our young islanders.’

Carey Olsen’s Charities’ Committee will support the charities with donations, ideas for fundraising initiatives, practical help with events and projects and advice and support where needed.

COMMUNITY

Building the teams of the future The annual Team Building Day at Rue Mainguy has helped break down barriers while helping students to get to know each other in a fun and constructive environment. Sponsored for the sixth year by RBC Wealth Management, it is seen as an integral part of the new students’ start at the Sixth Form Centre, with positive feedback about how much they have enjoyed working together on a range of challenges outside of school. Director of Sixth Form Studies Kieran James said, ‘The benefits of the Team Building Day, to a group of 16 year olds who have joined us from a range of backgrounds, are numerous. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the students to bond with each other, as well as their tutor, in a relaxed and fun environment.’

Tri for Ellie Last month local brothers Greg and Naro Zimmerman raised over £3,750 for the Eleanor Foundation by completing a self-devised triathlon over three days. The event started with a 6,000 metre swim from Castle Cornet to Marble Bay and back, followed by a 100 mile bike ride around the coast, and ended with the Guernsey Marathon. The money raised will go towards paying for the installation of two shallow wells in Tanzania, enabling the community to continue to develop sustainable living. The brothers knew Eleanor personally and wanted to find an inventive way to raise money and continue the momentum the charity had already achieved.

If you’re active in the community we would like to here from you! Send information and images to: features@gallery.gg

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Naro said, ‘Since the untimely passing of Eleanor, it has been remarkable how her family and friends have grouped together to make something positive out of the situation, and it is this that inspired Greg and I to take on this challenge.’

GIVE

CHARITY OF THE MONTH

A Safer place for victims of domestic violence

Each year around 700 domestic incidents are reported to Guernsey Police with domestic abuse accounting for approximately 30% of all violent crime in the island last year. Types of abuse can include emotional and psychological, financial, stalking and harassment, physical and sexual.

helping to raise the funds we need to continue Safer’s work,’ said Dr Costen. ‘We gratefully receive support from the States of Guernsey who lease the Refuge to us for a nominal fee and provide us with a service level agreement that covers the majority of the IDVA Service costs and half of the refuge running costs, but our costs are significant and it’s thanks to the generosity of so many local companies who provide financial support and to volunteers who give time and energy that we can continue helping people when they need it most.’ Later this year, Safer plans to move into a dedicated office in the heart of St Peter Port which will allow it to further expand its services. ‘That’s a really important step for us as it will allow us to operate more efficiently and effectively and also enable us to pro-

Last year, Safer, the island’s only domestic abuse charity which operates the Independent Domestic Violence Advisory (IDVA) Service and the Guernsey Women’s Refuge, saw an increase in the number of individuals and families which it was supporting. ‘It’s important to stress that we don’t believe that domestic abuse is a growing problem in Guernsey, more that individuals feel that their voice will be heard if they speak up,’ said Safer Chair Maggie Costen. ‘Domestic abuse affects people of all ages, whatever type of relationship they are in and whatever their lifestyle and background. ‘Safer’s aim is to prevent domestic abuse and protect those who have experienced it but to do that we need volunteers who share the same passion for providing high quality services offering emotional and practical support.’ The charity has recently grown its team as its remit grows. Carole Le Page has been appointed as Senior Manager to oversee all of Safer’s work including its outreach and training programme. She will also co-ordinate the work of the independent domestic violence advocacy workers (IDVAWs) which includes a trainee and one dedicated to supporting children as Guernsey Police records show that under 18s are present at around 35% of domestic incidents which they attend. The Refuge is a significant part of the charity’s offering and has been providing temporary accommodation for women and their children since it opened in 1998. Although there are two full-time and seven part-time staff, there is also a team of volunteers who ensure that the Refuge is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. ‘We are forever indebted to the volunteers who give up their own time to help others by staying overnight at the Refuge, providing support through our outreach programme or

vide help and advice to those suffering from domestic abuse and support their children and wider family,’ said Dr Costen. She added that new premises and a larger team would ensure that Safer could continue building links with other charities. ‘We shouldn’t just work in isolation because those suffering from domestic abuse may not have the strength to speak out or seek help and might be identified by other agencies and likewise those islanders we support may need specialist help from other organisations. The important thing is that those who need help and support get it.’ Anyone interested in knowing more about Safer can contact Selena Le Page via phone on 07911 729462 or email directly at selenalepage@outlook.com.

“ That’s a really important step for us as it will allow us to operate more efficiently and effectively and also enable us to provide help and advice to those suffering from domestic abuse and support their children and wider family.”

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EVENTS

SPECTACLE WEARER OF THE YEAR

Guernsey Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition 2015 Photography Trevor Mahy The Event: Throughout the summer, Guernsey Photo Booth in conjunction with Specsavers Opticians ran a competition ‘Do you have GSY appeal? - Guernsey Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition 2015’ to find people who look great in Specsavers spectacles. Specsavers Opticians also used the competition as a fun way to involve people with the store’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The competition was split into five age categories with each category winner receiving a £150 optical voucher, as well as a trophy or a prize bear and a winner’s goody bag. The overall winner was also given use of the selfie-pod for their next birthday party. The Highlights: This was the first time the competition had been run and the number and quality of the entrants was exceptionally high. The judging was very difficult, but eventually five winners and an overall winner were chosen to receive their prizes at the presentation ceremony on 5th September in Market Square. The Crowd: An enthusiastic and excited crowd of family, friends and onlookers were there to cheer on the winners on collecting their prizes. Congratulations go to Hugo Potter, Charlotte Hardwick, Simon George, Karen Corbin and Caroline Freeman who were all category winners, with Charlotte the overall winner. Specsavers Opticians also donated £1 to the Guernsey Blind Association for every entry received and with an additional donation a cheque for £500 was presented to Debbie Clarke and the Trustees and President of the Association. The success and enthusiasm shown by everyone who ran and entered the competition was incredible so it is planned to run again next year…..watch this space! Specsavers Opticians, Guernsey is proud to be celebrating 30 years of providing the islands’ communities with professional eyecare and quality products at affordable prices.

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y. e s uern

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01481 723888 www.chinaredguernsey.com 34 Saint George’s Esplanade, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2BG

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EVENTS

PENELOPE HOPE / TIME

Penelope Hope Launch Party The Event: Nadia Newton opened the doors of Penelope Hope to islanders for the first time to showcase her new range of fabulous prints. Bold fabrics were draped around the walls and made up into cushions, capturing the imagination of partygoers as they sipped on bubbles and munched on macaroons. The Highlights: The show-stopping ‘oreseome’ collection, featuring bright colours and gold, silver and copper metallics, was a clear crowd favourite. In fact a couple of those cushions would look right at home in the Gallery offices. The Crowd: It was a sunny Saturday afternoon but those islanders who appreciate good design and cutting-edge interiors were out in full force. Penelope Hope thanks those who came along and invites anyone who couldn’t make it to come and visit the shop at their leisure.

Time Private Viewing The Event: Located on ‘The Knightsbridge of Guernsey’ – the latest addition to The Bridge opened its doors just in TIME for us to try on some sophisticated bling and browse their beautiful watch and jewellery collections. The Highlights: Prizes were also generously donated for a lucky few who could not resist the temptation of trying on their favourite pieces from the collections. Guests were entered into a prize draw by simply trying on designer brands such as Michael Kors, Daniel Wellington, Carat and Tissot, and noting down which pieces caught their eye. The Crowd: A glamorous group of islanders showed their faces and offered their support to TIME. Gallery spotted various local business owners also from the area including: Bonsai’s own Matt Brouard, Mat Rolfe and Garett McCarthy; The Buttonhole florist’s owner Sheila Ozanne; The Boutique’s owner Paula Williams.

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inspired by arctic beauty

CERAMIC COLLECTION Hig h -te c h ce r a mic, scratch-resistant sapphire cr ystal, SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS

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BERING Watches from just £85.00, sold exclusively in Guernsey at TIME, The Bridge, Guernsey, GY2 4QF „The Knightsbridge of Guernsey“ Tel: 01481 247 925 www.facebook.com/timejewellers

EVENTS

SURE BIG SCREEN 2015

Sure Big Screen 2015 Photography Trevor Mahy The Event: The Sure Big Screen 2015 – the island’s only free outdoor cinema - returned to its beachside Cobo location for the last week of August. The weather wasn’t the best for this year’s event but film fans still flocked to the grass to watch some great films and take advantage of Sure’s hospitality for the week. This year featured a dedicated Sure Superhero Day for the first time and prizes were awarded to some lucky fans who’d come along dressed up as their favourite superheroes. The Highlights: The Sure Selfie competition attracted some weird and wonderful entries as ever as moviegoers tried to win a Samsung 48” curved TV – a prize eventually won by the Jones family. Aviators were everywhere at the Friday night screening of Top Gun, the Frozen sing along edition was as popular as ever and Spiderman was in attendance on Sure Superhero Day to fight off the bad guys and present some prizes to some other superheroes who’d dressed up to come and watch the films. Sure staff were on hand to hand out Le Hechet Farm ice creams, popcorn, jelly babies and Sure branded sunglasses, as well as a load of other goodies. The Crowd: Film fans of all ages made their way to Cobo to enjoy the Sure Big Screen experience. From young children and teenagers to whole families, groups of friends and work colleagues – the Sure Big Screen had something for everybody. There were some very prepared film fans with deck chairs, picnic blankets, take-away pizzas, fish and chips and bottles of wine. New for this year – social media fans enjoyed seeing their tweets and Instagram posts up on the big screen between the films. See even more of you there in 2016.

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native photographer: Boucher-Harris Photography hair / mua / assist: Shanine Levrier model: Viki Stunell Thanks this month go to Katie and Joni and Free Love Boutique, Richard at Livingroom Estate Agents and the owners & architects of Avocet, DRP

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Darling lace playsuit - Free Love £64.00 Guess tie front shoes - Free Love £138.00 Previous page: Guess tie front shoes - Free Love £138.00 Guess black jeans - Free Love £76.00 Almost Famous pearl top - Free Love £107.00

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Guess tie front shoes - Free Love £138.00 Guess Black Dress - Free Love £66.00

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Guess black suede booties - Free Love £148.00 Guess leggings with faux leather detail - Free Love £66.00 Almost Famous faux leather short sleeve top - Free Love £77.00

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Guess tie front shoes - Free Love £138.00 Almost Famous black/white/grey print jersey dress - Free Love £78.00

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Almost Famous silver full length dress - Free Love £142.00 Guess pink suede courts - Free Love £118

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Guess tie front shoes - Free Love £138.00 Guess black jeans - Free Love £76.00 Almost Famous black ruffle cardigan - Free Love £97.00

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FASHION

JORJA’S WARDROBE

ROSE GOLD PLATED DISC NECKLACE NEXT £20

KENSINGTON BROOK 2-EYE FLAT SHOES DR MARTENS £90

TWIN TIPPED DRESS FRED PERRY £75

DITSY CORDUROY A-LINE SKIRT NEW LOOK £17.99

PAISLEY PRINT SHIRT MARKS & SPENCER £28

ZIP THROUGH PENNY DRESS MISS SELFRIDGE £42

LOUIS VUITTON A/W 2015

MINI BOX BAG RIVER ISLAND £30

WOMEN Look to 1960s icons Twiggy and Patty Boyd for style inspo in mini’s + masculine footwear. Don a chunky sole to create a contradicting look against paisley prints or opt for an over the knee style for a more femme feel. A classic Fred Perry polo is a wardrobe staple this season, effortlessly proclaiming your alternative style with that oh so recognisable Laurel Wreath and whilst you’re there, don’t be shy to layer a turtle neck knit under whatever you can!

SOFT TOUCH FUNNEL NECK MARKS & SPENCER £18 MUSTARD ROLL NECK TOP NEW LOOK £19 DOUBLE BREASTED VINYL COAT TOPSHOP £95

OVER THE KNEE RIDER BOOTS NEXT £58

SUEDE AND LEATHER PATCHWORK SKIRT NEW LOOK £49

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

BELSTAFF A/W 2015

JORJA’S WARDROBE

FASHION

SUPERSTAR TRAINERS ADIDAS ORIGINALS £65

HARRINGTON JACKET NEXT £48

ECRU FISHERMAN BEANIE ASOS £6

MEN

Think understated and effortless this month in soft tan and camel hues. Style yourself comfortably with slouchy outerwear and jumpers in green and grey tones. Finish your look off with fitted jeans or chinos, still baring a little ankle in suede loafers while the summer holds out!

ROLL NECK JUMPER BURTON £22

MEDUS RING ICON BRAND @ ASOS £20

BURGUNDY LEAF PRINT POLO SHIRT BURTON £22

NAVY FAUX LEATHER BACKPACK ASOS £25

FLORAL NECKERCHIEF PAUL SMITH £50 GREY WASH JEANS NEXT £28

M12 SHIRT BLACK/ CHAMPAGNE FRED PERRY £70

MUSTARD SUEDE BELT ASOS £25

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SUPERSTAR TRACK JACKET ADIDAS ORIGINALS £55

FASHION

PROFILE

When an email arrived from local girl Jane Smedley about the launch of her new brand Catherine and Jean, featuring elegant leather clutches and handbags adorned with divine peacock prints, we knew it was our duty to find out the full story… ‘Catherine & Jean is primarily inspired by two things,’ explains creator Jane Smedley: ‘My grandmothers, who the brand is named after, and my lifelong love of fabric.’ Though both Catherine and Jean differed in many respects, they shared a deep-rooted love for beautiful clothing. Catherine studied fashion at Central Saint Martins and, whilst her dream to open an accessories shop never came true, she whipped up the latest fashions on her sewing machine and remained committed to sartorial perfection. Jean, on the other hand, adored opulence and had a wardrobe awash with colour and prints. ‘When I was young, my grandmother Cath-

at Schroders Wealth Management and spent time as a graphic designer for a shoe company. ‘My most useful job in terms of gathering experience for my current career was actually my first job at the newly opened Victoria Fine Jewellery where I started as a Christmas present wrapper aged 13. I worked at Victoria Fine Jewellery every holiday until I was 21 as it expanded into Victoria’s Boutique, as well as into a wholesale business. Working there gave me the opportunity to work not only on the shop floor, but also on the website, in the wholesale office and at jewellery trade shows; it was a fantastic introduction to the world of retail, wholesale and start-up businesses.’

Tote-ally gorgeous erine encouraged me to start my own fabric collection. Initially I spent my pocket money on buying cuts from Creaseys’ haberdashery department and later fabric swatches from my parents’ interior designer friends.’ Catherine & Jean was born, inspired by the idea of accessories that combine elegance and quality, inspired by Catherine, with eccentricity and print, inspired by Jean. After beginning her schooling at Melrose, Jane left for boarding school in the UK where she indulged her passion for all things art and design related. Although her heart was set on an art foundation course the recession hit and she decided to take the more sensible route of studying for a degree in English Language and Literature at King’s College London. Then disaster struck… ‘Just as it came to the point when everyone started considering careers my dad died and, whilst my other friends were planning on jumping from one unpaid internship to another before deciding what they wanted to do, I couldn’t bear the thought of further instability. I had a first-class degree and a ton of teaching experience from my travels abroad so I rushed into what seemed to be the most logical choice: a PGCE.’ A huge deviation from her original plan, when Jane returned back to designing, one of the first things she did was to complete two invaluable courses: Bag Design and Communication at Central Saint Martins and Starting Your Own Leather Footwear or Accessories Label at London College of Fashion. They say that entrepreneurs should be generalists and Jane certainly fits that profile. The school at which she taught was an exceptionally high-achieving girls’ grammar near London; however, previously she worked for Livingroom as a rentals letting agent, interned

Working in the fashion industry can be as intimidating as it is glamorous. Jane’s advice to anyone wishing to get access to the world of fashion is to ‘immerse yourself as much as possible and ask as many questions as you can.’ She has enjoyed being surrounded by successful women in the fashion industry and is fascinated by the way that it dictates trends across the world, one of them being the current movement of supporting traditional craftsmanship – a value she upholds at Catherine & Jean. ‘I have everything made either in small workshops in England or in my atelier in Milan which is the city’s oldest luxury leather goods manufacturer. I have been out to Milan about six times in the past nine months to oversee the production process and discuss any issues face-to-face.’ It’s plain to see that Catherine & Jean is a brand with a lot of heart, created by someone passionate about what she does. So what has been the highlight of Jane’s journey so far? ‘I always said that I would be most excited when I saw one of my products in a magazine for the first time, and I was lucky that happened quite early on when one of the shoulder bags was featured in Drapers back in February, and now the bags have been in Glamour, The Lady, the Daily Mail and others. It was also a great sense of achievement to see the whole collection brought together on my website, along with everything else I’d been working so hard on like carrier bags, dust bags, swing tags, look books, branded packaging and campaign photos.’ Now that reminds us, we really must get online and purchase one of those smart-looking shoulder bags, perfect for a night out or a weekend away… or maybe something from the recently launched accessories collection? Decisions, decisions…

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“ When I was young, my grandmother Catherine encouraged me to start my own fabric collection. Initially I spent my pocket money on buying cuts from Creaseys’ haberdashery department and later fabric swatches from my parents’ interior designer friends.” — Jane Smedley

www.catherineandjean.com

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FRESH//FOOD//FASTER

We have a 5 star rating from the Guernsey Food Hygiene Information Scheme!!

“yummy,

y”

mmy, yum u y

This month we will be welcoming a new chef into our kitchens and introducing a new winter menu as well as getting a little facelift.

Pop in and see us at: No. 3 Commercial Arcade, St Peter Port, Guernsey // Contact us on: 01481 729276 /simonsaysgsy @simonsaysgsy GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

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FREE

Healthy smiles start here Fresh Dental (the new name for Rue Maze Dental Practice) offers a complete range of affordable family dental care, in a friendly and relaxed environment. We are specialists in oral surgery and periodontics, cosmetic and implant dentistry and also provide B.Tox.A anti-wrinkle treatments and dermal fillers. Dr Nav Khaira and his team look forward to welcoming you to Fresh Dental, where together we can face the future smiling.

