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Vale Earth documentary in works ahead of 50th year

A documentary covering the history of the Vale Earth Fair is being put together ahead of the event’s 50th anniversary next year, and organisers are appealing for anyone with archive footage to get in contact.

Vale Earth Fair celebrates 50 years in 2026
Vale Earth Fair celebrates 50 years in 2026 / Guernsey Press

‘It’s to document the legacy and stories of the fair, and the people who really pioneered and worked on it. I think their story is kind of unknown, and there’s probably loads of stuff out there – photographs or any video footage we can cut together with some interviews,’ said organiser Andy Moore.

He is particularly interested in what he calls ‘five pivotal key figures’ to focus on, including Errol Groves, who played a vital part in first setting up the fair in 1976.

‘The music scene on the island is amazing, so it’s really about tapping into that. The fair is really community based and you get a real hybrid of different people being in different bands of different ages,’ he said of the event’s importance to the island.

Mr Moore expects the documentary to be up to 30 minutes long.

Errol Groves, pictured left in The Coal Hole pub in 1989, was one of the organisers of the first Vale Earth Fair event
Errol Groves, pictured left in The Coal Hole pub in 1989, was one of the organisers of the first Vale Earth Fair event / Chris George

In addition to Mr Moore’s documentary, VEF organisers Jade Kershaw and Rob Roussel are also appealing for material ahead of the anniversary to collate and circulate themselves.

They are also interested in photographs and video footage, and in particular are seeking to collect people’s personal stories of the fair. People may have the opportunity to be interviewed to share these stories.

‘It’s a community event put on by the community, for the community. It’s only there because people want it to be there,’ Miss Kershaw said.

Both Mr Moore and the VEF organisers are working together to support each other, although their projects are separate.

For further information about or to send material in for the documentary, contact Mr Moore at andym@gcfe.net.

For further information about the appeal or to send in archive material, contact info@valeearthfair.org.

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