The guernsey is celebrated during Heritage Festival
ISLANDERS proudly showed off their jumpers on ‘wear a guernsey day’ yesterday.
The inaugural event took place at Guernsey Information Centre as part of the 2019 Guernsey Heritage festival.
Encouraged to wear their guernsey jumper while having a Polaroid photo taken for £2, visitors raised funds for the Guernsey lifeboat.
There was a time when the High Street was full of people wearing guernseys, according to VisitGuernsey’s Stephi Gordon.
‘It’s always been a part of island life and something we want to preserve,’ she said.
‘Today is really a celebration of it, and it’s a way of raising awareness and preserving it.’
Many people have come far and wide to today’s event, including from Lincolnshire.
‘Two ladies came over from the UK to learn about the jumper and they were also wearing them,’ said Miss Gordon.
‘People have been quite excited about it and enthusiastic. There’s a real buzz here.’
Chris Creasey said she thought it was great that it was being recognised.
‘I think it’s nice to get it brought back,’ she said.
‘I’m knitting one at the moment, but they take quite a long time – 80 hours in fact. They are also knitted from special five ply worsted British wool. They’re really lovely.’
One guernsey enthusiast, Suzanne Brewer, who owns 20, said she thought they looked fabulous and that more people should wear them.
‘I love them. When I had my 50th birthday I had all my guests wear one,’ said the 66-year-old.
‘I absolutely adore them, they last forever. I like their weight, and they are pretty waterproof too. They’re a bit like a security blanket. I would never get rid of them.’
Pictures taken will form part of a new exhibition celebrating Guernsey’s traditional knitting industry.