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PREVIOUSLY RUE MAZE DENTAL PRACTICE

ROUTINE EXAM OR CHECK UP FOR ALL NEW PATIENTS (NON EMERGE

NCIES ONLY)

Call us on 236236 to arrange a friendly and confidential consultation or visit www.fresh.gg for more information. Monday 8am-7pm, Tuesday-Friday 8am-5pm and Saturdays and evenings by arrangement. FIND US AT LINDFIELD, RUE MAZE, ST MARTINS

BEAUTY

BEAUTY BUZZ

THE POWER OF PINK Words: Nichole Sweetsur In the cosmetics calendar, October has become synonymous with pink as products supporting breast cancer charities hit the shelves. In 1993 beauty industry luminary Evelyn Lauder founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. For over two decades the charity has provided funding for research

worldwide, driving advances in breast cancer genetics, prevention, treatment, metastasis and survivorship. In fact, since 1993, the foundation has funded over 8.5 million hours of research into breast cancer. That same year Evelyn created the now famous pink ribbon emblem and launched the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign within the Estée Lauder companies. Pink ribbons and self-examination instruction cards were distributed from Estée Lauder counters around the world. Now dozens of other beauty brands have got involved with many selling special products with a portion of profits going to different breast cancer charities. Take your pick of the pinks this October.

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Crabtree & Evelynn; pear and pink magnolia hand cream Bourjois Parisl Blush Organic Pharmacy; Body lotion Darphin; Soothing Serum Origins; Hand Treatment Esteé Lauder; Pink Collection Avon; Gift Set Elemis; Pink Collection Clinique; Berry Pop with Pouch

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STRESS LESS GUIDE

WELLNESS

The gallery stress less guide Words: Claud De la Mare This month our Editor and subsequent stress junkie, Claud, embarked on a quest for a life less taxing (after all it is Guernsey), rigorously testing some of Guernsey’s top alternative stress therapies in order to bring some balance into all your lives. Whether it acts on your mind or your body, ‘stress’ is rife in our society today. Deadlines and word counts can leave a girl pretty highly strung, but after a month of trialling some of Guernsey’s lesser known stress therapies I’ve been left floating in a blissedout bubble of calm as I tread my spiritual path right up to the madness of the December issue. Breaking down the ‘science bit’ so that you can see what’s in it for you, the Gallery Stress Less Guide is a round up of the top therapies we trialled to alleviate stress from your body and mind as well as a round up of our favourite practitioners…

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WELLNESS

STRESS LESS GUIDE

REFLEXOLOGY

MEDITATION

THE REFLEXOLOGIST

THE MINDFUL COACH

Who: Christine Shepherd

the lowdown: Did you know that regions of your body are mapped out on your feet? A crazy thought at first but not once you consider that every nerve in your body has to start and end somewhere. Reflexology has been credited with helping to alleviate a wide range of stress-related ailments. As Christine explains, ‘If you find reflexology relaxing then it will help to unblock tensions and facilitate the creation of balance in body and mind. our verdict: I’m a massage addict but one thing I won’t let my therapist touch is my feet so I entered the session with toes curled. Reflexology isn’t like your average foot massage though and Christine is not your average therapist. She takes a very holistic approach, starting by soaking feet in a warm bath of rose petals and sea salt and taking patients through a guided meditation, she also incorporates work on the chakra system during her therapies. As a keen runner with a couple of marathons under my belt, Christine’s gentle touch literally propelled my entire body to levels of relaxation I had not thought possible. I slept well afterwards and the chronic pain in my shoulder eased; the science behind this therapy is absolutely fascinating. Finding out what your feet say about you is well worth the indulgence. Details: £30-50 per session chris.reflexology@me.com

Who: Rajan

the lowdown: Most of you will have heard of meditation before but did you know that it has been proven that over an eight-week period it can shrink the size of the medulla, the part of your brain responsible for our fight or flight response? Meaning the brain is less reactive, and more able to manage the perception of stress. Now you’re paying attention. Furthermore, meditation has also been proven to increase the size of the hippocampus – enhancing one’s memory. A double whammy of goodness. At its very basic level meditation is a form of mind training, so it makes sense that its implications for stress reduction are almost limitless. It was also used as a basis for each of the therapies described in this article; it is the key to a life less stressful. our verdict: I’ve always struggled to quiet my mind so meditation is actually a scary notion to someone like me. Raj and Nicky carefully explained to me that meditation is actually an active process and not passive as most people assume. It takes focus, concentration and most of all practice to quiet the mind and even then the most accomplished practitioners will still have an off day. They suggested that I start off with as little as five minutes per day and go from there, but in my everyday life practise mindfulness to counteract the information overload we all suffer from and to focus more on my breath. Treat the cause not the symptom. Where is your mind as you’re reading this? Details: £5 per class mindfulguernsey.com

BIODYNAMIC CRANIAL SACRAL THERAPY

REIKI

THE OSTEOPATH

Who: Christina Robert

Who: Andre Duquemin

the lowdown: BCST works with the sympathetic nervous system which controls our fight or flight response. Over a lifetime of constant alerts to emails, phone calls, social media messaging and rush hour traffic these systems may fail to cope. Furthermore our minds may recover from more serious trauma but these incidents will be stored within the body as ‘undigested life experiences’. This therapy puts the body into a deeply relaxed state, allowing it to recover from the stress responses it has not yet dealt with, and which have been held in the body as tension. our verdict: There are some things in life that just can’t be explained, and neither should they have to be; this is one of them. When Andre told me he could unlock my body and take it back to a time before the sleepless nights of pain in my shoulder, to be honest, I was sceptical. Lying on his therapy couch with his hands resting either side of the aforementioned shoulder I wondered if ‘this was it’, and then the tingling started. My head, shoulder and back were alive with a soft, soothing sensation and after the session ended my shoulder really felt like it had some serious work done to it – by all appearances, through touch alone. Not for the closed minded, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

THE USUI REIKI MASTER

the lowdown: Reiki is a Japanese relaxation technique used for stress reduction. It focuses on the idea that an ‘unseen life force energy’ flows through each of us, through pathways called chakras, and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s life force energy is running out of juice or disrupted by trauma then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress. A Reiki Master will help to clear, straighten and heal your energy pathways thus allowing your life force to flow. our verdict: Going into the session I wasn’t sure what to expect, but once Christina explained to me that she regularly performed Reiki on her cats and houseplants I fell into her big, blue eyes like swimming pools of trust. Although essentially all I did was lie down on a couch and Christina’s hands never touched me, afterwards I felt not only completely relaxed but also had a really lovely sense of calm which I carried with me all weekend. Although my eyes were fully closed I saw bright green and white colours and what I thought was a lotus flower opening and closing during the session – turns out that was Christina working on my ‘love’ chakra. There is definitely something in this and I’ve already become a regular. Details: £35 per session crobert@suremail.gg

Details: £64 per session avenueclinic.co.uk

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Christine Shepherd Christina Robert Andre Duquemin Rajan

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

STRESS LESS GUIDE

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

WELLNESS

WELLBEING

TAKE FIVE

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Take five Whether you’re looking for a relaxing massage or help relieving a sports injury; you are in need of an osteopath or looking for some acupuncture; you want to get things moving or need to get your mind and body back in tune, there is now a one-stop shop in the heart of town that is ready and waiting to serve. Number 5 the Commercial Arcade, is a collective of healthcare specialists, comprising Paul Gosling, Sarah Brown and Badrul Huda, that offers a range of treatments from this highly qualified, professional trio. Paul Gosling quit his career in finance in 2010 to follow his heart and found his business, Equilibrium Massage Therapy. A move into the centre of St Peter Port in 2013 saw the company thrive. A member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists, Paul is a qualified advanced clinical massage therapist and has a Diploma in Acupressure Seated Massage and Certificates in Trigger Point Therapy and Myofascial Release. He said no two massages were the same and the key to success was listening to his clients and meeting their needs. ‘It’s about approaching each appointment with a belief you can make the session beneficial but also make it relaxing and enjoyable for the client.’ He said this could be down to everything from a client’s skeletal structure or muscle mass to their diet or emotional state. ‘I have to be completely in tune with each client in order to personally tailor their massage and make it the very best I can.’ Paul offers massages for private individuals, corporate clients and sports professionals. ‘It’s often about maintaining a healthy body, rather than treating

an injury.’ He has worked with Guernsey FC and counts Triple World Touring Cars Champion, Andy Priaulx, and young boxing star Bradley Watson among his clients. ‘Each and every person who visits me has their own unique reasons for doing so and it is my duty to ensure they leave happy, relaxed and on the mend.’ Badrul Huda has been a colonic hydrotherapist, osteopath and acupuncturist for over 20 years, practising in Jersey, Guernsey and Cornwall. After qualifying as an osteopath in London in 1989, Badrul went on to train in traditional Chinese acupuncture in both China and London. He then extended his experience by qualifying as a medicallytrained colonic hydrotherapist, which he now specialises in. Colonic hydrotherapy is a simple procedure that cleanses the colon – an ageold technique first recorded in 1500BC - and it can help all sorts of conditions from skin and sinus problems to bloating, headaches and fatigue. ‘If the colon becomes clogged with impacted waste, getting caught in the kinks and building up against the colon wall, the colon cannot operate to its maximum efficiency. Toxins build up and affect the gut’s ability to protect the system against illness,’ he said. Colonic hydrotherapy is a means of completely cleaning the larger bowel. Filtered water at a regulated temperature is introduced through the rectum and into the colon. Massage is applied to the patient’s abdomen and the water begins to soften the faecal matter, which is then piped away with the waste water. Impacted waste, in some cases, can stay in the colon for many years. Badrul said medical conditions affecting the colon, from IBS to colitis, Crohns Disease and bowel cancer, seemed to be on the increase. A study by the Dunn Nutritional In-

Sarah Brown Paul Gosling Badrul Huda

stitute in Cambridge has found that while an efficient transit time of food through the digestive system, from eating to defecation, is 16 to 24 hours, the average time for a British person is 60 hours. A detailed medical history is taken at the time of initial consultation followed by the treatment which is performed under clinical conditions. All equipment is disposable and herbal medication is prescribed post treatment along with advice about diet. Badrul is a member of a number of registered bodies including the General Osteopathic Council, British Osteopathic Association, Association of Chinese Acupuncture, Chinese Medical Institute and Register, Association and Register of Colon Hydrotherapists and the Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council. Sarah Brown is trained in Bowen therapy and systematic kinesiology and is a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists. Bowen is a fascial release technique where Sarah uses her thumbs and fingers to make a series of precise muscle adjustments. During the treatment there are a series of short breaks where you are able to rest, an important part of the treatment. Bowen is commonly used to treat back and neck pain, sports injuries, respiratory problems and much more. ‘Bowen is a very gentle hands-on therapy that is very in tune with each client,’ said Sarah. Qualified in Bowen Fascial Release Technique and the even more gentle Fascia Bowen, Sarah said they are particularly effective for those with chronic conditions and special needs. ‘I have a very varied client base, from babies to pensioners, pregnant ladies to triathletes. My own son is on the autistic spectrum, so I’m very comfortable working with special needs.’ Kinesiology is a complete form of natural healthcare which uses muscle

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

TAKE FIVE

testing to read our minds and bodies to detect health issues. Through a simple process of resistance against muscles Sarah quickly and simply establishes what her clients need, to improve their body and mind. By finding these stresses within our bodies, Sarah then begins to implement a series of corrections including specialised lymphatic massage, nutritional advice and electrical balancing to redress those imbalances. ‘I was astounded by the nutrients my body was lacking and when I started taking supplements to counterbalance it, not only was I full of energy but had such an improved and positive state of mind,’ said Sarah. The number five has long been associated with quality and good fortune,

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

from Chanel No 5 to the Chinese culture where five is considered lucky, so why not take five and get yourself booked in?

has been popped back into place (lots of satisfying scrunching noises!). Mr Badrul Huda is a miracle man!’ — RJ

Testimonials

‘I went to Sarah with medium level anxiety which was intermittent and annoying. Her Bowen therapy had an immediate transforming effect and really calmed me. Sarah then introduced kinesiology as a means of determining which nutrients I was low on amongst other clever stuff. The transformation is levels up again with the two combined processes.’ — Jo

‘I have always suffered with pain and tension in my upper back and shoulders, but after just one visit to Paul at Equilibrium I could already feel a difference. He tailors each session to your individual needs which not only helped with my back pain but left me feeling very relaxed. Highly recommended.’ — Katie R ‘What an amazing feeling - I’ve been suffering from a bad back and painful stiff neck for the last week or so. Just came out of my latest osteo appointment and I feel like a different person. Everything

WELLBEING

Contact info Paul Gosling: 07781 128835 Badrul Huda: 01534 768733 Sarah Brown: 07781 138964

BEAUTY

BARRE TRIBE / BACK TREATMENTS

Banish those batwings Welcome to our new columnist Sinead Wheadon, owner of Barre Tribe, who will be whipping us all up into shape for the approaching party season… Batgirl costumes are great for Halloween but that is the only time I want to be sporting batwings! Get rid of the dreaded underarm jiggle with our favourite triceps Barre Tribe moves, tone and tighten in just five minutes. Equipment: Yoga mat (optional) Triceps Dips • Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet hip width.

• Place your hands behind you, shoulder distance apart with your fingers pointing forwards. • Raise the hips up, keeping tension through the triceps and bend your elbows to a 90º angle. • Straighten the arms, without locking them, keeping the hips in a fixed position. • Draw the shoulder blades down the back and keep pressing the feet and toes evenly into the floor. • Perform three sets of 15 reps Modifications Too intense? Keep your bum on the floor, bend the elbows to 90º and create a little resistance through the body as you begin to straighten up the arms. Trouble getting down on the floor? Try using the seat of a chair instead. Top tip: If you have weak wrists, press the knuckles into the floor with the thumbs pointing toward the buttocks. Advanced Variations Once you have mastered the Triceps Dip you are then ready to turn up the heat! Try our Barre Burner sequence • Slowly bend the elbows for a count of 2 and straighten for 2, repeat 15 times. • Maintain a 90º angle through the elbows and begin to perform small pulsing movements for a count of 8. • Finally hold the elbow in a 90º position for 10 seconds. • Repeat three times. Find out more at barretribe.com

Back to your best Words: Nichole Sweetsur Sasha & Stacie’s Pure Pleasure Cleansing Back Treatment is 45 minutes of beauty bliss. This is a back massage with benefits. Lots of benefits. Not least from the mineral-rich Spa Find products that the sisters discovered in the UK and use in all their treatments. The cleansers, lotions and scrubs are formulated with a mineral complex that includes magnesium - a great stress buster - plus potassium and sodium which are both purifying and hydrating. This pampering treatment suits most skin types and congested skins would especially benefit from the back cleanse and exfoliation. Keep this one in mind for the little black dress season that is fast approaching. The session starts with an application of the Mineralizing Bath Shower Gel to cleanse and prepare skin. The

mild cleanser is removed with hot mitts before the Spa Find Sea Sand Scrub is worked over the skin. This exfoliation is suitably invigorating and ‘scrubby’ without feeling harsh. Sasha explained that they can adjust the treatment according to a client’s needs. So far, so blissful. Then the message really starts and pretty soon you’ll be purring. Sasha and Stacie favour coconut oil for their massage and take a natural-as-possible approach to skincare. The back, neck and shoulder massage lasts for about 20 minutes and eases away the stress of the day. Next the Dead Sea Black Mud masque is smoothed onto skin and left to work its hydrating magic whilst your legs and feet get an unexpected (and very welcome) massage. More hot mitts sweep away the masque and the session finishes with Spa Find’s Mineralizing Body Lotion, which is again massaged over the back and shoulders. By which time, I promise, you’ll not want to move. Pure Cleansing Back Treatment £36 for 45 mins, take home Spa Find products from sashaandstacie.co.uk

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MIND, BODY, HEALTH, SELF

BEAUTY

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Mind Words: Nichole Sweetsur October 10th marks World Mental Health Day and Guernsey Mind has rallied an impressive line up of speakers for their bi-annual conference and gala dinner held later this month. Sponsored by Deloitte, the flagship events aim to diminish the stigma attached to mental health issues. Former Welsh rugby international Gareth Thomas will lead the Change For the Good conference on 15th October, along with former Deloitte UK Partner John Binns. Gareth has made no secret of his depression and suicide attempts following the public announcement about his sexuality in 2009. John Binns is a Trustee of Mind UK and is an independent advisor on workplace mental health issues. By sharing their own stories, John and Gareth hope to change perceptions and break down the stigma associated with depression and mental health issues. Local speakers include Dave Warr and Chris Griffiths who will talk about mental health awareness, breaking the stigma of mental health issues and using sport to counteract stress. Gareth Thomas will also host the gala dinner, held at St Pierre Park on Wednesday 14th October, and tickets cost £60.00. The Change for the Good conference at Les Cotils on 15th October is open to all and tickets cost £50.00. Conference and dinner tickets are £100.00. For more information about the speakers or to book tickets: guernseymind.org.gg

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Gareth Thomas Gloss Hair & Beauty Salon Vitamin D Ren Wake Wonderful Facial Sinead Wheadon Sasha & Stacie

BODY If you are looking for some out of town pampering the new Gloss Hair & Beauty salon in St Saviour has just opened. Therapist Angele Hicks is a whizz at tanning, brows and waxing, however nails are her passion. Really great manicurists are hard to find. Find one you love and treasure her. Book in for long-lasting gel nails, acrylic nail extensions and eye-catching handpainted nail art. A Vidal Sassoon-trained hair stylist is also on hand for cuts and colour. As the name suggests, this salon is all about glossy locks and nails. What more could a girl want? gloss-beauty.com HEALTH When the clocks go back on 25th October the afternoons will start to get darker and as the temperatures drop it’s tempting to stay indoors. But with less sunshine our vitamin D levels can decrease, which in turn can compromise our immune system. Boost your immunity during the season of snuffles by upping your levels of the ‘sunshine vitamin’. See your GP if you are worried your levels are low. Holland & Barrett Vitamin D3 Tablets. £17.99. SELF Super-charge your beauty sleep with the new Ren Wake Wonderful Night-Time Facial. Apply it to clean skin at bedtime and let the active ingredients work their magic overnight so you wake up with a brighter complexion. Fruit acids refine skin, cranberry seed oil works to reduce UV damage and the omega 3 in Arctic blackcurrant seed oil will repair and soothe. You only need to use it two or three times a week and the multi-action formula will repair the summer’s skin damage and brighten your autumnal complexion. The ultimate beauty cheat. £32.00. Plaisirs.

