Guernsey Press

Thousands take chance to express themselves

THOUSANDS of people descended on Town yesterday when the latest Seafront Sunday was thrown open to the arts.

Published
Road Kill Rubber Duckies performing to a good-sized crowd on the Express Yourself Stage. (Pictures by Andrew Le Poidevin

North Beach car park was full in what some believed to be the busiest event of its kind yet.

Entitled Express Yourself, the venture was a joint initiative involving the School of Popular Music, Guernsey Mind, and the Youth Commission.

‘The arts are very much connected to mental health and the positive effects of art on people’s mental health is something we are looking to promote,’ said SOPM managing director Tyler Edmonds.

‘Creative people tend to be the ones who suffer from anxiety and depression the most.’

There were five stages for music, one for dance and one for theatre, plus more than 100 stalls spanning the Weighbridge to the Town Church.

Taxi driver Ashley Lacey, 46, wife Natalie and their daughter, Phoebe, 5, said they attended every Seafront Sunday.

‘There’s a lot of bands and everything had been really well done,’ he said. ‘It’s great to see the amount of effort that people have put in and I would say it is one of the busiest yet with only small cruise ships in.’

Performers included The Cheshire Dramatic Arts Academy which was set up within the last year. Their improvised and interactive theatre drew the attention of many people.

‘This is a perfect opportunity for us to show Guernsey what young people can do,’ said teacher Lottie Reynolds, 18.

‘The response has been amazing and loads of people have been interacting with us.’

Cheese maker Fenella Maddison said she often had a stall at Seafront Sunday events, but on this occasion was happy just walking around.

‘It seems very busy and it’s lovely to hear people talking about mental health which makes us seem like a progressive island,’ she said.

Auctioneer and fine arts cataloguer, Shaun Vidamour said he liked the arts Seafront Sundays the most.

‘There’s more for the children to do and music to suit all tastes, and there’s a really nice atmosphere,’ he said.

Accountant Andrea Guillou, 43, attended with son Alex, 11, who goes to Notre Dame du Rosaire Catholic School.

‘We both like music and

Alex plays violin and clarinet,’ she said.

‘Today seems busier than the last one [Seafront Sunday] and its nice to see the cruise ships here too,’ she said.