In January 2022, the Jersey Community Foundation confirmed the creation of the Platinum Jubilee Lottery Fund to support projects helping the community celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign.
The Platinum Jubilee Fund will ensure that thousands of people from across the Island will have the opportunity to take part in exciting creative events – all in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee. From storytelling and making new music, through to woodland restoration, there will be a huge range of exciting activities for people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in.
Gouray Church was one of the successful applicants and they are planning to hold a Jubilee Celebration, bringing the world-renowned choir of Kings College Cambridge to Jersey. Educational workshops will be available, and a concert will be held that focuses on heritage and youth as well as a Jubilee service with excerpts from the Coronation music composed for Her Majesty’s ascent to the throne.
Girlguiding Jersey will aim to hold a Jubilee Party to bring all 357 members of Girlguiding and members of the Trefoil Guild (Guiding for Adults) together. As the Patron, The Queen is an important figurehead for Girlguiding Jersey.
Jersey Heritage has received funding for their project, The King Charles II Experience, which will provide a historical link between Jersey and England through the past from King Charles II to Elizabeth II, highlighting the importance of Jersey and its place in restoring the monarchy.
Michelle Hervieu, Project Lead said: “The close link between King Charles II, Jersey and the present Queen have never been fully told and the importance to the crown of this small island and the events of the 17th century when the world was turned upside down meant that Jersey was at the very heart of the biggest changes England had ever seen.”
Another example to demonstrate the variety of projects being funded is a Joint Cadet Celebration on behalf of the Islands Cadet Forces; Sea Cadet, Combined Cadets, Army Cadets and Air Cadets providing a combined day of events for the staff and cadets to enjoy, with each person being issued with a specially commissioned Challenge Coin.
In all, 18 separate projects were awarded funding ranging from £1,000 to the maximum of £5,000 and all of them adhere to the three key themes of Young People, The Environment and Tradition.
Anna Terry, CEO of the Jersey Community Foundation said, “We were delighted to receive such an enthusiastic response to our call for applications. Each of the projects being funded is a unique opportunity to celebrate this momentous occasion and they are all varied and inclusive to ensure that the whole Island has an opportunity to take part.”