Have a Bubbly Party Season ‘That time of year’ is lurking just around the corner, filled with the panic of last-minute gifts for friends and clients who pop in for an unannounced visit and present ideas to top last year’s spectacular. Don’t fret, this year La Maison de Champagne has it covered. With tasting evenings, subscriptions, flutes, buckets, an array of niche house labels and our NEW gift cards there really is something for every gifting crisis.

A tasting evening at our Champagne boutique will get your party off to the perfect start this Christmas. Get ahead of the crowd by swotting up on a few tasting notes first… The Taste of Confidence: look: Admire the bubbles and the colour. It should be bright, and anywhere from nearly colourless (younger Champagnes) to golden (older bottles). aromas: Swirl the wine in the glass and inhale. The aromas are divided into five groups: flowers, fruits, vegetables, dried fruit and ‘indulgent delicacies’. taste: Take a sip and let it roll around in your mouth (professionals swish it around in their mouths as aggressively as you might rinse after brushing your teeth). What do you taste? Green apple, citrus, tropical fruits, vanilla, toast and nuttiness are common notes that you might discern—but there’s a vast number of nuanced elements that a trained palate can tease out. Consider the weight or viscosity of the wine, too. finish: After you swallow, contemplate the aftertaste that lingers on your palate. The longer the finish, the better the quality of the wine. Vintage or Non-vintage: Most Champagnes are a blend of wines from different grapes (the classics are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay) and component wines from different years. Unlike with other wines, vintages are only declared in exceptional years, so don’t feel that you always have to drink vintage Champagne—there are many fine non-vintage options, too. Brut/Extra Brut: A small amount of sugar known as ‘dosage’ is added to the bottle right before it’s corked, and these terms describe exactly how much sugar went in. Extra brut has less than six grammes of sugar per litre added, while brut contains less than 15 grammes of additional sugar per litre. Several other classifications exist, but drier Champagnes are more common. Basic tasting evenings start from just £149 for eight people tasing five bottles of Champagne, we can cater for up to 15 people. Please contact us to find out more at info@champagne.gg

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APPETITE

FOOD REVIEW

Hooked Words Katie Whitford

The Hook, one of Guernsey’s newer kids on the block, is perfectly situated on North Plantation and is run with passion by proprietor Sam Jarrold. He opened the establishment as ‘a bit of a leap’ just two years ago, and followed this closely with the opening of his cocktail bar on the top floor. It’s got impressive credentials - head chef Gordon Wallace trained under Martin Wishart and Marco Pierre White; Sam’s sushi consultant, Tommy, is current sous chef at SoHo’s Chotto Matte and head sushi chef Khaled trained under Chotto Matte’s Tom Blackshaw. The innovative restaurant menu encompasses sushi, seafood and steaks, done simply and well (but not too well if you like it blue), and you can choose to dine at the downstairs sushi bar or upstairs for a longer meal. My husband and I grabbed a quick Japanese Asahi lager in the downstairs bar, which has an edgy, slightly industrial feel, with a low-key, intimate atmosphere. Upstairs, we were made to feel welcome and relaxed as Harriet and Sam helped us become marginally less overwhelmed by the choices. It was immediately obvious that they knew their menu inside out, together with the provenance of their ingredients, so important to customers now. Sam was already on the case with a sashimi starter he’d recommended, while Harriet made suggestions based on her own experience and was at pains to explain what ‘tiger’s milk’ was (a Peruvian, citrus-based marinade used in their ceviches, just so you know). Sam is understandably proud of the organic, grassfed aged beef he procures from Piper’s Farm in Devon. He grew up just down the road from the farm and his old cricket coach runs it. We were grateful for the recommendations as, honestly, we would have been there all night otherwise. Our sushi starters were technically ‘otsumami’ - meaning ‘snack’ in Japanese, or, Google tells me, a ‘picking up’ - so a kind of savoury, less calorific version of tiramisu then? As Sam says, ‘It’s not traditional sushi, but a good introduction.’ Whatever the

linguistic overtones, the taste of our sea bream ceviche and Nikkei sashimi was delicate and sublime. The sea bream’s citrussy sauce was zingy and delicate while Sam’s choice, the sashimi, had a selection of three different fish, including ‘hamachi’, aka kingfish, and a please-give-me-a straw sweet truffle soy dressing. While we were waiting for our main courses we admired the quirky chalk illustrations on the blackboard behind us, depicting the different cuts of beef, amongst other things, all done by Sam’s sister, Beth, who’s an illustrator and signwriter. We were also very taken with the stunning presentation of our starters, on Japanese-style crockery and with pretty edible flowers. In the interests of a balanced review I chose a fish dish for my main course - black bream - but was torn between that and local lobster - and my husband plumped for his favourite - a rib eye steak, cooked rare. We really should have brought two friends with us so that we could have tried the chef’s legendary bone marrow jus and the famous aged beef too. My black bream made a welcome and delicious change from the reliable but ubiquitous sea bass and it came with polenta which was just a bit different. My husband opted for Rocquefort but-

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Steamed Black bream with mint and pea mousseline Sashimi selection in preparation Pipers farm rib of beef Nikkei Sashimi with yuzu truffle 40 piece Omakase platter (boat) Double Kani Maki, Chancre crab and avocado filling Mocha chocolate tart, peanut butter mousse

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

HOOKED

“ I’m a keen home baker and often feel a bit disappointed by predictable dessert menus, but that’s definitely not the case here.”

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APPETITE

ter with his steak, and triple-cooked chips, which were ‘awesome’; he tells me that it ‘reveals a lot just having the steak cooked rare’, and I think he was being complimentary. When it came to choosing desserts, Sam came up with the goods once more. ‘I’m not a pudding person,’ he told us, although I can’t imagine why, ‘but the Mocha Chocolate Tart blows.’ So it would have been rude not to go for that one. He also suggested we try the Miso Chocolate Fondant, offering a distinctive twist on a familiar favourite. Time for another foray into Japanese cuisine and language - I learnt that miso falls under the fifth taste category (alongside sweet, salty, bitter and sour) known as ‘umami’ in Japanese - a pleasant savoury taste; apparently a similar taste is found in ripe tomatoes and green tea and our first experience of it may well have been in breast milk). In the chocolate fondant it lent a subtly different, slightly salty taste to the oozing, unctuous middle and the black sesame ice cream and salted caramel mousse were perfect. My husband’s chocolate tart was dense and rich with a distinct coffee taste and a beautiful cross-section; the biscuit base avoided being too sweetly cloying and the accompanying peanut butter mousse ticked all the right boxes. I’m a keen home baker and often feel a bit disappointed by predictable dessert menus, but that’s definitely not the case here. Even the conventionally named desserts such as Eton Mess have a quirky, alternative twist to make them utterly deserving of the calorie count. We finished with a delicate little selection of local chocolates by Ben Le Prevost, a nice touch by the restaurant. So used to having his finger well and truly on the pulse, Sam apologised that he didn’t know today’s flavours but we think we discerned proper mint, orange and Parma violet, and delicious they were too. In two short years The Hook has worked hard to offer a unique and exciting product to Guernsey. In so doing, they have attracted a niche clientele and we can attest to how the formula is working. Sam and his staff really believe in their products - they know them, taste them and trust them and their ethos is to do a few things well. It really shows. The Hook, North Plantation, St Peter Port Call for bookings 01481 701373

APPETITE

DUKE OF RICHMOND

Halloween Cocktail Shake together the following ingredients and pour over ice: 1 x shot Havana Club 3-year-old Rum 1 x shot Grand Marnier ½ x shot Blue Curaçao Pineapple Juice Apple Juice

Terrifyingly Delicious

Halloween or ‘All Hallows’ Evening’ is a celebration dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs and all the faithful departed believers. Traditionally the night revolves around using humour and ridicule to confront the power of death… Sounds scary, right?! Here at Gallery we approach the tradition with a light heart and a sense of fun; it’s a chance to dress up and bridge the gap between the end of summer and the onset of those dark winter nights with a big party. The Duke of Richmond Hotel is officially getting the party started by inviting you to come and celebrate the scariest month of the year with several spooky, fun-filled events. If you’re partial to an eyeball in your jelly or a bony finger amongst your teacakes then book a table at one of their Halloween afternoon tea parties. The team has designed one especially for the little ghouls out there with plenty of fun activities planned to keep

your kids entertained while you enjoy a cup of tea in the restaurant. Head Chef Helder Gois has been busy baking with a BOO! Creating delicious cakes and treats to get your pulses racing! There is also a Halloween-themed adults’ tea party for those who like to allow a skeleton or two out of the closet at this time of the year, with a selection of terrifyingly good Halloween cocktails, so why not make an afternoon of it? Or how about treating the whole family to a Halloween dinner with an edge? With a menu featuring spine-chilling specialities including Bewitching Thai Fish Cakes and Wicked Witch Corn Fed Chicken, it will not only be your tastebuds that are tantalised.

Then add a splash of Grenadine For the kids’, simply remove the alcohol. Kids Afternoon Tea Party The Conservatory @ The Leopard Bar and Restaurant Friday 30th October 2.30pm – 4.30pm £12.50 per child Make sure you come dressed to impress as there will be a prize for the best-dressed girl and boy. Adults’ Halloween Afternoon Tea The Leopard Bar and Restaurant Saturday 31st October 1pm - 5pm £17.50 Deluxe Tea £21.00 Prosecco Tea £23.00 Champagne Tea Family Halloween Dinner The Leopard Bar and Restaurant Saturday 31st October from 7pm £30 per adult (includes a cocktail) £15 per child under age 12 (includes a kids’ cocktail) Children’s menu also available.

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dukeofrichmond.com

Your perfect homefrom home Pop in for lunch in The Conservatory or join us for dinner in The Leopard Bar and Restaurant, where our chefs are keen to impress you with imaginative dishes, which you can enjoy in style and comfort. You’ll find freshly caught fish and seafood on the menu as well as our signature Rotisserie Chicken. Our hotel proudly lives by the Red Carnation Hotel Collection’s mission statement “No request is too large, no detail too small”

Cambridge Park, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 1UY FOR RESERVATIONS TELEPHONE 01481 740866 Email: orlandoabreu@dukeofrichmond.com @DOR_Guernsey

/dukeofrichmondhotel

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DOR_Guernsey

APPETITE

EAT.NOURISH.GROW

KITCHEN LIBRARY

Eat.Nourish. Glow — Amelia Freer Words: Katie Whitford

‘Healthy eating expert’ Amelia Freer has been practising nutritional therapy amongst the rich and famous for about seven years. Her client list includes the likes of James Corden, Sam Smith and Boy George. She now imparts her knowledge to the world in this, her first book: Eat. Nourish.Glow - and makes it sound so simple! Freer hails from a very privileged background - she previously worked as PA to the Prince of Wales (albeit with very bad eating habits...). She also advises us all to invest in a £500 Vitamix blender (or a slightly cheaper NutriBullet, if that’s beyond our budget). Nevertheless, the format of the book is accessible at least, and is predominantly full of sensible, bite-sized advice with a manageable selection of straightforward recipes at the back. She tells us, reassuringly, that she is ‘not a chef’ and that she is ‘fundamentally quite lazy’. We are given ten clear steps, all of which hang off a simple food philosophy, rejecting fad dieting and calorie-counting, discouraging unhealthy food habits and promoting eating food in its most natural form. Above all, she says that we are all on an individual journey; we need to take baby steps along the way; the basic framework is the same but everyone’s approach will be slightly different. Step number 1 tells us to start with just one thing - by making gradual eliminations in our diet. The usual suspects are here of course - dairy, gluten, alcohol, caf-

feine... No. 2, The Kitchen Detox says that anything in a packet or with a barcode needs to be ditched, although Freer later concedes she uses the odd tin of tomatoes or chickpeas, so that’s a relief. No. 3, Grace Around Food, takes us through types of eaters and what it is to eat disgracefully; no, this isn’t to do with eating with your mouth closed or passing the food around to others. I had a few chuckles with this one, not least with the overuse of that buzzword ‘mindfulness’. Slow down, take time over food, chew it, enjoy it. We get the point. No. 4, Stop Snacking, speaks for itself, although I didn’t realise there were so many ‘types’ of snacker; I’m the bored one. No. 5, Be Consistent, Not Perfect is encouraging, although one feels Freer herself inhabits the perfect end of the spectrum, allowing herself just the ‘occasional cube of dark chocolate’ and the odd cup of ‘organic’ coffee. No. 6, Make Fat Your Friend (and Sugar Your Enemy) is basically a rant against processed sugar; at least she also takes time to explain that ‘natural’ sugars, although better for you, are still treated in the same way by your body, and need careful moderation.

RECIPE TEST It’s time to look at one of Freer’s deliciously simple recipes, which I tried at home. Her BEEF CURRY has only sensible, fresh, non-budget-busting ingredients and all I had to do was a bit of chopping before throwing it into the slow cooker and letting it do its thing. Bingo - a winner for me, then! ingredients: a short shopping list of easily found items. taste: date-night worthy; could have done with more seasoning. ease of recipe: simple; took 15 minutes to prepare. verdict: a good recipe, which I’ll do again. I’m tempted to try others. I’m not entirely convinced of Freer’s credentials as a nutritional expert but she seems to have a lot of common sense about good eating habits to last a lifetime. All this is presented in a generally down-to-earth format. I don’t feel overwhelmed by Freer’s advice and feel that her suggestions can, at least, be taken a step at a time.

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ART&DESIGN

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ART/DESIGN

INCREDIBLE ART

ARTIST PROFILE

Indelible art Words: Caroline Mauger

As far artwork goes, you can’t get more personal – or permanent - than a tattoo. Gallery met Matt Burdett of Black Star, a tattoo artist at the top of his game. Although scientific evidence proves that tattoos have been a part of human culture for thousands of years, until relatively recently they were largely sported by sailors, prison inmates and members of tough motorcycle gangs. If you wanted a respectable job, a visible tattoo was inadvisable. Matt Burdett, owner of Black Star, agrees that tattoos are getting a better press these days. ‘The attitude towards tattoos has changed and the term “tattoo artist” has never been more appropriate. Maybe 20 years ago you couldn’t get into a club if your hands or face were tattooed but now it’s not such a big deal. A good friend of mine works in a bank, he’s got a full neck sleeve and both his hands done and they’re fine with it.’ Clients include manual workers, office workers, nurses, police officers and pensioners; as Matt’s colleague Frankie reports: ‘A 76-year-old man recently came in for his first tattoo. It was on his bucket list, and he’s been back for a second one since.’ Matt was always good at drawing, and a conversation with a tattooist whilst on holiday in Ibiza led to him offering to teach Matt the art. In Guernsey, Matt apprenticed for Paul White at White Inc before establishing Black Star nearly a decade ago. Piercing someone’s skin with a tattoo gun for the first time must be daunting, to say the least. ‘The first time is unbelievably nerve-wracking,’ confirms Matt. ‘The first one I did was a skull with crossed lightning behind it and I was really scared but it went ok.’ You can’t help but suspect that it went more than ‘ok’ – Matt is modest about his work but his distinctive style, which he describes as ‘neo-traditional’, is much in demand and he has a waiting list as long as your (full-sleeved) arm. This means he can give his creativity free rein: ‘Pretty much everybody who comes to me wants my style. They’ll give me a rough idea and usually I’ll just do what I want and they like it.’ Matt is so popular he doesn’t have to take on anything he doesn’t feel he can give 100% to, but he and his team can turn their hand to any request. Walking into a tattoo studio for the first

time can be rather unnerving, but the atmosphere in Black Star is friendly and buzzing – and not just from the sound of the tattoo guns. There are a number of stages to the process. ‘Your customer gives you an idea of what they want, then depending on where it is on the body you might take a tracing to get the right size. Then you do a rough design, and when your client is ok with that you refine it and then get the final approval from them, make sure it all fits, then they come in for their appointment and off you go,’ explains Matt. There’s something about this process that is rather addictive: ‘From coming in and sorting the design out to leaving with a brand new piece of art, I think it’s just exciting,’ says Matt. ‘Very few people stick to just getting one tattoo.’ Your first tattoo? So you’re thinking of getting your first inking – how sure should you be? ‘I’ve refused people because I’ve sensed they’re not quite ready, so I say go and think about it and come back in six months.’ As for the design, you have to give the artist an idea to start from, but Matt advises that not every tattoo has to have a meaning. ‘People can agonise too much – it can just be a nice design.’ He does appreciate, however, that making a decision is easier when you’re as inked as Matt himself. ‘I’ve got so many I don’t care and I don’t regret any of them; I might do some differently now but I’m not going to lie awake at night crying about a tattoo.’ Regret getting that design? If you do regret a design you had when you were young (or old) and foolish, the Black Star team can hide it with a coverup. You might think that, on a small island, there would be a risk of business drying up but that’s certainly not been Matt’s experience. ‘You’ve got people turning 18 every day and the popularity of tattoos has exploded. Since I’ve started I’ve never had a slack day but the past five years have been really busy. A lot of

people are going for more visible places for their first tattoos – necks, hands, full sleeves – it’s amazing.’ Black Star’s great reputation isn’t something Matt takes for granted and he still gets a kick out of seeing clients’ reactions. ‘I just like doing really nice artwork on people and seeing them walk out of the place happy. I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who chooses Black Star - Guernsey’s crazy addiction to tattoos lets me do what I love for a living!’

