Benches dedicated to Island Games legacy are unveiled

The two benches detail gold engravings of nine different sports, and feature a Guernsey flag to represent the 2023 Games.

They have been placed by the bus lay-by at Footes Lane.

‘This is a tribute to Owen Le Vallee and current athletes to create a legacy of the Games,’ said Guernsey Island Games Association chairman Brian Allen.

‘This area also has a plaque on the floor to mark the 2003 games, and a tree to mark the 1987 and 2003 games, so its great to be able to honour the 2023 games here as well.’

Sports administrator Owen Le Vallee was a founding member of the Guernsey Island Games Association and the man who brought the second-ever Island Games to Guernsey in 1987.

He died earlier this year and some of his family attended the unveiling ceremony in his honour.

The benches were designed by artist Mark Cook, took inspiration from the 20th century Olympics when the arts had its own category and people would enter architecture, poetry, music and artwork.

‘I wanted to do something totally different to what’s in town. So I wanted something that represented how sports and art have interactive for a very long time.

‘I started thinking about sort of ancient Greek sculptures and things like the discus throw which takes us back to the earliest sports.’

The benches were created by Lyndon Fox.

Utmost International has sponsored the Guernsey Island Games team for the past 10 years and funded the benches.

‘I noticed there wasn’t really anywhere to sit in this area and we wanted there to be some sort of legacy of the 10 years we’ve been involved,' said Guernsey CEO Leon Steyn.

‘It’s been great to see people develop over our last 10 years of sponsorship and the whole firm will be getting involved with the Games.’

About 30 employees of Utmost are volunteering for the Games.