‘A great response’ to Liberation Day
LIBERATION Day was a success, and parish-focused events and the cavalcade are likely to return again next year,
Education, Sport & Culture president Andrea Dudley-Owen has said.
For a second year, historic events were held in Town in the morning, but the main celebrations were organised by parishes and linked by a cavalcade of historic vehicles.
This was a move away from Town-centred celebrations, which were an annual event before the pandemic.
Deputy Dudley-Owen said the committee was still to wash-up on the events, but it was looking like big Town closures for celebrations would only happen on quinquennial years in future – the next being 2025.
She said the parishes that did put on events – eight out of the ten – had been really well-received.
‘I think it would be brilliant if all the parishes were involved,’ she said.
‘We know this is a lot of hard work and effort.’
She noted that St Sampson’s and St Peter Port – the island’s two most-populated parishes – did not put on events.
But she hoped they would be able to encourage all parishes to put on events in future.
‘All in all we’ve had great responses to Liberation Day,’ she said.
‘We realise there are some islanders who aren’t happy with having parish events, but overall we think it has been very successful.’
She added that the committee would welcome feedback from islanders felt it had gone.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex attended the Liberation Day celebrations and Deputy Dudley-Owen said it was wonderful to show the couple how the island celebrated Liberation Day.