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“ I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who chooses Black Star – Guernsey’s crazy addiction to tattoos lets me do what I love for a living!” — Matt Burdett

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TEST SHOT

ART/DESIGN

Test Shoot We love the sensual, stormy mood captured by this test shoot, perfectly capturing our islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coast as we change season into Autumn, although the real jewell is Alice who has us all mesmerised with her sultry stare.

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AUTUMN / MODERN

Autumnal Elements Go Indoors Words: Michelle Hilton Each year when summer turns to autumn, fond memories of rust, persimmon and ochre leaves rustling in a crisp wind come to mind. There’s an unmistakable, combination of elements that precedes the bleak season ahead – a spectrum of fiery reds to burnished, coppery brown leaves against crisp blue skies, the crackling bark on tree trunks - which hark for earthier colours to soon warm up the indoors. I’ve found that foliage, as opposed to florals, can be a timeless motif to feature in interiors – whether contemporary or classic. One of my favourite rugs has maple leaf silhouettes on almost bare branches, the kind of leaf you won’t mind on the floor… At the table, dinnerware and vases are a great way to showcase delicate foliage patterns. For our wedding, I selected a set of patterned porcelain plates which feature organic, ‘ombrage’ patterns – like shadows of neutral brown and gold leaves - a timeless design to bring out for casual, as well as holiday entertaining.

I’ve also found Raku ware vases can add a luxurious touch to the dining table or console tables. In this Japanese pottery technique created in the 1500s, ceramics get fired at high heat for a short period and then cooled rapidly, resulting in unpredictable iridescent metallic effects and crackling that emulates bark-like textures. These vases straddle the line between art and decorative object… At the more exquisite scale of interiors, I’ve always coveted a bronze coffee table with engraved leaves… Today many metal-smiths or furniture makers are ready to produce a piece of furniture to exacting standards using a supplied pattern. Whether through textiles, tableware - or more extravagantly with bespoke furniture – fall foliage patterns offer a sense of permanence, and are thus always welcome in my home.

Michele Hilton Design is a boutique residential and commercial interior design company offering imagination and professionalism to heighten the experience of home, work or leisure. 19 Mansell Street, St Peter Port. www.michelehilton.com

CCA Galleries International Modern art from contemporary British artists is now more accessible in Guernsey. Local art lover and collector, David Pipon, has become CCA Galleries International’s representative in the Bailiwick. CCA Galleries International in collaboration with David will be organising exclusive exhibitions in Guernsey, including artist talks, private views and charity events. Art lovers may make an appointment with David to view works at his Guernsey gallery space or make the trip to the gallery in St Helier. David will be hosting an Open House Art Exhibition from the 6th to 9th October, 11am until 8pm. To RSVP, please email david.pipon@ccagalleriesinternational.com or call (01481) 254630. Visit CCA Galleries International Jersey, located at Royal Court Chambers, 10 Hill Street, St Helier. The Gallery is open from 10am to 5pm (Monday – Friday) and 10am to 2pm (Saturday).

Image: ‘Blue Circle’ by Sir Terry Frost

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EXPERT ANALYSIS

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Expert analysis

Dunnell Robertson Partnership Ltd was established in May 1997 by Drew Robertson and Andrew Dunnell to bring together their experience in the fields of Architecture and Building Surveying. The practice has a combined total of over 100 years of involvement in the Guernsey construction industry. They look to add value to every project as appropriate with their architectural and surveying skills, allowing them to be ‘innovative, creative, fluent and often bold.’

Andrew Dunnell MSc MRICS Andy can be found engaged in understanding residential surveys, valuation work and various other aspects of surveying.

PROPERTY MATTERS Words: Andrew Dunnell MSc MRICS The September meeting of the States will consider two important property matters. The first is the Housing Department Review of Strategic Housing Needs and the second is the Housing Department and Treasury and Resources Joint Report on First Time Buyers Scheme. The first report will see an assessment of Guernsey’s exact housing needs deferred until 2019. This will be in preparation for the first review of the Draft Island Development Plan (assuming it is adopted in due course by the States) and thus the decision makers at this time will continue to rely on data that is of some age, and arguably out of date. The report to the States goes on to recommend that the

Oracle is a highly experienced group of professional advisers based in Guernsey, who provide effective financial solutions and insurance products with an emphasis on personal service and long-standing relationships. In a sea of financial and insurance providers, Oracle is a strong, independent partner and they aim to look after your best interests over the long term. Their advice is clear, jargon-free and tailored to your individual circumstances.

Conor Burke CertPFS Conor provides effective financial solutions and insurance products, emphasising a personal service and building long-standing relationships.

island should continue to strive to provide 300 new homes a year for the initial five-year term of the new plan (of which 173 should be for social renting or partial ownership). The land for these homes will see 80% of the requirement met from space allocated in the Island Development Plan and the balance from ‘windfall’ sites. The Draft Island Development Plan will require any new development with four or more units being undertaken by a private developer to provide at least 20% of the development site for ‘social housing’. The second report on a First Time Buyers Scheme recommends no action on the part of the States as it will be inflationary and is not good for the economy or the affordability of housing on the island. If you happen to fit the criteria whereby you can join the waiting list for social or partial ownership housing, this route may appeal but if you do not it may seem unfair that public money can be used to provide assistance to some but not to others.

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Our Galley Property Supplement now sits at 26 pages, all dedicated to helping you learn more about the property market and finding a new home. Thanks to our partners below, we’re also able to bring you the latest property in premium print quality and full colour to help you find the perfect new place.

Martel Maides is one of Guernsey’s largest estate agents, established over 40 years ago, with a team of over 22 people including specialists in residential sales and letting, commercial sales and lettings and property management. They are conveniently situated in the centre of town, making it easy for you to drop by. Their passion for property is only matched by their enthusiasm!

Keith Enevoldsen, Director A fully qualified Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents, Keith brings a formidable mix of enthusiasm, experience and professionalism to his work.

THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL Words: Keith Enevoldsen, Director Given the difficulties our local property market is going through at the moment and the problems that vendors are currently experiencing in selling their property, we’ve seen that vendors who focus on the differential between the property they have and the property that they want, are tending to be more successful.

Mourant Ozannes’ highly skilled and experienced Guernsey property law team is focused on providing expert residential and commercial property advice and a truly personal service. Combining an enviable speed of response with technical expertise, Mourant Ozannes work tirelessly on your behalf and keep you fully informed at every stage of your transaction.

Mark Torode, Partner An Advocate with more than 10 years’ experience at the Guernsey Bar, whose client base was founded on a vast network of contacts but which has grown due to his reputation for dynamism and problem-solving.

been initially expected, but the difference between, for instance, accepting £385,000 and £400,000 but paying out £500,000 rather than £515,000 remains exactly the same. Using this system the relative prices are the important ones rather than valuations or asking prices. Obviously this assumes that other matters such as mortgage offers and surveys etc. are all satisfactory. So in a nutshell, if you are buying on, before rejecting an offer be sure to fully investigate what price you can negotiate with the vendor on your next property. You might be surprised; if you don’t ask you won’t know. Every stakeholder in the sale will have the ultimate priority to able to make the deal happen!

In simple terms if the minimum you are prepared to accept is £400,000 for example and someone offers just under at £385,000, rather than rejecting it, get your agent to try an offer £15,000 below the figure you had proposed to pay for your next intended property. In many cases you can get an agreement at a lower figure than had

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SHOWCASE

Hurry to Val Fleury Words: Caroline Mauger

Val Fleury is a stunning new development in an ideal edge-of-town location - and what’s more, you could win a house here! Val Fleury has great views and is within easy walking distance of town, which ticks boxes for most of us straight away. This brand new townhouse development is located on a secluded private drive just off historic Hauteville, the street where Victor Hugo lived when he was exiled to the island. Thanks to its elevated position, you can see right over the rooftops of St Peter Port, a panorama you could never tire of.

The development

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Val Fleury Kitchen concept Rooftop bedroom Bathroom concept Units 8,9 & 10 Lounge concept

The development is set to be as picturesque as the views. The houses will be soft white in colour, with Milano French grey front doors and Juliet balconies on the top floors. The driveways will be brick blockwork with attractive flowerbeds and plenty of greenery. You can sense that this will have a lovely community feel, whilst still allowing for privacy with enclosed gardens to the rear of each home. Val Fleury comprises 12 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom homes, all designed for flexible contemporary living. In all there are five different types of townhouse available, giving Val Fleury

character and enabling you to choose the perfect layout for you. As we go to press, however, eight of the 14 properties have been sold or reserved, so now is the time to act! House styles The house types, all named after trees, are marketed from £575,000 up to £629,995. Three-bedroom Sycamore and Pine have an integral garage and utility room on the ground floor; a kitchen/living room and cloakroom on the first; two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second and the master suite, with en-suite shower room, on the top floor. Fir and Birch have a very different layout. Both have parking for two cars; a large kitchen/diner and WC on the ground floor; a separate living room and one bedroom on the first, and two further bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. Elm is the largest type of home, with four bedrooms. Located at the entrance of the development, these two properties boast a contemporary open-plan kitchen/ diner with the additional advantage of a separate living room that overlooks the

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VAL FLEURY

PROPERTY

rear garden. Like Sycamore and Pine, Elm is built on four floors and the top floor houses an impressive master bedroom with en-suite shower room. Whatever type of home suits you best, what they all have in common is an impressively high specification which includes Italian kitchens from Gory Cucine’s contemporary collection and sleek Laufen bathroom fittings. Underfloor heating is eco-friendly and means the clean lines of the interiors aren’t interrupted by radiators. Each plot has a generously sized private garden too. 03

Have your own final touch As the properties are still under construction, you have the opportunity to make your mark on your home before you move in, with a choice of finishes available for a bespoke interior. If you buy at plot stage, you will receive all of your legal costs for free in Qube’s special limited availability scheme. Show home The Val Fleury fully furnished show home will be available for viewing in January 2016, with the whole development due for completion at this time. Quinten Hubbard, Managing Director of developers Qube, is delighted with the project: ‘We are proud to have built and to be able to offer high quality family homes in such a unique town location. We are also looking forward to welcoming the first owners as winners of the Property Lottery.’

Yes, you could win a house!

Sarnia Estate Agents are proud to offer a property on the Val Fleury development as a prize in their fantastic Property Lottery, with proceeds going to the Guernsey Cheshire Home. With only 5000 tickets available, it’s well worth £200 for the chance of winning this beautiful three-bedroom home. With the beneficiary being such a deserving charity, you can consider it a donation whilst keeping your fingers crossed that you will be the lucky winner! To buy your ticket, call 07781 422099 to pay by debit or credit card or pop into Sarnia Estate Agents, La Maison de Champagne, Ray and Scott or Forest Road Garage to pay by cheque or cash. Find out more at propertylottery.gg The draw will take place on 31st December 2015 with the location to be announced shortly. Just imagine the New Year’s Eve celebration you could be having this year.

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LOTHLORIEN TRP 105 £395,000 ST. PETER PORT

SOLE AGENT

This end of terrace cottage is situated in a convenient St. Peter Port location, close to Beau Sejour Leisure Centre. The property offers versatile accommodation over three floors and benefits from an entrance hall, a newly fitted four piece bathroom suite, sitting room, with working fireplace, three double bedrooms (bedroom three could be used as a dining room) and a kitchen/breakfast room. Externally, there is parking to the front for one large/two small cars and there is access around the side of the house to a good sized lawned garden. A great opportunity for a buyer looking for a comfortable and accessible home.

LES BLEUS TRP 247 £720,000 ST. MARTIN

SOLE AGENT

Les Bleus is an immaculately presented period house located within a short walk of St. Martin’s village and all of its amenities and school. Renovated over recent years by the current vendors, the property offers spacious reception rooms which are ideal for entertaining and up to five bedrooms over three floors. The accommodation comprises a large entrance hall, sitting room, with open fire, doors opening into the kitchen/dining room, utility room and a cloakroom on the ground floor. The first floor has three bedrooms, family bathroom and a study that could offer a fifth bedroom, if required. The second floor boasts a master bedroom with en-suite shower room. Externally, the property offers an enclosed West facing garden and parking for multiple vehicles. Internal viewing is highly recommended to appreciate all this property has to offer.

CONTACT GUERNSEY’S LEADING ESTATE AGENT +44 1481 233008 / INFO@LIVINGROOM.GG 76

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SHORNCLIFFE TRP 149 £975,000 ST. ANDREW

JOINT AGENT

A stunning 1.85 acre, elevated site situated in the desirable parish of St. Andrew,yet conveniently, just a brief five minute drive to St. Peter Port amenities and schools. Shorncliffe boasts a stunning aspect over the beautifully tended St. Pierre Park golf course towards the North West coast of Guernsey. Permission has been granted to construct a substantial dwelling in excess of 4,000 sq ft, although the site provides a blank canvas for future owners to create their very own, bespoke, dream home (subject to the relevant permissions). For further information please do not hesitate to contact the Local Market team at Livingroom on 233008.

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MAISON DE LONGREE TRP 379 £1,285,000 VALE

JOINT AGENT

This immaculate family home is situated in the heart of L’Ancresse Common surrounded by open land and close sea views towards the North of the Island. Fully renovated in recent years, this superb home has been finished to a high standard and offers exceptionally spacious rooms. The ground floor has a large welcoming hallway, master bedroom with en-suite, two further double bedrooms with en-suites, double garage, utility room and situated at the rear is a separate unit with a kitchen/dining/sitting room, double bedroom (bedroom four/ study) and shower room. (This unit could easily be integrated in to the main house if desired). The first floor boasts generous reception space to include a sitting room with rear balcony, dining room, large landing with balcony and a modern kitchen/breakfast room. Externally, there is parking and a surrounding garden from which you can walk directly out onto the Common. A fantastic opportunity to purchase a home with a complete surrounding view.

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expect more... viewings 7 days a week

OAKSTONE VALE 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms

pay less... sole 0.75%

(on first £500,000 0.5% on balance)

multi-agent 1.00%

£1,700,000

SOLE AGENT

NEW

TRP 450

UNIQUE PROPERTY WITH ICONIC TOWER STUNNING 360˚ VIEWS ACROSS THE NORTH OF GUERNSEY AND NEIGHBOURING ISLANDS

visit our website www.vision.gg 78

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THE ORCHID ST PETER PORT

£299,000

4 LES BANQUES ST SAMPSON

£320,000

AMAROO CASTEL

£429,000

2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

2 double bedrooms Semi-detached Convenient town location Rented parking space

Stunning sea views Stylish accommodation Landscaped garden Parking for small car

West coast location Private lane Garden & Parking Scope for further enhancement

SOLE AGENT

TRP 100

JONQUILLES ST PETER PORT

£435,000

NEW

REDUCED

TRP 90

CASA BELA ST ANDREW

TRP 100

£439,000

DEWBERRY COTTAGE CASTEL

£515,000

2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Great location Attractive home Smartly presented Large sunny garden

Immaculately presented Convenient location Enclosed garden and store Garage

Attractive family home Front & enclosed south-facing rear garden Desirable location & catchment areas Ample parking

NEW

TRP 125

LES SABLONS ST PIERRE DU BOIS

SOLETO OPEN OFFERS AGENT

£590,000

SOLE NEW AGENT

TRP 162

BENITA VALE

£650,000

TRP 132

CUERNAVACA CASTEL

SOLE AGENT

£725,000

4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Charming cottage L’Eree bay location Private west facing garden Former tearoom (possibly reconvert) Ample parking NEW

Bungalow on a large plot (0.31 acre) Potential to extend/develop Located in a tranquil lane Garage & extensive parking

TRP 191

TRP 204

Tranquil location near Cobo bay Permission to create further accommodation Private lane West facing private garden OPEN SOLE Ample parking NEW MARKET AGENT TRP 220

NEW

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PROPERTY

INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIORS

Style Guide Decorating, choosing new furniture and designing the interior of a new home or even just a room can be a daunting prospect. It’s not always easy to find a style that you’ll love for years to come and, let’s face it, getting it wrong can be an expensive mistake. Help is at hand in the form of Katie Le Tissier, Bonsai’s talented interior designer who is refreshingly down to earth and approachable. Katie spends her day guiding clients through the interior design process, sourcing incredible furniture and lighting as well as coordinating paints, flooring and wall coverings. Bonsai has a very simple and transparent approach to interior design, with no confusing price structures. Katie’s skills are available on an hourly basis which means you can buy into her expertise at whatever level you need. ‘Some clients just want a little help to get them started, perhaps with colour schemes or ideas for a theme or style. Other people come to me for help with the finishing touches. ‘I also work with clients who want a more comprehensive approach. I can give them a complete design service for a room or a whole house. This will include suggestions for every detail, from room layout to colours, wall coverings, carpets and flooring and of course furniture and lighting.’ Katie has a real knack for knowing what people will like. She can interpret a client’s taste and personal style, bringing it to life in a room design. Her intuitive skills are backed up by experience and she loves to work in close collaboration with her clients. ‘It’s a creative process that is very exciting for both me and the client,’ explains Katie. ‘I think some people have an image of a draconian designer who might dictate what the room

should look like. That’s not how I work. There are no right or wrong answers.’ The interior design process starts with an initial consultation to discuss the client’s needs and level of service they require. Katie will look at the space, what furniture or accessories a client already has and importantly how the room will be used. ‘Your home should match your lifestyle, not just look like the pages in an interiors magazine.’ Katie will then develop a mood board to show her initial concepts and ideas. This might include colour scheme suggestions, ideas for the layout and suggestions for

“ Some clients just want a little help to get them started, perhaps with colour schemes or ideas for a theme or style. Other people come to me for help with the finishing touches.” — Katie Le Tissier

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Images 01 02 03 04 05

03 4

3 2

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Sample Board Snug/office Room November 2014

Home office Interior Final design stages - refining the finishes Eclectic Dining Interior Initial concept board Katie in the Bonsai Showroom

HOW CAN WE HELP

lighting and furniture style. ‘We then talk about those concepts, exchanging ideas and I’ll get lots of feedback from the client on what they like or don’t like. Then I will develop a more refined set of designs with spatial layouts, furniture and lighting plans. Finally, the details of the room will be finalised with the exact colours and finishes chosen.’ There is no need to buy furniture, lighting or accessories from Bonsai (although the showroom has a very comprehensive, and tempting, selection of the best European designers), but interior design clients do receive exclusive discounts. Katie can even help you discover hard-to-find pieces or up-and-coming designers. When it comes to ordering Bonsai makes it very easy. Katie can take care of the ordering, shipment and even unpacking and installation of all the furniture and accessories. bonsaigroup.gg

If you are not sure how an interior designer can help give your home a stylish new look here are five reasons that will have you convinced: 1. Katie will achieve the most from your budgets and timeframes 2. You can tap into lots of specialist knowledge and resources 3. B onsai only uses trusted contractors so you can be sure of high quality workmanship 4. Y ou will get exclusive discounts and will always pay less than the recommended retail price on Bonsai’s brilliant home and interior brands 5. You’ll have a room or a home that works for you and your lifestyle, for years to come.

