Ambulance fee a bargain

SARK residents have been asked to take out annual subscriptions to use the St John marine ambulance Flying Christine III or face a £300 charge for using the service.

Ambulance chief Jon Beausire, accompanied by members of his senior management team, addressed a couple of public meetings in Sark last week to outline the planned subscription scheme.

Mr Beausire disclosed that on average the marine ambulance service is called to Sark about 60 times a year and each round trip costs in the region of £2,000. However, under the new scheme Sark residents would pay £88 a year for a single person's subscription and £132 for a family - the latter to include dependent children. Quotations for corporate membership for company employees will also be available on request.

Although the road ambulance service receives an annual grant from the Guernsey States, funding for the Flying Christine III is met entirely from donations and bequests and it doesn't take a mathematical genius to work out that even if all Sark residents join the subscription scheme - and everyone I've spoken to agrees that as many as possible should - this small island is getting an extremely good deal.

The annual subscription scheme starts at the beginning of July and it will cover the use of both marine and road ambulance services.

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Because of its relatively small population, when it comes to competitive sport Sark is always long on enthusiasm but often a little short on skill, so you can imagine the pleasure it gives me to report that Sark Nippers - a team of youngsters from Sark School - won a Guernsey hockey tournament last week.

Ten teams divided into two leagues competed and Sark won its league by beating Brookes Bashers 1-0 in their last game. They then went on to win the tournament by beating Vale - the winners of the other league - 3-1 in the final.

The youngsters had been coached in Sark by Pat Cunneen and Matt Stokes and Becky Hubbard from Guernsey Ladies came over to supplement the programme and gave them an hour's coaching immediately before their first match.

Those who accompanied the team paid tribute to the youngsters' excellent teamwork and incredible determination as well as their general behaviour and great team spirit - something of which they can be extremely proud.

Pat told me: 'I was so impressed with the players' tenacity in the final - there was no way they were going to lose. I am immensely proud of not just the outcome but the manner in which the Nippers conducted themselves throughout the whole day.'

Her comments confirm what most people here think of Sark children - their school and island are indeed immensely proud of them and, I might add, of the adults who give of their time in support of them.

Athleticism of a different kind also featured last weekend when Sark hosted its part in the Bailiwick Challenge by walking close on 70 miles around Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm and Brecqhou.

After doing their bit around this small rock, the walkers were given lunch at the Aval de Creux Hotel and presented with a cheque for £3,000 by Sark Estate Management. Given that half the money they raise will go to St John Ambulance and Rescue, it rounded off what hopefully will have been a successful few days for that service as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net