A date with mental health care

KEEN photographer Claire Cotton has shot and starred in a calendar that she hopes will raise awareness of mental health issues.

Claire, who has bi-polar disorder and has previously spoken out about the lack of mental health facilities in the Bailiwick, said the festive season was often a tough time for sufferers.

'I wanted to raise awareness at this time of year, as Christmas is a time when many people commit suicide,' said Claire, who runs her own gardening business, Greenfingers.

'I also wanted to raise money for Mind, which supports people with mental health issues. I have found the charity very useful in the past - it can help with medication, housing or legal issues.'

Claire, of Braye Street, said photography helped her to express feelings.

'I do a lot of photography, as I find it's a great form of expression. I set up all the shots and took them myself. All of them have a caption, which explains what's going on. With bipolar, you have highs and lows and I wanted to get that across.'

Claire is determined to convince Alderney politicians and health professionals that improved facilities are needed.

'I will get this island up to date with mental health,' she said. 'Somebody needs to speak up about mental illness and push the local health authorities into providing the treatment that so many people desperately need.'

* The calendar costs £10 and is available to buy in London House and Sara Fisher's, in Victoria Street. Half the proceeds will be given to Mind. Visit www.mind.org.uk for further information on the charity.

When four inches of snow covered the island in February 2009, it was thought to be the first time since the early 1980s that Alderney had been transformed into a winter wonderland.

But what about January 1987, when a record low temperature of -9C was recorded? Well, these images prove that Alderney is capable of giving a ski resort a run for its money every now and then.

Former Alderney sergeant John Trafford submitted this picture after reading about 2009's snowfall. He also described how the island force dealt with the adverse conditions.

'PC Nigel Burnard and I, along with our trusty grey Land Rover, were just about the only people who could get about. The outgoing PC had returned to Guernsey on the Sunday afternoon and overnight it snowed very hard and the relief PC could not get in on the Monday morning, nor for the following week. So Nigel and I were on duty 16 hours a day and on call for eight overnight. We took nursing staff to the hospital, delivered food and gas bottles to outlying homes and helped with movement of residents.'

John, who was sergeant from 1985 to 1990, said air and sea links were affected to the point that the pubs ran out of alcohol.

'Even our beloved Aurigny couldn't fly and the supply boat was allegedly iced up to the quay in Guernsey. When it finally arrived, about a week later, it had to immediately do a double run because the pubs had run out of beer and we were short of gas bottles.'

John remembers a particular tale involving two famous residents, one of whom still lives on the island.

Later in 1987, the island was hit by the infamous hurricane. It was certainly a year for weather enthusiasts.