MEET KATIE LE TISSIER, BONSAI’S INTERIOR DESIGNER Katie studied Art and Design at college and holds a degree in 3D Design from the Arts University of Bournemouth. She also has a diploma in Interior Decoration and worked as a graphic designer before returning to her first love - the world of interiors. “ I really enjoy creating fresh ideas for each client. I love using texture, interesting mixes of colour and pattern and try to bring in some unexpected elements to give a relaxed, fun feel to a space.” Katie is a fan of quirky British design. She also takes her inspiration from the laid-back, coastal-inspired interiors of New Zealand and Australian designers, which suit Guernsey’s environment to a tee. 05

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WIN A HOUSE VALUED AT OVER £600,000*

£200 per ticket, only 5000 tickets. Sarnia Estate Agents are proud to announce the 2015 Property Lottery. Participants will have the chance to win a contemporary styled 3 bedroom townhouse, forming part of the newly built Val Fleury development in Hauteville. This is an amazing opportunity to win your first home or move up the property ladder while supporting Guernsey Cheshire Home.

Visit: www.propertylottery.gg To buy your ticket: call 07781 422099

Raising funds for the Guernsey Cheshire Home *estimate value of property including fees Promoter: Alex Ford, tel 07781 132304 Draw Date: 31 December 2015

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When it comes to buying your home All aspectsdream of Guernsey property - we have everything under one roof. For information please contact: Martyn Baudains +44 1481 746173 m.baudains@babbelegal.com Alison Ricketts +44 1481 746162 a.ricketts@babbelegal.com www.babbeconveyancing.com

Babbé conveyancing

Call 01481 713371

Visit www.babbeconveyancing.com

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Call us today 01481 703800 Like NatWest CI on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @NatWestGsy The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited trading as NatWest (NatWest). Registered Office: P.O. Box 64, Royal Bank House, 71 Bath Street, St. Helier, Jersey JE4 8PJ. Regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. Guernsey business address: PO Box 62, Royal Bank Place, 1 Glategny Esplanade, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 4BQ. Regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and licensed under the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 1994, as amended, the Insurance Managers and Insurance Intermediaries (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002, and the Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 1987, as amended. APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and is an interest rate which takes account of the full amount of interest on any money borrowed plus the timing of repayments and any other charges that you have to pay. It may not take into account any reduction in interest rate following the maturity of the initial product. The frequency of the interest payments, for example monthly or quarterly, affects the calculation. Rates correct as at (01.09.2015). Over 18’s only. SecurityBECAUSE required. Calls QUALITY may be recorded. MATTERS

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Guernsey’s only family-run estate agency

St Peter Port

TRP 57

St Peter Port

TRP91

St Sampson

TRP 63

St Sampson

TRP 101

SOL

> One bedroom apartment

> Two bedroom first floor apartment

> Ground floor 2 bedroom apartment

> Three bedroom terrace house

> Modern and spacious rooms

> Move In Condition

> Communal garden areas

> Rear garden, patio and shed

> Located in the heart of St Peter Port

> Good on street parking nearby

> Move in condition

> Good on street parking

> Close to many local amenities

> Close to local amenities

> Close to the bridge and many local amenities

> Move in condition throughout

> Ideal first time buyer or buy-to-let investment

> Ideal for first/second time buyer

> Two allocated parking spaces

> Ideal first/second time buyer

> Residential accommodation only LR2453

£210,000

St Peter Port

TRP 124

£275,000

LR2452

St Sampson

TRP 94

LR2179

£295,000

Forest

TRP115

LR2289

£339,000

St Sampson

TRP 165

SOL

> Two bedroom house

> Two bedroom semi-detached house

> Semi detached 2 bedroom cottage

> Four bedroom detached house

> Close to many local amenities

> Move in condition throughout

> Move in condition thoughout

> Move in condition

> Rear patio, garden, shed and summer house

> Rear enclosed garden

> Garden, patio and two sheds

> Garden, patio and swimming pool

> Rented parking nearby

> Parking for one allocated car

> Parking for three cars

> Ample parking and single garage

> Plumbing ready for a second bathroom

> Ideal first/second time buyer

> Close to many local amenities

> Rear workshop with shower and wc

LR2451

£389,000

Vale

TRP 171

SOL

£390,000

LR2364

St Sampson

TRP119

LR2235

£395,000

St Sampson

TRP153

£540,000

St Peter Port

TRP 72

SOL

LR2357

SOL

> Four bedroom detached home

> 2 Bed Semi-Detached Cottage

> Three bedroom detached home

> 2 bedroom Royal Garden Apartment

> Scope for further development

> Rear Garden With Shed

> Situated on a quiet lane at L’Islet

> Secure underground parking for 2 cars

> Ample parking

> Parking for 3+ Cars

> Ideal family home

> Balcony with views

> Large rear garden area

> Close To West Coast Beaches

> Plenty of storage space

> Short stroll into town centre

> Close to the many local amenities

> New Kitchen, Bathroom & Extension

> Ample parking

> Extremely sought after location

> Lovely spacious rear garden and decking

> True move in condition

> Close to West coast and surrounding beaches LR2372

£555,000

St Martin

TRP 209

£399,000

LR2428

St Peter Port

TRP 180

LR2436

£555,000

Castel

TRP 212

£395,000

Vale

TRP 162

JOIN

LR2424

SOL

> Four bedroom chalet bungalow

> 8 Bedroom lodging house

> 4 Bedroom detached bungalow

> Self contained one bedroom wing

> Potentially achievable yield of 10%

> Single garage and outbuildings

> Rear enclosed garden, patio and decking

> Updating & modernisation may be required

> Current gross rent £63,180 per year

> Ample parking

> Large workshop with power

> Great location, close to local amenities

> Listed Building

> Newly decorated, new drains & gutters

> Scope to convert bedroom into self-contained wing

> Parking for two cars and block built garage

> Rare business opportunity

> Large attic space

> Parking for 3 cars

> Front and rear gardens LR2447

> Beautiful garden with fruit trees and herb plants

£599,000

LRwarren

£625,000

LR2446

cranfords.co.uk

£675,000

LR2433

£525,000

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Sales | Rentals | Management | Free Verbal Valuations

ARTICLE

New Road, St Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, GY2 4QE Tel: 243878 Fax: 243877 Email: sales@cranfords.co.uk Castel

TRP220

St Martin

TRP 261

CATEGORY

StStSampson Peter Port

TRP168

Sole

TRP 268 TRP 99

St Peter Port

Sole

> Four bedroom detached house

> Four bedroom detached bungalow

> 4 Bedroom terrace house with sea views

> Light and airy one bedroom apartment

> Front and rear enclosed garden

> Ample parking and single garage

> Rear decking with hot tub

> Move in condition

> Large shed and single garage

> Separate guest annexe and outer buildings

> Good central location with resident permit parking

> Fully renovated with gas boiler

> Parking for 4 cars

> Extremely well maintained throughout

> Light and modern with new four piece bathroom

> Close to local amenities

> Ideal family home

> Front and rear gardens and swimming pool

suite

> Single integral garage with electric door

> Ideal family home

> Rear outside decked area

> Quiet and friendly clos

£679,000

LR2365

St Sampson Sampsons

TRP 170 157

£895,000

LR2443

St Saviour

TRP 171

SoleT JOIN

JOIN

LR2441

£525,000

Vale

TRP 278

TRP 193

> Four bedroom detached house with 2 bathrooms

> 4 Bedroom detached property with self-contained

> True Ample move parking, in condition detached throughout garage and gardens

> Spacious and in move in condition

wing

> New LargeKitchen Conservatory and general at rearupgrades throughout

> Two enclosed gardens with parking and garage

> Good sized garden with two sheds

> Ample Architect parking plans for further development

> Close to local amenities and west coast beaches

> Ample parking

> Garage Close to Alladins cave

> Perfect family home

> Great location next to L’Ancresse common

£620,000

LR2440

St Peter Port

TRP 159

LR2275

> 3 Bedroom detached cottage > One bedroom wing > Fully enclosed garden with 3 large sheds

> South facing rear garden

£575,000 £540,000

Castel

JOIN

>3 Three Bedroom bed bungalow Bungalow

LR2395 LR2402

£310,000

LR2434

£760,000

> Double garage - currently converted for a business > Ample parking

£785,000

LR2437

TRP 807

St Andrew U AT FE

U AT FE

TY ER

OP PR

JOIN

> 3 Bedroom detached property

> Five bedroom detached property

> Study as fourth bedroom

> Ample Parking

> Parking for two cars and single garage

> Wood Store, Work Shop, Store Room and Packing

> Close to local amenities

Shed

> South facing rear garden and patio

> In need of modernisation > Open Market

£565,000

LR2450

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OM2422

cranfords.co.uk

£2,000,000 85

CATEGORY

ARTICLE

CARRÉ P

SOLE AGENT

ST PETER PORT

TRP 68 Ground floor apartment near Beau Sejour 2 double bedrooms Lounge with separate kitchen Secure underground parking for 1 car Available by negotiation

£1250 PCM CASTEL

TRP 92 Well presented ground floor apartment Spacious lounge/diner with open fire Large fitted double bedroom Lovely communal gardens Parking for 2 cars

SOLE AGENT

ST PETER PORT

£1050 PCM

TRP 61 Ground floor south facing 1 bedroom apartment Own paved patio + lovely communal gardens Living room with fitted kitchen Allocated parking for 1 car + visitor spaces Immaculate throughout

£1100 PCM

SOLE AGENT

ST PETER PORT

£1275 PCM

TRP 94 First floor apartment 2 double beds + 2 bathrooms Spacious lounge/diner Parking for 1 plus visitor spaces Available end September

SOLE AGENT

CASTEL

TRP 112 Spacious ground floor apartment Large lounge + separate kitchen/diner 2 double bedrooms Lovely communal gardens Parking plus single garage

£1250 PCM ST SAMPSON

TRP 125 Detached bungalow near Delancey Park 3 bedrooms plus shower room Large kitchen/diner, separate lounge Garden and ample parking Available 12th October for 6-12 month

£1600 PCM

01481 249168 WWW.CARREPROPERTY.CO.UK

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THE NATURAL SELECTION At Carpet Solutions we offer a varied selection of ‘Luxury Vinyl Tiles’. Manufactured to look and feel like real wood or stone, ‘LVT’ is designed to work with underfloor heating systems as well being versatile, waterproof and easy to clean.

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T: +44 (0)1481 701604 W: rihoyelectrics.gg

Bright Sparks

£245,000

£269,000

£279,000

£280,000

ST PETER PORT

Lounge/diner, kitchen, one bedroom and a shower room. Large communal garden

Open plan lounge/kitchen/diner, one bedroom and a shower room. Large private garden.

Top floor apartment. Open plan lounge/kitchen/diner, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Tiered garden with decked area/sea views.

Penthouse apartment. Open plan lounge/kitchen/diner, double bedroom and a bathroom.

SOLE AGENT

NEW INSTRUCTION

NEW PRICE SOLE AGENT

£280,000

£365,000

£369,000

£385,000

ST PETER PORT

ST MARTIN

ST PETER PORT

Two bedrooms, open plan kitchen/lounge/diner, shower room and a private garden

Lounge, kitchen/diner, two double bedrooms, bathroom and WC. Garden. Good on street parking nearby.

Kitchen, lounge/diner, two bedrooms, bathroom, 100ft garden and parking

Two double bedrooms, lounge, kitchen/diner, bathroom, garden and parking for 2/3 cars

SOLE AGENT

£390,000

£395,000

£399,000

£410,000

ST SAMPSON

ST PETER PORT

CASTEL

ST MARTIN

Lounge, dining room, kitchen, two double bedrooms, bathroom, large garden and parking.

Open plan lounge/diner, kitchen, two double bedrooms and a bathroom. Secure underground parking for two cars.

Lounge/diner, kitchen, conservatory, three bedrooms, bathroom and a WC. Garden, patio and parking for four cars. and garage

Three bedrooms, lounge, kitchen, dining room, bathroom and WC. Large garden and parking for one car.

NEW INSTRUCTION

SOLE AGENT NEW INSTRUCTION

tel: 01481 714445 // email: info@shields.gg web: www.shields.gg

£425,000

£435,000

£469,000

VALE

ST PETER PORT

ST MARTIN

Lounge/diner, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Garden (with garden room) and parking.

Lounge, kitchen/diner, three bedrooms, bathroom and a study/ hobby room. Garage, parking and gardens.

Lounge, kitchen/diner, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, large basement and a courtyard. On street parking nearby.

Kitchen/diner, lounge, WC, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Parking and garden.

SOLE AGENT NEW INSTRUCTION

NEW INSTRUCTION

£510,000

£515,000

£548,000

£585,000

ST MARTIN

VALE

ST PETER PORT

ST SAMPSON

Lounge, kitchen/diner, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Parking and garden.

Lounge, kitchen/diner, dining room (bedroom 5), four bedrooms, bathroom and a WC. Garage, parking and garden.

Four double bedrooms, lounge/diner, kitchen, utility room, two bathrooms, WC, garage, garden. Parking for two cars.

Lounge/diner, kitchen/diner, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, WC, attic room and utility. Large garden, garage and numerous parking spaces.

SOLE AGENT

NEW INSTRUCTION

NEW PRICE

£590,000

£615,000

£795,000

£1,199,000

ST MARTIN

ST SAMPSON

ST PETER PORT

ST MARTIN

Three bedroom detached house in a private lane in St Martins.Three bedrooms. Two reception rooms. Shower, bathroom. Garage and workshop.

Kitchen/diner, lounge, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, utility, WC, garage/workshop with attic room. Parking and gardens.

House and wing. Main house: Four bedrooms, lounge/diner, kitchen/diner, living room, study, bathroom, utility, WC. Wing: Single bedroom, kitchen, lounge and shower room.

Kitchen/breakfast room, living room, dining room, sun room, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, utility room and a WC. Large garden, garage and parking.

NEW INSTRUCTION

SOLE AGENT

Need your property valued? Call us on 01481 714445 for a free, no obligation, verbal and For our most recent instructions register at www.shields.gg or follow us on facebook and

PROPERTY

INTERIORS

From little acorns How do you go from making wooden jewellery in a school workshop to furnishing The Ritz, Chewton Glen and many of the smartest establishments in Guernsey? Gallery met Ray Griffiths and Diana Camden from Wychwood Design to find out. Words: Caroline Mauger Chances are you’ve sat on, or even slept in, a piece of furniture from Wychwood Design. They have fitted out many of the smartest restaurants and hotels on the island: The Farmhouse, Bella Luce, Les Roquettes, Moores, Dix-Neuf, the Ship and Crown, Pier 17 and Christies, to name but a few. And then there are the many upmarket hotels in the UK; Wychwood is clearly a far cry from the flat-packed, perpetual-sale worlds of Ikea and DFS. Wychwood Design is a true family concern. Established by Ray Griffiths in 1969, his three sons - Simon, Timothy and Jeremy - now work for the company in different capacities. Ray is a former design and technology teacher whose success selling wooden earrings and cufflinks at county shows during the school holidays led to the formation of his own company, initially working from a barn at his home. Based in Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, Wychwood has strong links with Guernsey. ‘I was trying to spread our wings a little so I came over here and met a designer,’ recalls Ray. ‘I said, “It’s hard work getting business in Guernsey” and he replied, “You won’t get it if you don’t come,” so I began to come regularly and our first arrangement was with the late Andre Sendlhofer at Sarnia Hotels.’ Andre had just built an extension to Les Roquettes and Ray furnished

all 28 bedrooms. ‘I remember ringing the careers master at the boys’ school to see if they had any students who could help to offload the furniture in the holidays. So that was the foundation of the relationship over here and since then we’ve done huge amounts of work.’ The company’s furniture and joinery are not only in the island’s hotels and restaurants, but in offices and private homes

too. ‘We’re very proud of the fit-out of the nurses’ home at the hospital, all in cherry,’ says Diana Camden, who has worked for the company for more than 20 years. Marina View and Glategny Court are other prestigious projects with high-end specifications for joinery work. A new venture is Val Fleury, the brand new townhouse development in Hauteville. Qube’s Quinten Hubbard has asked

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

FURNITURE

Ray and Diana to fully furnish and dress No.10 as a show home. As Ray explains: ‘It’s an interesting challenge because we’ve never completed a complete interior design project before and we’ve been lucky enough to persuade Arthur Pugh, a local designer now in semi-retirement, to assist us.’ A look at Wychwood Design’s website reveals a huge range of products, both free standing and fitted. ‘We have around 40 employees and in our factory we manufacture from raw materials and have an upholstery department and full polishing facility including gilding and special finishes,’ says Ray. ‘The only things we bring in are raw frames from Italy. We buy from small artisan producers who are still able to do hand carving but have moved, in recent years, to more contemporary stylised designs.’ Wychwood Design usually works in collaboration with interior designers, which makes sense when you see that the free-standing upholstered furniture is all illustrated on the website in plain calico. ‘You can put a fabric on a chair from £10 a metre up to £200 a metre, making a huge visual difference,’ says Ray. Fabric selection is highly important and a designer will help clients with their choices. Clients are then able to receive a bespoke item with their unique combination of wood finish, fabric and trimmings. The company is very much clientbased, with a can-do attitude. ‘We take the order, yes, with pleasure, but then we do look after the clients and we’ll come over whenever necessary,’ explains Diana. Quality is key, which Ray reveals has posed an unusual dilemma for Karel Harris of Sarnia Hotels, daughter of Andre Sendlhofer: ‘Karel keeps saying she thinks it’s time they refurbished some of the rooms at Moores but the furniture is still so good they’re not sure they want to get rid of it!’ Wychwood Design has a regular presence at two exhibitions: the Independent Hotels Show in October and the Furniture Show in January. These are aimed at the upper end of the market and the company specialises in small, bijoux hotels. ‘There are hotels with 400 rooms all the same but that’s not for us,’ adds Diana. Despite being rather niche, no order is too small. Ray elaborates: ‘I’ll make a milking stool for Gladys in the village if necessary. We’ve always had that philosophy, because mighty oaks from little acorns grow.’ Ray and Diana will continue to visit Guernsey. ‘We’ve got good friends who were originally contacts, we love it here,’ concludes Diana. www.wychwood-design.co.uk

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CATEGORY

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CATEGORY

ARTICLE

Call us now on 727989 £239,000

St Peter Port

£247,000

St Peter Port

£249,000

St Peter Port

£250,000

St Peter Port

SOLE AGENT

A modern one bedroom property situated in a

Modern first floor one bedroom apartment.

