Trust wants Alderney review proceeds to go to heritage projects
Alderney Wildlife Trust will reject any proceeds from Lord Pickles’ Alderney Expert Review Book, instead directing the money to causes to remember the dead.
The review, which examined the number of prisoner deaths there were in the northern isle during the war, was published earlier this year. It is freely available online. It was recently confirmed that a printed copy would be published and sold for £10 each, with any funds from the first print run going to the Alderney Wildlife Trust.
The trust was unaware it was the beneficiary until it was contacted by the Guernsey Press this week.
AWT CEO Roland Gauvain confirmed the trust had not been consulted about this decision and had no involvement in the development of the review itself.
‘We have not been involved in the decision-making around this initiative,’ he said.
‘While we appreciate the support, we would prefer to see the funds directed towards projects more closely aligned with the review’s purpose.
‘My only thinking behind the AWT receiving the funds is that we have been managing and maintaining public access to both government and private land around the Longis Nature Reserve for over 20 years.’
Longis Common was a centre point in the review’s consideration and is believed to be the site of at least one mass grave.
It is understood the AWT was chosen by Lord Pickles’ office, which wanted to see Alderney benefit directly.
Although the trust has yet to receive official communication from Lord Pickles’ office regarding the donation, Mr Gauvain confirmed that the AWT would be writing to him, asking that any funds received for the book sale not be directed to the AWT, but either go to a suitable heritage charity, who can better support the memorialisation of the events that took place on the island during the war, or to the States of Alderney, to be used to for the preservation of Alderney’s historical sites.
It is not known how many of the books have been printed.
Blue Ormer is the publisher and the first copies arrived last week. They will be available from the usual stockists in Guernsey soon.
Steve Foote from the company said the book was also be available on the company’s website.
‘I am still waiting for replies from potential Alderney stockists,’ he said.
‘We have a short print run and will get more printed if there is demand.’
