Eisteddfod competitors sign up at Capelles Community Centre

But that did not stop dozens of islanders popping down to enter in person at Capelles Community Centre on Saturday morning to register.

Eisteddfod secretary Barbara Minta said preparations for the annual festival were going well, and it had been a busy morning.

‘People like to come down, because it is also a social occasion,’ she said.

The entries for performance classes were being taken in November, while Saturday was focusing on exhibition entries.

Mrs Minta said the new website, designed and built by TPA, had gone live in the second week of January.

‘It has just come together,’ she said. ‘Now people can enter and pay online.’

About 50 people have entered online.

In the centre on Saturday, the room was bustling.

In the English literature section, entrants have to write their own pieces.

Abie Thomson is one of the English literature section co-ordinators.

‘We have had about 34 entries so far, and we have a few more online,’ she said.

‘We have a few people who have not entered before.’

At this stage people were entering the titles of their pieces and Miss Thomson said there were some intriguing-sounding entries.

‘There’s certainly lots of variety.’

The programme for this year’s event is already at the printers and it should be available to buy, for £4 a copy, at Les Varendes High School on 8 February, and later from Beau Sejour. It will also be available to download for free from the website, once it has been proof read.

‘But some people prefer a hard copy,’ Mrs Minta said.

Mrs Minta has been involved in the Eisteddfod for more than 40 years, but said she still enjoyed it and there were always new people joining the committee. This year there are new people in the posts of treasurer, public relations officer and exhibition organiser.

‘They have been brilliant,’ she said.

‘We need to see new people come in to take over from people like me.’

• The new Guernsey Eisteddfod website can be found at www.eisteddfod.gg.