Well presented, third floor, one bedroom flat.

Spacious two bed, ground floor apartment.

very central St Peter Port location with

Opportunity for an investor or a professional

Accommodation has been well maintained.

Located in the Old Quarter of St Peter Port.

sweeping rooftop and distant sea views.

couple who wish to be within walking distance

There is on street and public car parking within

This property would be ideal for those looking

Peaceful rooftop terrace area.

to St Peter Port’s local amenities.

the vicinity. Monthly service charge of £69.00.

to get on to the property ladder.

TRP 47 // Ref: LM1436

£259,000

Vale

TRP 61 // Ref: LM1199

£269,000

St Peter Port

TRP 52 // Ref: LM1277

£282,000

St Peter Port

TRP 86 // Ref: LM884

£289,000

St Peter Port

SOLE AGENT

JOINT AGENT

“Petit Bellita” is a beautiful modern, two bed

Well presented, first floor, two bedroom flat.

Three bedroom property located in a

Smart Apartment with two double bedrooms.

apartment located in a convenient area and

Conveniently located on the outskirts of St

convenient location and close to the local

Located within walking distance to town centre

only minutes away from the amenities of The

Peter Port. The flat boasts new carpets and

St Peter Port and Admiral Park amenities.

This property is ideal for first time buyers.

Bridge. Allocated parking space to front.

re-decoration throughout. Parking on Street.

Secure rear patio area.

Circular windows offering great rooftop views.

SOLE AGENT

TRP 91 // Ref: LM1437

TRP 26 // Ref: LM1349

£295,000

St Peter Port

JOINT AGENT

£299,000

Castel

SOLE AGENT

TRP 139 // Ref: LM1087

£305,000

St Peter Port

TRP 107 // Ref: LM1030

£322,500

Vale

SOLE AGENT

Brand new development situated on the east

Stunning one bedroom second floor flat which

Four bedroom terraced house providing

Ideal home for first time buyers or investors

coast of Guernsey any only a stones throw

is situated in an a enviable castel location and

spacious living accommodation requiring full

Tastefully upgraded by its current owners

away from the centre of St. Peter Port and

within close proximity to the stunning west

renovation and upgrading. Once complete, it

Lounge/dining room/kitchen, two bedrooms

stunning marina seafront. Allocated Parking.

coast beaches and Cobo Village . Parking.

would provide the ideal family home.

On street parking is available within the vicinity

TRP TBA // Ref: LM1423

£325,000

St Peter Port

TRP 86 // Ref: LM1409

£339,000

StMartin

TRP 191 // Ref: LM1205

£369,000

St Peters

TRP 81 // Ref: LM1316

£380,000

St Peter Port

SOLE AGENT

Large two bedroom duplex apartment which is

Two bedroom terraced house located in the

Situate on a good sized plot, a re-build may be

Two bedroom semi-detached bungalow tucked

situated close by to the Old Quarter, and only

enviable parish of St Martin’s and only a

possible (subject to relevant permissions) to

away in a quiet St Peter Port location, with

a short walk away from St Peter Port’s town

stones throw away from the local village, shop

create a stunning property enjoying fantastic

close access to all local amenities. Good sized

centre and seafront marina. Parking.

ping amenities and the tranquil lanes. Garden.

sea views from the first floor. Garden, Parking.

gardens laid to lawn and parking for two cars.

SOLE AGENT

TRP 100 // Ref: LM1435

sarniaestateagents.com

TRP 98 // Ref: LM1456

TRP 141 // Ref: LM1432

TRP 74 // Ref: LM1043

GUERNSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

ARTICLE

£405,000

St Peter Port

£410,000

St Peter Port

£429,000

Castel

£435,000

CATEGORY

St Peter Port

JOINT AGENT

Stunning purpose built 2 bed ground floor

One St. Julian’s Avenue comprises of 29 luxury

Lovely semi-detached bungalow, situated in

Situated in a convenient location this 2 bed flat

apartment ideally located for those who enjoy

local market apartments, with stunning views

an a quiet off-road location, yet within strolling

offers modern and spacious living accommoda

a leisurely stroll into Town along our

over the coast of Guernsey to the islands

distance of the west coast beaches of Albecq

tion over two floors. Enclosed patio to rear.

picturesque waterfront. Allocated parking

beyond. Secure underground parking.

and Vazon Bay. Garden laid to lawn, Parking.

Parking for up to three cars.

TRP T74 // Ref: LM1449

£465,000

Castel

TRP TBA // Ref: LM1286

£469,000

St Martins

TRP 100 // Ref: LM652

£469,000

St Peter Port

TRP 135 // Ref: LM1369

£474,000

St Sampson

SOLE AGENT

Stunning, newly refurbished three bedroom,

Charming 3 bed cottage situated in a popular

Characterful 4 bed period property situated in

semi-detached bungalow in the sought after

area, within strolling distance to St Martins

the centre of St. Peter Port and within close

house situated close to the amenities of the

parish of the Castel. Wonderful courtyard,

Village shopping amenities. low maintenance

walking distance of the Marina. On-street and

Bridge and St Peter Port’s Town centre.

Useful garden stores, study area and parking.

West facing enclosed garden. Parking for two.

public car parking within the vicinity.

Secure rear garden and parking for two.

TRP 121 // Ref: LM1091

£525,000

St Peter Port

TRP 116 // Ref: LM1068

£530,000

St Sampson

SOLE AGENT

Listed

Three bedroom, cavity built, semi-detached

TRP 216 // Ref: LM1457

£550,000

Vale

TRP 121 // Ref: LM1440

£595,000

St Saviour

JOINT AGENT

Modern three bedroom cavity built family

Delightful three bedroom, semi-detached

Brand new contemporary development which

Four bed detached, Victorian house situated in

bungalow which is situated in a quiet clos on

bungalow situated on a small clos in a peaceful

comprises of twelve, three and four bedroom

the popular and enviable parish of St Saviour.

the outskirts of St. Peter Port. Front and rear

area with the benefit of L’Islet Village shopping

houses, which are situated close to the local

Low maintenance patio garden and decked

gardens, parking and a detached garage.

amenities and north coast beaches close by.

ameities. Integral garage, Parking, Garden.

area to rear. Ample parking for several cars.

TRP 125 // Ref: LM1410

£599,000

St Saviour

TRP 125 // Ref: LM1439

£650,000

St Martin

JOINT AGENT

TRP TBA // Ref: LM1396

£695,000

St Peter Port

TRP 206 // Ref: LM1411

£695,000

St Andrews

JOINT AGENT

Three bedroom semi-detached home situated in

Beautifully presented 3/4 bedroom bungalow,

Having been modernised by its current owners

Stunning three bedroom home, located not

a quiet, highly esteemed residential clos which

situate in the quiet lanes of St Martin and just

this four bedroom Victorian property is

too far away from St Peter Ports’ town centre

is within easy reach of Perelle Bay. West facing

a short distance from shops and garage. Good

presented in immaculate condition throughout.

and the beautiful west coast beaches. Lawned

low maintenance garden. Garage & Parking.

sized rear garden. Ample parking to front.

Paved patio area and walled garden. Parking.

rear garden, Integral garage, ample parking.

TRP 136 // Ref: LM1353

TRP 176 // Ref: LM1455

TRP 246 // Ref: LM1164

TRP 222 // Ref: LM1357

Sarnia Estate Agents, 16-18 Mansell Street, St Peter Port, GY1 1HP Tel: 727989 Email: enquiries@sarniaestateagents.com

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TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT:

T: 01481 727989 W: sarniaestateagents.com OR

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103

BUSINESS

THE INTERVIEW

Life in the fast lane From starting out in business six years ago, 34-year-old Alex Ford has made quite a name for himself in Guernsey. He has grown Sarnia Estate Agents into one of the local sector’s leading lights and is just about to relocate to a prime location on the High Street. Words Tom Bradshaw

During that time the entrepreneur has also established the successful Property Lottery alongside climbing the ranks within the Lord’s Taverners to become the youngest ever regional president, aged 32. In his spare time he is a motor racing nut and has more recently turned his hands to White Collar boxing. A residing theme through all his pursuits is his competitive nature and his sheer determination to succeed. Putting his new-found love of boxing down to the primal instinct within us all, he said: ‘We are all hunter gatherers and

Mansell Street and in 2011 moved into the larger existing site just opposite. ‘Noel had established a very successful estate agents but I knew we had to evolve to take the next step.’ Over the next few years the business grew steadily and established more direct relationships with property developers. In 2014 Sarnia Estates branched into open market sales for the first time as the Guernsey licensee for global elite homes brand Fine and Country. This year has seen further developments with the recent merger with Wiltshire adding com-

ity and the highly desirable three-bedroom townhouse should raise in excess of £300,000 when it is given away on New Year’s Eve. ‘The Cheshire Home is a fantastic charity run by a great team of volunteers and guardians but it costs an incredible amount to keep it going. Anything we can do to help is a no brainer.’ Alex is a second generation president of the Lord’s Taverners, following in his father’s footsteps. He is nearing the end of his first two-year term and is intending to do another if re-elected.

competitive at heart. We all want to better ourselves and boxing was just a new challenge for me. My career is just the same. I knew from a young age I wanted to work for myself and do the best I could.’ He rewards long hours in the office with lots of fun and adventures with wife Tanya and their two-year-old German Shepherd Sabre, whether it be cliff walks at home or relaxing holidays. While admitting to leading a privileged lifestyle himself, Alex is also passionate about supporting those islanders less fortunate and puts a lot of effort into supporting local charities. Schooled at Elizabeth College, he had early ambitions of becoming a racing driving before opting for a career in estate agency. Learning the trade at one of the biggest local firms, Alex set out alone in 2009 with the acquisition of Sarnia, a longstanding business established by Noel Le Tissier in 1981. Initially focussing on its existing residential sales business, Alex was soon to diversify and expand into lettings and management. He quickly outgrew the original premises in Upper

mercial property to its offering. Reflecting the continuing success of the business is its imminent move to 37 High Street, the former All in Black premises. ‘Mansell Street has served us very well, but there is nothing like trading from the High Street, so we are very excited about this move.’ Sarnia currently has a seven-strong team. ‘My parents always taught me to work hard. If your staff see you working hard they don’t mind working hard themselves, so long as you reward them for it and create an enjoyable workplace. We compete with companies which have 20 staff, which is why we are so profitable.’ Among Alex’s many charitable endeavours is the Property Lottery in aid of the Cheshire Home, which he devised in association with his friend Ben Jones of the ad agency ReFresh. Having coordinated the prize draw for a two-bedroom flat in 2012, they have since taken things up a notch this year with a £600,000 town house up for grabs for a £200 ticket. The flat giveaway raised £159,000 for the char-

‘I used to join my dad from a young age at events and then got actively involved myself when I was 26. I was thrown in at the deep end to chair the Grand National event and absolutely loved it.’ In the last two years its annual cricket match in Herm has raised £100,000 alone to be distributed among local charities. Alongside providing a number of wheelchair-friendly minibuses to various institutions and supporting disadvantaged children it also invests time and money into bigger capital projects. One such initiative at the moment is the redevelopment of the KGV Pavilion and disabled changing rooms. Alex is on a mission to bring down the average age of the membership. ‘Since I have been on the committee we I have brought in six new members under 40. If you are the right person you will get a lot from it. It is not just about networking, it is about giving something back to the community – but it is incredibly rewarding and the social side to it is fantastic.’ His recent foray into White Collar

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THE INTERVIEW / JAY AYLMER

boxing came about as a drastic attempt to get into shape. ‘I came to realise I had been throwing everything into my work with a complete disregard to my physical health. I was ballooning in weight.’ Having previously played a lot of rugby, Alex gave this up soon into his estate agency career due to the awkwardness of turning up to viewings on a Monday mornings with black eyes. But he said he really missed the competitive side of the sport. Earlier this year his friend Ollie Power, a boxing coach, suggested he tried out some training for fitness purposes, and he was hooked on his first session. ‘When I started out it absolutely killed. Nothing I had done before compared to boxing training, but I found it really addictive.’ Soon afterwards Ollie suggested he entered a White Collar novice bout at August’s open air event at The Track, which he immediately signed up to in aid of Lord’s Taverners. With just 12 weeks to prepare he committed to an intensive training schedule of four two-hour sessions a week combined with a complete change in lifestyle and diet. He lost more than two stone in the process. So dedicated was he that he sought out boxing gyms while on trips away. Most notably he remained

sober on a friend’s 30th birthday trip to Amsterdam and trained every day at the gym of a former European champion. The week before the fight Alex endured a suspected fracture to the rib in training. Told to expect an eight-week recovery, he went against the doctor’s advice and went ahead. ‘I had come that far and didn’t want to let the charity down, so with sheer determination and a lot of painkillers I went for it. ‘Once you start boxing you will never want to give it up.’ What little spare time Alex has is committed to family. Tanya is South African so she and Alex often visit the country, spending alternative Christmases there with her family in either Johannesburg or Cape Town. A love of motoring and speed is in his genes with his dad Claude running Forest Road Garage and brother Matt owning Karting Guernsey. The Ford men frequently go away on motor racing trips – this year they went to Le Mans 24-hour race for Claude’s 60th birthday. Whatever Alex is up to, it’s normally in the fast lane.

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Move over eggs, bacon just got a new best friend… fudge! Words Jay Aylmer It was fascinating to walk along the Crown Pier in the gorgeous sun to experience the Guernsey International Food Festival. As I was wandering around, with the clear buzz of both the stall owners and the visitors (both local and foreigners alike), it became aparent what an amazing selection of food and beverage brands we have in Guernsey. I’m sure every region of the country has a similar selection of produce being served up, it’s more the sheer quality and standards with which we produce things on our island that amazes me. I’m a real foodie (who isn’t?) and I’m absolutely obsessed with cooking, so looking at these local food producers as a foodie and brand geek is a fascinating process. As I’ve preached in the past, a brand is more than just a logo, and from this standpoint, I have compiled the following list of producers that fascinate me (this is not necessarily a top-10 type list and it’s certainly not in any order…. so no angry emails please about exclusion). fresh guernsey herbs You can spot and smell their Guernsey-grown

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Fresh Basil from an aisle away! As my wife can’t smell (massive result), it was one of the first things I put under my eldest daughter’s nose to test if she could smell. porky’s We are so lucky in Guernsey to have rearers and producers like Porky’s, that deliver to us a wonderful variety of pork-based products. torteval cheese We all know the level at which this cheese is rated across the globe. It’s the fact that it’s a seemingly ‘standalone’ variety of cheese that makes it so interesting. hechet Farm Best ice cream on the planet. Need I say more? wheadon’s gin Luke from the Bella has turned his hand to some extremely unusual and high quality gins that he distills on site. His Grapefruit and Cucumber Gin is starting to generate a cult following. senners bakery Does anyone know if there’s a States-backed contingency plan in case Senners were ever to close down? Is there a better ‘white fluffy roll’ anywhere else in the world?! rocquette cider As a cider drinker, not only is James Meller and Rocquette an absolute winner, but they grow and press it in the most picture-perfect of environments… if apples could be classed as happy and free-range, then this is the place they would want to live! All of these brands are produced and championed by passionate and incredibly talented individuals who put our little island on the global foodie map. I can’t wait to discover more of the same… pie shop anyone?

jay aylmer A creative thinker and designer. Jay and his team have worked and developed some of the most effective and memorable brands and marketing campaigns in the local and international marketplace. jay@thepottingsheddesign.com the potting shed design & advertising With studios in both Guernsey and Jersey, The Potting Shed Design & Marketing is a multi-discipline agency founded in 2007 on two basic principles: ‘Find a Better Way’ & ‘Find a More Beautiful Way’. They work on a variety of clients from global brands to small boutique companies across the UK, the middle East and Asia. 01481 727699 | thepottingsheddesign.com

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BUSINESS SYNOPSIS

From suit to photo shoot, Simon has no regrets

“ I could either do two things badly or one thing well, there simply wasn’t the time for both. The strength of the photography business meant it had to become the priority.” — Simon Boucher-Harris

Words: Tom Bradshaw This month our very own fashion photographer Simon Boucher-Harris discusses his success in straying from the financial services and choosing an alternative career path. And aren’t we lucky, you’ll have seen his work on our cover every time you pick up an edition of Gallery... The quality of his work and his global acclaim would suggest that Simon BoucherHarris has had a long career in photography. But what a lot of people are shocked to hear is that he picked up a camera for the first time less than four years ago. In a previous guise he had spent 20 years working in finance before a fortuitous change in direction. ‘I was always artistic and creative growing up, but when I left school I was drawn to the finance industry and never pursued it.’ That was until 2012 when Simon set up Renegade Photography, which quickly became one of the leading local names in the industry. Three years later, having established an enviable reputation for his innovative style, he has rebranded as Boucher-Harris Photography to reflect a new direction for the business.

