Pupils create Island Games logo in Havelet’s sand
A COLLABORATION between the St Peter Port primary schools, Arts for Guernsey and the Health Improvement Commission has culminated in a send-off for the NatWest 2023 Island Games by the beach.
Islanders looking down on Havelet Bay will now be able to see the Games logo outlined by pebbles collected and placed by the pupils yesterday, with the initial design being drawn out by Hugh Rose from Arts for Guernsey.
‘I was asked by the Games team to get the kids involved and I thought something to do with the logo would be nice because I think it’s really cool,’ he said.
‘It took me about five minutes to draw the outline and the kids about an hour to collect all the pebbles and put them in place.’
10-year-old Vauvert student Tia Etesse said it was a nice way to say goodbye to a very enjoyable week.
‘It’s been a really good experience, I watched some football and the atmosphere was really good, it’s made me think about playing it in the future,’ she said.
Classmate Charlie Moore, 10, also thought the atmosphere at the Games was amazing.
‘I went to the basketball and started some chant, the place was really loud and it was good because there’s a big echo in the room.’
Games fever spread throughout the school when Ynys Mon athlete Iolo Hughes, who won gold in 1,500 metres and 800 metres, visited the school last month and returned after winning his first gold to speak to the pupils.
Vauvert and Ynys Mon have also now twinned.
HIC be active education lead Alun Williams said the inclusion of the youth in this year’s games has been crucial to the spirit of the competition.
‘The fan zones have worked really well, we’ve had over 2,000 local school children in them over the week and the feedback from the competitors has showed that it means a lot to them,’ he said.
‘It’s really engaged our young population with sport.’