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So how did an inexperienced photographer climb the ranks so fast? Seemingly a natural talent and a lot of hard work. When Simon was made redundant from his office job in 2011 he seized the opportunity to take on a new challenge and start his own business. Before all that though he took a holiday, during which he first dabbled in photography. ‘I bought a £400 camera, which at the time seemed like a lot to be spending on one, and then just experimented taking photos of the sights. The images weren’t great, but I was really enjoying it as a hobby so when I got back home I enrolled on a beginners’ photography course.’ Simon’s first foray into business was providing an online marketplace for cars under the brand Renegade Motoring. This also indulged his new-found love of photography in capturing images of all

the vehicles for his advertising. The business was successful, but the strength of his images was generating as much interest as the cars themselves. Just six months after first picking up a camera, Simon entered a global professional photography competition and made the top 20. Having entered on a whim, he said it was an amazing confidence boost. Soon after that he had a big break when Livingroom founder Simon Torode commissioned him to take images for the Made in Guernsey publication. ‘The variety of that job was amazing and really helped me progress. One day I would be photographing a lobster fisherman on the beach and on the next it was shooting food in Red. I had to build up my skills very quickly. ‘Made in Guernsey was amazing for

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SIMON BOUCHER-HARRIS

me as it was such a good platform to show people what I do and that I create a very different style of photography.’ Simon said his approach to people photography is a very natural, journalistic style. ‘I don’t like staged portrait photography. People are bombarded with photos on a daily basis and you need yours to stand out. It is very hard to get someone to pose for a pic and I think a natural image is far more believable and real, so getting people to relax and show their personality is vital. ‘Made in Guernsey was a beautifully put together magazine and my style of photography fitted it perfectly.’ The exposure led to a lot of interest from agencies and private clients, and Simon’s workload exploded. ‘Almost overnight I was doing 25 to 30 photo shoots a week and was relying on three to four hours sleep a night. It was a huge amount of work, but I was absolutely loving it, and it made me develop a large range of skills very quickly.’ Initially intended as an offshoot of Renegade Motors, Simon’s photography business grew so quickly that he had to make the difficult decision to wind up the former in late 2012. ‘I could either do two things badly or one thing well, there simply wasn’t the time for both. The strength of the photography business meant it had to become the priority.’

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Early on in his photography career Simon realised he had a love of editorial fashion photography and completed a two-day specialist course in Jersey. ‘The teacher said I had real potential and gave me some invaluable advice. I learned so much from that weekend. I think photographing people is the hardest thing to do well, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. ‘Photography appeals to me as it’s the opportunity to be really creative. It’s a lot like golf in that people are convinced that it’s the gadgets and equipment that are important, but really it’s the person behind the camera that is the driving force.’ Simon’s portraiture and fashion photography started appearing in UK and then worldwide publications and he secured regular work with Gallery. Another big turning point was when he was approached to do some travel photography for the world’s leading luxury tour company. His initial assignment was a few weeks in Turkey and before he had finished that trip he was booked for more. He has since worked in 16 countries in the last 18 months. ‘I have seen some stunning sights, with my favorites this year being back in the Arctic Circle working for a husky adventure company, Egypt, Bosnia and Croatia. It’s incredibly rewarding but it’s hard work, working very long hours for days on end.’ He has also turned his hand to tutoring, having spent three weeks in Italy

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training 35 photographers as well as writing tutorials for magazines and bespoke one-to-one training for private clients. Reflecting on the recent rebrand, Simon said: ‘The business has changed massively. When I started out I was taking on as much variety of work as I could and was shooting everything. It was great at developing my skills, but eventually I got to the point that I was having to turn down more work than I was taking on. ‘Now I just focus on editorial fashion, travel and commercial work. A rebrand made sense to reflect the new direction of my business. And as a single photographer I am my own brand, so it also made sense to use my name.’ This month Simon is starting a fourmonth course with world-renowned fashion photographer Nick Knight, having made the shortlist out of 17,000 professional photographer applicants. He is also setting off on a five-week trip with a busy schedule of photography assignments in Bali, Singapore and Ireland. It was initially intended as a holiday, but when he posted that he was going on his Facebook page – which has more than 60,000 likes - job offers started coming in. ‘I was approached by one of the main model agencies in Bali to refresh its fashion portfolio. Social media is a very useful marketing tool, but you have to work at it.’ Having lived in Guernsey all his life Simon said it was a fantastic springboard for budding photographers, but the opportunities are somewhat limited. ‘There are a lot of great photographers over here so you have to be versatile and unique to stand out. As soon as you are shooting professionally you’re creating images for someone else - you need to capture the image in their mind, and not necessarily the image in your mind, which makes it a lot more difficult.’ Simon said he was very happy with his career change and had no regrets. Although it was not without its sacrifices. ‘I have only had six days off in nearly four years. It has been a massive financial investment in all the equipment and I have spent tens of thousands of hours learning and developing techniques. I used to have a nice car and motorbikes. Now I have a camera bag. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Movers &Shakers GUERNSEY GAS HIRES LOCAL (01) Guernsey Gas has extended its commitment to hiring a local workforce, taking on its first ever graduate trainee and a new apprentice. Graduate trainee Oliver Hargreaves and apprentice Matthew Godfrey join the company this month. ‘Following the success of last year’s apprenticeship scheme we decided to roll out the opportunity again this year, as well as introducing our first ever graduate trainee position. This is the first position of its kind in the Channel Islands and one in which, for Oliver, there is broad and exciting scope for personal development,’ said Commercial Director John Davies.

TWO NEW DEGREES (07) Two Degrees North are delighted to announce the appointment of two new designers to their team - Michelle Griffiths joins in the role of Senior Designer and Chloe Sarre as Junior Designer. Michelle brings with her over 20 years’ experience in the design and advertising Industry, working both in the UK and Guernsey, recently managing a local design studio as Creative Director. Michelle’s design experience covers a broad sector of industries including hospitality, finance, leisure, tourism, commercial and retail. She has worked with many well known local and national brands such as Perry’s, Underoneroof, The Liberation Group, Fiat, and Marks & Spencer. Chloe, a talented young designer, also has previous agency experience working on local publications as well as helping clients with the social media side of their business. Chris Griffiths, Two Degrees North’s Creative Director said, ‘Both new additions to the team offer us and our clients a wealth of design and marketing experience and I am very much looking forward to working with them on many exciting new projects.’

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HAVE YOU GOT YOUR DIGITAL DRIVING LICENCE? (03) 179 Barclays employees across the Channel Islands have qualified as Barclays Digital Eagles after completing the Barclays Digital Driving Licence. The digitally savvy employees have passed the accredited training programme which helps people build their tech skills. Barclays Digital Eagles provide free technology advice to both customers and noncustomers at several Barclays’ initiatives in the islands, including Tea & Teach sessions and Code Playground workshops. The Barclays Digital Driving Licence is a free, interactive learning tool which has been designed to help people of any age get to grips with technology and has modules to suit different experience levels. It is accessible on any device or via the Barclays Digital Driving Licence App and users do not have to be employees or customers of Barclays to take part.

CUSTOMER SERVICES TAKE CENTRE STAGE (04) Racheal Coleman has been appointed to the newly created role of Head of Customer Service and Retail at Guernsey Electricity. With previous experience in the retail and banking sectors, Miss Coleman will introduce a customer relationship management system which will upgrade the existing IT software. ‘This is a new role dedicated to the customer experience which has been created as part of the business transformation programme. I’m also looking forward to further improving our digital channels to streamline and enhance the customer’s experience in communicating with us,’ said Miss Coleman.

NEW ROLE AT GDA (05) The Guernsey Disability Alliance (GDA) has appointed Karen Blanchford as their Executive Director. This is a new post for the charity, which was previously led by volunteers. As well as being a collective voice for more than 30 local disability charities and over 350 individuals, the GDA creates innovative opportunities for its members to speak for themselves, like the We All Matter, Eh? campaign (www.matter.gg). Much of its work is in partnership with the States, with the aim of achieving greater equality of opportunity for disabled islanders and carers. Karen’s role is funded by a strategic grant from the Guernsey Community Foundation in recognition of the GDA’s role in driving the implementation of the Disability and Inclusion Strategy and the need for the charity to be sustainable in the long-term.

GROWTH FOR C5 (06) C5 Alliance has announced the promotion of Director and Head of Process and Platforms, Aonghus Fraser to the more senior role of C5 Alliance Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and the appointment of Leyla Abreu as a consultant in its growing project delivery team. In his new role as CTO, Aonghus will take the lead in developing opportunities in the Professional Services Division in both Jersey and Guernsey. An accomplished project manager, Miss Abreu has more than 15 years’ experience working in the financial services industry. Returning to the island after working in London in the operations and shared services division of a global organisation, Miss Abreu has worked in numerous jurisdictions including Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Australia, Argentina and Sri Lanka.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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STEPHEN APPOINTED TO THE BOARD AT RAVENSCROFT (07) A month after trebling his stake in the company, Stephen Lansdown has been appointed to the board of Ravenscroft Limited. Last month Pula Investments Limited, Mr Lansdown’s family office, increased its shareholding in Ravenscroft, the Channel Islands’ only independent stockbroking and investment management firm, from 9.36% to 27.86%. Now the Guernsey-based cofounder of the financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown has joined the board of Ravenscroft as a non-executive director. ‘Stephen’s experience speaks for itself and we are delighted and very fortunate to have an individual with such a wealth of knowledge in the international finance industry as a major investor and a director,’ said Jon Ravenscroft.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

NEW WEBSITE DEVELOPER AT INDULGE MEDIA (08) Local digital agency Indulge Media has appointed Dan Ford to the role of Website Developer. Mr Ford will help the team develop creative technical solutions to a range of client needs, as well as helping to run the agency’s Code Club sessions at Amherst School. He will work on a broad range of projects, from setting up and managing websites to creating responsive web application architecture. Amherst’s after-school coding class was established by Indulge Media as part of a UK-wide initiative to encourage digital professionals to run coding classes for primary schoolchildren.

Images 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

Oliver Hargreaves & Matthew Godfrey Stephen Lansdown Barclays Digital Eagles Racheal Coleman Karen Blanchford Aonghus Fraser Michelle Griffiths & Chloe Sarre Dan Ford

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Business News BUOYANT ‘CONVERTIBLES’ Convertible bonds were prominent among the 203 newly listed securities on the Channel Islands Securities Exchange (CISE) during the first half of 2015. The number of new listings is up 14.7% on the same time last year and takes the total number of listed securities on the CISE to 2226 at the end of June 2015. Fiona Le Poidevin, Chief Executive Officer of the CISE, said: ‘It has been a strong start to the year for the CISE and it is especially encouraging that we have developed a new pipeline of business in convertible bonds. ‘Corporates are increasingly choosing to raise fresh investment by issuing convertible bonds, which can later be converted into equity, rather than diluting their share capital. Many of these firms will have their trading companies listed on another exchange, such as the London Main Market. However, they will choose to list convertible bonds on the CISE due to the fact that we have wide international recognitions whilst being competitive on cost and responsive to client needs.’ MOTOR MALL MOVES BACK TO THE HEART OF ST MARTIN’S Motor Mall is back in the heart of St Martin’s, bringing its multi-franchise new and used car sales, commercial vehicles department and fuel station onto one site. The move, which has created nine new jobs at Jacksons and Motor Mall, has been made possible by inward investment from its new Guernsey-based owners. ‘It’s a great feeling for Motor Mall to be returning to where it all began. We’ll now have the space to grow the business and offer even more of a first-class service – and even better value to our customers than ever. Motor Mall will be driving down the cost of motoring in Guernsey. I’m looking forward to a great future for our multi-franchise dealership and all our valued customers,’ said Motor Mall’s General Sales Manager, Gary Bynam.

ELIAN GRANTED LICENCE TO OFFER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Elian has been granted an investment business licence by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC). Working with global financial services company SEI (NASDAQ: SEIC), Elian Capital Services is now able to offer an integrated investment management programme. Elian Capital Services, which is regulated by the JFSC, has a dedicated team of qualified investment specialists. The investment management offering will provide clients of Elian Performance and Reward Management and Elian Private Wealth with access to a cost-effective, comprehensive and robust wealth management solution. The service will be managed out of the Jersey office. FUTURE LEADERS Adaptability is the key trait for leadership success according to the first session of the Future Leaders programme: an initiative by three local firms to develop Guernsey’s future business leaders. The session saw a new generation of future leaders from a wide range of local business sectors and industries come together to learn essential business skills as part of the Future Leaders programme sponsored by Barclays, Carey Olsen and KPMG. Run for the first time in Guernsey last year, the Future Leaders programme was set up to help emerging business leaders learn skills that will stand them in good stead for leadership roles. This year the programme has been extended to include Jersey, the Isle of Man, London, Cyprus and Gibraltar. GUERNSEY EXTENDS MARKET ACCESS TO EU COUNTRIES UNDER AIFMD Guernsey has extended market access to EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMs) and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) doing business in Guernsey. The move follows the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)’s advice

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to the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament that the EU Alternative Investment Fund Management Directive (AIFMD) passport should be extended to Guernsey. Guernsey’s government, the States of Guernsey, has now amended its Investor Protection regulations for AIFMs and AIFs based in EU Member States that have fully implemented AIFMD in order to enable easier movement between Guernsey and EU markets. Guernsey’s Chief Minister, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, said: ‘When I met with EU Capital Markets Commissioner Hill in May, I set out Guernsey’s commitment to supporting free movement of capital and trade. Our amendment to Investor Protection regulation extends Guernsey market access to EU AIFMs – a move that is both sensible and is a further demonstration of that commitment.’ GUERNSEY’S FINANCE INDUSTRIES SHOW STABILITY Guernsey’s financial services regulator approved 18 new investment funds during the second quarter of 2015, resulting in a total of 112 additions for the year ending 30 June 2015. Figures from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) also show that the net asset value of all funds under management and administration in Guernsey fell by £2.3 billion (-1%) during the second quarter to £219.9 billion. The value of deposits held by banks in Guernsey increased by £0.2 billion (0.2%) during the same period to reach £83.6 billion, representing a rise of £6.1 billion (8%) year on year. Dominic Wheatley, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance, said: ‘The number of new approvals over the past 12 months shows that Guernsey remains an attractive destination for funds. This is particularly the case when considered alongside recent announcements which include Guernsey extending market access to EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMs) and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) doing business in Guernsey, which itself followed the European Securities and Markets Authority’s advice to the relevant European authorities in July that the EU AIFMD passport should be extended to Guernsey.

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NEWS

WHAT DOES GROWTH MEAN FOR GUERNSEY? Celebrated economist and journalist Tim Harford will be the guest speaker at this year’s annual Institute of Directors’ convention which will focus on the key demographic issues facing the island. The popular event, which will be taking place on Thursday 22 October 2015 at Beau Sejour, will welcome Mr Harford, author of the million-selling ‘The Undercover Economist’, a senior columnist at the Financial Times and the presenter of Radio 4’s ‘More or Less’. The voice of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Guernsey-born broadcaster Sarah Montague, will return to moderate this year’s debate which will look at how Guernsey can stimulate growth and prosperity in the face of the demographic challenges ahead. The convention will be both timely and topical given the recently published population statistics, the population management consultation, the personal tax, pensions and benefits reforms and the many other issues facing the island as it heads towards an election in April 2016. LOCAL INTERIOR DESIGN AGENCY SHORTLISTED FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARD Michele Hilton Design has been shortlisted in the Restaurant & Bar Design category of this year’s Society of British and International Design (SBID) International Design Awards. Michele’s interior design project for La Reunion Restaurant was selected by a panel of technical judges for inclusion on the shortlist. Over the next few weeks a further team of experts - comprised of individuals representing a broad range of design skills and business sectors - will choose the winning entry for each of the 14 categories, also taking into account the public voting which represents 30% of the overall score. The SBID International Design Awards have come to be regarded as one of the highest accolades in the interior design industry. Each category undergoes a robust two-tier judging process by panels of leading industry experts for both technical content and aesthetic creativity. In recent years the awards have received entries from over 30 countries from around the world.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

BUSINESS

Zero to hero in 48 hours Startup Guernsey are offering those entrepreneurs amongst you the unique opportunity to take part in an intensive weekend-long workshop this November designed to cover everything you need to know about starting your own business quickly and efficiently. It’s the first time that a course like this has been offered in Guernsey and it will cover everything from pitching for cash to marketing your product. The weekend will be led by Charlotte Mason, who has helped hundreds of companies raise seed capital from investment angels and is the Co-Chair of INSTEAD UK Alumni Entrepreneur Group and an INSTEAD Entrepreneur-inResidence. Gallery was curious to pick Charlotte’s brains on how to harness your inner entrepreneurial spirit… WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF BUSINESS ADVICE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN? There are a few. In the context of start-ups, some of my favourites are ‘listen’ (to others and the market), ‘just do it’, ‘lead by example’, ‘take quick decisions’, ‘never procrastinate’, ‘always sleep on a potentially controversial email draft before hitting send!’ and colleagues who always encouraged me to ‘just build your own business.’ WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESSES ARE BEST SUITED TO SUCCEED IN OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE? I personally don’t see it as a ‘type of business’ so much as the people who run the business. Good people will make all business types successful.

this industry is (generally) somewhat behind when it comes to technology – leaving opportunity for those who dare make the move. CAN YOU GIVE OUR READERS SOME NETWORKING TIPS? Never turn down an invite unless you have to. Never go to an event with the mindset ‘what’s in it for me?’ Speak to as many people as possible. Target new faces that you don’t know. Go along armed with business cards and a 30-second elevator pitch. Work the room. Have a mental note of key questions to ask new faces so the conversation flows. Always follow up post a networking event. Make all useful connections from people you meet to others in your network that you possibly can. Somehow, this will get repaid in time to come. IN YOUR EXPERIENCE WHAT MAKES FOR A SUCCESSFUL START UP? For me it is simple - it is all about the people – the team. A talented team that is able to execute will get everything they want. They’ll get clients, awards, money, buy-in from key industry leaders – to make it all successful. The Startup Weekend Challenge will be held 6th-8th November. Find out more on their website startup.gg

Image: Charlotte Mason

From a start-up perspective I feel there will be more shared economytype businesses to evolve - not only in the B2C but B2B arena too. Fin Tech, Health Tech and Ed Tech are also going to grow further. The Retail sector will need to make a shift too as

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CAREER

What’s your career path? There are plenty of opportunities for talented individuals to develop with Ogier. Here, some of our team describe their career path from joining Ogier to progressing within the firm.

Emma Hill, Senior Associate

Diana Collas, Senior Associate

Sally Peedom, Managing Associate

‘After completing my training contract in London I was sure that I wanted to qualify into Dispute Resolution. I was attracted to Guernsey because of the prospect of island living combined with city work. Ogier was the preferred provider of offshore legal services for the firm that I trained with and so I was aware of their reputation and standing in the market. Since joining Ogier I have worked on a wide range of high quality matters and have had excellent client exposure. This has enabled me to develop my career and I was delighted to be promoted to Senior Associate earlier this year. In the future, I look forward to building on the foundations that I have laid by developing my contacts and continuing to grow my skill set at Ogier, while at the same time enjoying everything that Guernsey has to offer.’

‘Having started my legal career as a secretary I joined Ogier as a Legal Executive in 2003. With ongoing support from Ogier I qualified as an English Solicitor in 2008 and a British Virgin Islands Solicitor in 2009. The road from legal secretary to Senior Associate was never going to be an easy one but with support from the Ogier team I have achieved this. I work on a diverse range of financing and realestate transactions and investment holding structures, as well as debt listings and general corporate matters. I love the quality and variety of work, which has given me valuable exposure to first-rate clients, administrators and advisers both locally and around the world. Following the sale of its fiduciary business Ogier’s focus is solely on law and I look forward to progressing my career with Ogier as we move into the next chapter.’

‘I grew up in Cairns, Australia and studied in Sydney, having moved there to qualify as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and complete my Masters of Law and Management. After living in Sydney for over eight years and juggling both city life and small children, I was delighted to accept the opportunity to move to Guernsey and commence work at Ogier. I have now been at Ogier in the Dispute Resolution team for more than five years and the quality of the work, both contentious trust and insolvency work, is far superior to the work experiences I received from a leading law firm in Australia. Given that Australia is so far from everywhere, the gloss of international travel has not yet worn off. Guernsey is a wonderful place to live and Ogier has been an excellent choice of employer for me. The ongoing support from Ogier has also enabled me to continue to develop my legal skills and also enjoy a great family life.’

For those at the beginning of their career, Ogier has opened its application process for its Trainee Solicitor Programme and Bursary Scheme. Find out more at www.ogier.com

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Brighter ideas. Brighter talent.

Develop with Ogier Trainee Solicitor Programme and Bursary Scheme Progressing your career can be a complex matter. Our student initiatives help you manage that complexity and progress to the next level. There are plenty of opportunities for talented individuals to develop with Ogier. With a friendly, team-based culture we focus on delivering high calibre client service while helping individuals to develop their commercial awareness. Ogier schemes include a bursary for local students, providing financial support and valuable work experience, and an England & Wales Trainee Solicitor programme. Contact us to investigate how you can become part of our team: ogierlegalrecruitment@ogier.com Applications open in October 2015 for our 2016/17 intakes.

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SPORT

JACK FALLA

ZOOM

Zero to Sixty Words Liam Doherty Jack Falla is the highest-flying, fastest-driving Guernsey sportsman you may not but should have heard of. He has shot from zero to sixty as quickly as a McLaren F1 in a sport where champions are incubated at a ludicrously young age; Lewis Hamilton was racing competitively at eight years old; Jack’s very first experience of circuit racing was at 22. On holiday to Australia in 2009, fate steered Jack toward his future profession. ‘My friend was testing a load of drivers and he said to pop down to the track, so I borrowed a helmet and drove a race car for the first time in my life.’ Shortly thereafter, a driver in the team dropped out with two races left in the season; Jack was asked, ‘Do you fancy jumping in?’ ‘And that was that; my holiday in Australia was over!’ laughs Jack. And so it was, with only a handful of hours’ experience driving a supercar, Jack was offered his seat – his debut. Against all odds and in miserably wet conditions, ‘I came ninth

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out of a 30 car grid having never raced or trained properly in my life’ – a seemingly modest but contextually outrageous feat, more so as Jack went on to finish eleventh out of another 30 car grid in the following race, proving the first was no fluke. ‘From 2009 to 2013 I did nothing. I did those two races,’ Jack tells me with an understandable annoyance, ‘Then in 2013 my friend asked me, “Why have you not done anything with your racing? We’re running GT3s in Australia soon, would you consider driving?’’’ Jack’s initiation into GT3 racing was grounding. Certainly in the initial test circuit after his four-year hiatus, in preparation for his first season in Australia’s Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge 2013. With his new teammates clocking laps of a minute, Jack’s first lap reflected his lack of experience: he was 15 seconds slower,

light-years at this level. Jack paints a toilsome picture before saying, ‘By the end of the week, I was just off the track record for a GT3 car and finished the season fifth in Pro Class.’ First season, aged 24 with no experience and already finishing just out of reach of a podium finish. The podium would beckon Jack after a season of near-miss finishes in its shadow as he went on to finish third overall and first in his class in the Perth 300 endurance race; ‘a great memory’ and vindication after a hard first season in the deep end. Though Jack made head-turning inroads during Australia’s Porsche GT3 2013 season, the commute to and from the land down under proved unsustainable. Jack bowed out of the 2014 season, racing only thrice, again with a fifth place finish in the frustrating downwind of

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JACK FALLA

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“ I believe if I’d have finished every race, I’d be in the top three, without a doubt. I still do have time to be in the top three, but it doesn’t give me any room for error – I have to be perfect.” — Jack Falla

Champagne spray. But Jack didn’t lose the momentum he gained in 2014 as he did in 2009. He was contacted by Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2014 winners, Redline Racing, with an invitation to drive a test circuit for the 2015 championship. In a car he’d never driven, in torrential rain, around an unfamiliar circuit. Despite this, he was the first driver signed by any team for the Carrera Cup GB 2015 season, to last season’s winning team no less. Despite a first season studded with solid performances and several podium finishes, his second has unfortunately been plagued by bad luck, suffering major unavoidable setbacks: running at seventh and being wiped out by a lapped racer and then again by a driver in front who lost control resulting in Jack colliding with him at pace and a severe concussion; and most recently he was battling for second in his class before the competing car spun through a corner and wiped Jack out. He was sixth-tenths of a second off of pole position – first overall. They say bad luck comes in threes. There’s now a large and well-weighted asterisk above the fifth place he currently occupies. ‘I’m not going backwards, that’s for sure,’ Jack reassures me, perhaps as much as himself. ‘Knowing I could have done nothing to stop what’s happened,’ shrugs Jack, ‘If there’s any negativity, I leave it on the track.’ The ecstatic podium peaks contrast taxingly with the frustrating troughs; ‘It always feels, just as I’m taking the next step up the ladder, something takes me down three steps,’ Jack says uncharacteristically. ‘Well, that’s racing!’ That’s more like it. ‘I believe if I’d have finished every race, I’d be in the top three, without a doubt. I still do have time to be in the top three, but it doesn’t give me any room for error – I have to be perfect.’ With perfection the goal, where Jack goes from here is by no means set in the stars, but gauging by his boundless determination, dedication and enthusiasm, I’d say it’s undoubtedly up.

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LIFEJACKET

LIFEJACKET Let’s Get This Out Of Our System and Move On Words Tom Girard With a career best performance that was also one of many highlights of August’s Vale Earth Fair, post-rock three-piece Lifejacket launched the physical edition of their excellently titled debut album, Let’s Get This Out Of Our System and Move On, and rarely has a title summed up the sound of a record better. Having formed in 2011 the band (guitarist/vocalist Andy Sauvage, bassist John McCarthy and drummer Claire Mockett) spent a chunk of 2014 in their studio creating a set of cathartic indie rock songs heaped with disaffected passion, throbbing bass, thundering drums, angular spiky guitars and brilliantly off-beat lyrics. No Show delivers an opening blast that sees the band exhibit a greater control than they do in the live environment allowing a different side of them to cut through. While there’s still a vicious, bitter and cynical mood (in the best of cathartic ways) it is with a more recognisable indierock sound, topped with layers that could

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only come out in the studio. With these extra sounds - coming in the form of synths, layered guitars and more backing vocals - Lifejacket have used the studio in the most effective of ways to embellish the songs. While the essence of what makes them work live is still there, there is an extra level on show as well – along with a few ‘Easter eggs’ which reward repeat listens nicely. As the album goes on Sauvage’s lyrics particularly struck me as he displays a sense of wit often missing in modern pop. This is most on show in Lifejacket’s two tracks decrying celebrity culture, Meanwhile In Hollywood and What Does That Mean, while in Merrick the same style is used to investigate human nature towards animals, showing a range of issues in the head of the writer, all inspiring a fascinating and unique sense of articulation. Strangely the one track that doesn’t really fit in with the rest on the record is the first the band recorded and released, and

a perennial live favourite, Brains. Its horror punk style is somewhat at odds with what surrounds it, but it does act as a slight change of pace halfway through and is still a great song packed with some excellent references for zombie fans. With sonic references across the album to the likes of Nirvana and The Holy Bible-era Manic Street Preachers, Let’s Get This Out Of Our System and Move On would sound great in any situation, but in the context of having been entirely self-produced it is astounding and shows another facet of the band’s talents. Rounded off with the distortiondrenched Yacht Shoes that heads in the direction of The Wildheart’s Endless, Nameless (though nothing is that distorted), Lifejacket close this efficient and effective album with the same sort of short, sharp, shock it begins with, completing what is certainly one of Guernsey’s top records of recent years. tom.girard2010@hotmail.com

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SONY / 4G

NEXT FOR SONY Superstar DJ and Airtel-Vodafone Brand Ambassador Hannah Jacques reviews the Sony Xperia Zf. We recently reviewed the Sony Z3+ and this month Sony is taking centre stage again with the new Sony Xperia Z4. The Z4 is taking the world by storm with new features, state-of-the-art technology, cutting-edge design and more. Wrapped in a metal frame and protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, this handset is very light and continues with the stylish Xperia design. Although slimmer and thinner, on first appearance the Z4 looks similar to the Z3 but beneath the surface this is an impressive upgrade. The phone is safe to use around water or damp areas because of the high waterproofing standards and also has a waterproof USB terminal. The Z4 is one of the only - if not the only - smartphone with this kind of waterproof protection. The phone also has a fingerprint sensor cleverly placed on the side of the phone with the volume buttons. It doesn’t just have high quality audio but

HOW TO… MANAGE YOUR 4G DATA MATT’S TOP TIP FROM AIRTEL-VODAFONE

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comes with Sony’s in-house, Bluetooth sound boosting tech – music to my ears! The handset boasts a wide angle 20.7 MP camera and HD video capability. An advanced blur correction function ensures those action shots are not missed. The display is the same size as its predecessor at 5.2 inches, portraying life like crystal-clear images on screen. With some help from the tech team at Airtel-Vodafone, here are some of the specs: the handset works on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, 64 bit octa-core processor and features Android’s Lollipop 5.0 operating system and comes with 32GB memory plus a MicroSD card slot The battery is efficient and the handset features a range of new features and useful tools. Coming in four colours - white, black, copper and aqua green - I’ll be taking my pick. This handset places itself firmly in the premium smartphone market. A handset that combines functionality and design – what’s not to love? Price for handset only £528 Price on Pay Monthly contract with AirtelVodafone, from £28.40

What type of activities use a lot of data? Downloads, uploads and streaming use more data that social media browsing for example. Turning off things like push notifications can avoid unnecessary data usage. Speed tests are heavy on data usage and the faster the speed, the more data will be used. Social media or email notifications and updates such as new software can consume a lot of data. Turning off automatic updates and notifications in your settings means you will be asked when a new update is available, and how much data it will use, thus allowing you to make the choice. On an iPhone for example, go to your settings, scroll down to iTunes and App store and turn Updates off.

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TECHNOLOGY

GET APPY

Words Paul Chapman

Lead the crowd, find an alternative social network... It’s a pretty safe bet that most of us smartphone owners will have the standard Facebook, Twitter and Instagram apps installed on our devices. They do their job well, but there are alternative apps that allow us to access these social networks, each offering something different over their big name rivals. Here we look at three of the best. Friendly+ with Adblock (iOS) is the leading alternative Facebook app. It allows the user to secure their account by way of a PIN code, and if you have multiple accounts, or perhaps share a device with other family members, the app makes it easy to switch between profiles. One of its best features is that it allows the user to reply to messages directly from within the Friendly app; there is no need for the separate Messenger app. You can customise how the app looks with different colour themes,

and the interface works well in both portrait and landscape modes. The app costs £2.29, but for this you get the ability to block those annoying Facebook ads. If you don’t want to part with your hard-earned, however, there is a free, adsupported version. Hootsuite (iOS, Android) is an app that will appeal to power users. Originally a Twitter alternative, it now allows you to manage multiple social media accounts including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. One of its most compelling features is the ability to manage and schedule posts across networks, which is helpful for people who are on the go but still have businesses or social media accounts to run. The app also has in-built analytical tools so you can track how your shared content is performing. Hootsuite is free to use with up to three social networks, but if you need more there are in-app purchases available to meet your requirements.

HOLDING THE BABY Regular readers of Gallery will know that each issue has a theme and that most of the articles contained within will have some relevance to that theme. As a writer, having a topic is useful as it goes some way to informing what this column will be about. If I didn’t have this, I’d be floundering around, trying to pull an article out of the jumble of thoughts that didn’t involve moaning about roadworks. However, when the editor told me the theme for this issue is ‘alternative’, I started floundering. The term encompasses too much, and I was unable to whittle down the maelstrom of my mind into anything cohesive. So, as I do in situations like this, I turned to the Internet for inspiration (for all other situations I ask myself, ‘What would Jack Bauer do?’). Unsurprisingly, I found myself reading about alternative medicines and therapies. I’d heard of a lot of them before, but there were several that I read about that caused

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HARDWARE

For some reason, there is no official, tablet-optimised version of the Instagram app. It’s possible to install the iPhone app on an iPad, but it doesn’t make for a great viewing experience. This is where Flow for Instagram (iOS) comes in. Although you can’t upload photos to the social network via the app (Instagram doesn’t allow this), Flow is all about the browsing experience. Its beautifully designed interface is slick and fast and makes for an altogether superior feed viewer. The inability to upload aside, most other Instagram functions are available: like and comment on photos; search by user, hashtag and location; share photos on other social networks; save to camera roll, and so on. The app is free to download and offers in-app purchases. Although the popular social networks offer their own stock apps, it’s worth looking at some of the available alternatives from third-party developers, you never know what innovative functions and features you might find.

Words Paul Chapman

both amusement and alarm in equal measure. Take, for example, urine therapy. Apparently, drinking one’s own urine can cure a wide range of illnesses including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. It’s also meant to be an effective treatment for acne. One website extolling the benefits of urine therapy even says that ‘urine can be compared to the leftovers from a meal.’ No. No, it can’t. In reality no medical benefit from ingesting urine has ever been proven, and some experts think it could actually be dangerous. Yet people continue to drink their own wee. Hasn’t Bear Grylls got lovely skin though… Something far more troubling is psychic surgery. In this alternative therapy, psychic surgeons make imaginary incisions on their patients and pretend to take out the diseased matter. They then spontaneously ‘heal’ the incision. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, this practice usually results in untreated disease and death. In much of the world, psychic surgery is

rightly considered to be medical fraud, but it is still practised in the Philippines and Brazil. I can’t imagine how desperate you would have to be to consider this a realistic option. A far more sensible and appealing alternative therapy is the beer spa. Popular in Germany (I’ve always like the Germans), bathing in beer is supposed to soothe the muscles and joints, as any hot bath does, as well as be very good for the skin because of the vitamins and yeast in the beer. It’s also meant to promote relaxation, mainly because most of the beer spas serve you pints whilst you’re lounging about in the tub (did I mention I like the Germans?). Regardless of its efficacy, I think the beer spa is something we could all enjoy, and perhaps further research needs to be done into the benefits of bathing in other alcoholic drinks. With this in mind, I’m off to fill the bath with Rioja.

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SPECSAVERS SEARCH FOR A STAR PHOTOGRAPHY TIM LANGLOIS - LANGLOISPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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VALE EARTH FAIR PHOTOGRAPHY CHEYENNE WYLIE

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FEATURE

BOARDOM

boardom

If you had an alternative life what would you be?

A dog Alex Du Feu, 21

Astronaut

ar c e Radc river

Gareth Jones, 35

Tash Symes, 25

A cat

A lion Kerrie Lea, 32

Gerri surcombe, 32

Famous author Reece Vidamour, 19

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