The Quarry

The story of Frances Hesselbein has come to Guernsey through a screening of a documentary which aims to preserve and spread her influence, Defining Moments.  Francis was an American businesswoman and writer. She was the CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, from 1976 to 1990, and the president and CEO of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Non-Profit Management, the Leader to Leader Institute, and th...

The Quarry celebrated its one year anniversary with the Dig Deeper live event in the Cafe at St James. We were joined on stage by Ellen Groves, Gregory Harrison, Jade Kershaw and Martyn Dorey as we explored our cultural links with France, the opportunities they create and how they could be strengthened. Here, Ellen talks about why she has launched a new bilingual newsletter for the islands and Fra...

The Quarry celebrated its one year anniversary with the Dig Deeper live event in the Cafe at St James. It was great to see so many people in the room to hear more about the role of independent solutions-focused journalism and our plans for the coming year. We were joined on stage by Ellen Groves, Gregory Harrison, Jade Kershaw and Martyn Dorey as we explored our cultural links with France, the opp...

Le Déhus is a quiet, enigmatic place. You have to duck to get through the low door into the burial chamber, and stooping feels like a small act of respect, forcing you to nod to the people who built it 6,000 years ago on a low hill in the north-east of the island Inside it is cold and still, with only the pigeons cooing.  Switch on the lights and, on a capstone above the central chamber, a face lo...

The Quarry celebrated its one year anniversary with a live event in the Cafe at St James. It was great to see so many people in the room to hear more about the role of independent solutions-focused journalism and our plans for the coming year. We were joined on stage by Ellen Groves, Gregory Harrison, Jade Kershaw and Martin Dorey as we explored our cultural links with France, the opportunities th...

Mark Prevel gives us a full insight into what it takes to walk 1,000 miles in 28 days. He fitted his fundraising challenge in around work commitments, setting off in the early hours, sometimes snatching moments of sleep on benches to ward off exhaustion, and at one point walked 100 miles in 24 hours to add even more spice. Mark was raising money for Les Bourgs Hospice. Les Bourgs receives no finan...

Etienne Marquis' work explores the twisted and visionary world of contemporary surrealism through the medium of oil paints. Here he discusses his journey so far, his process, and talks us through his latest exhibition, The Bleeding Veil, which blends Guernsey folklore with modern themes. That is on at The Greenhouse Gallery until 31 August. This is a new series in partnership with Guernsey Ar...

La Grande Mare Golf Course has been transformed in the last seven years, but what role did sustainability play in its development? Grace Dovey (Ecologist and Ecologist & Sustainability Operations Officer) discusses the project and some of the positive impacts, including the planting of more than 1,500 trees, wetland restoration and orchid conservation.  Work is ongoing, especially now that the...

In 1993 Mark Prevel was diagnosed with chronic emphysema. He was 31 and it was a life changing moment. Surgery followed three years later and now he has embarked on an endurance challenge to mark the 30th anniversary of that. Raising money for Les Bourgs hospice, he aims to walk 1,000 miles in June, combined at times with work it has meant getting on the road from 2am. Here he tells us of the chal...

The Vale Earth Fair is a firm fixture on Guernsey's cultural calendar. This year it celebrates its 50th anniversary. More than just a music festival, it's an event committed to environmental care, community and self-expression, also raising charitable funds. This year's headliners are The Orb and Dynamics. The Quarry editor Nick Mann interviews Vale Earth Fair Collective member Rob...

The Victor Hugo Centre is expected to open in the heart of St Peter Port in 2029. Those behind the project have so far raised more than £7.5m. towards its £10m. goal in 18 months. Hugo arrived on the island in 1855 having not published anything of great significance for more than a decade, and within a year  has published his most famous book of poetry, followed by Les Miserables, and then Toilers...

A renewed focus on professional development within the creative industries and cultural diplomacy are on the agenda for Guernsey Arts. In March, Rebecca Booth took over as Head of Arts Development. Speaking live in conversation with The Quarry at Guernsey Arts Sunday, she outlined the role of Guernsey Arts, how it brings together funding from government and the private sector and the impact that i...

The Charity Sector Survey has provided a snapshot of volunteering, capacity, funding and demand in Guernsey. Association of Guernsey Charities chair Wayne Bulpitt discusses the key findings as well as the huge funding opportunities should Guernsey free up some £100m in dormant money for the sector in the same way as happens elsewhere. https://charity.org.gg/sector-survey-... https://thequarry.medi...

Vassos Alexander is one of the UK's best known sports presenters from his time at the BBC, Virgin Radio and now through the freshly launched Track Radio. He is also an endurance athlete always hunting for different ways to get out of his comfort zone. We met at La Vallette Bathing Pools to discuss his latest book, Swimmingly: Adventures in Water, his background, motivation and what comes next...

Inso has released The Guernsey Innovation Report, an honest account of the innovation landscape in the island and the challenges it faces after gaining insights from 45 industry leaders. https://https://inso.gg/guernsey-innovation-report "Across every sector, conversations converged on urgent structural realities: the rapid adoption of AI, the inevitability of blockchain and asset tokenisatio...

The figures do not lie. Last year just 62 units were added to the housing stock in Guernsey, none of them in the affordable sector. The current overall target is around 300 houses a year. They are stark numbers. And Guernsey has rarely been anywhere close. If everything that was given the green light by planners went ahead, the island would not have the type of housing dilemma which is slowly stra...

Guernsey's workforce could be boosted by 4,500 more employees, its GVA increased by £410m. a year and tax revenue increased by about £89m, a report released by PwC in July argued. But it would need to match the employment rates seen in New Zealand. This latest episode discusses those findings, what the barriers and what the opportunities are. PwC Chief Strategy Officer Leyla Yildirim, Alexand...

Dirk Bischoff, a new resident of Guernsey, shares his entrepreneurial journey from East Germany to London, where he founded impact companies and non-profit programs.  He emphasises the importance of mentorship and community support for startups.  The island has potential to diversify beyond financial services, with new initiatives like his Pitch Guernsey connecting startups with investors and reso...

Eight months in from launching Guernsey's only independent news outlet, we discuss the lessons we've learnt so far and what's to come. Talking to co-founder Warren Mauger, Editor Nick Mann explains:  people will pay for quality in-depth stories and to support a project they believe in letting people control how they consume news will be vital for the future, we're experimenting...

It has been a home for people with serious disabilities for nearly 40 years. One that is all about facilitating life, encompassing a philosophy that concentrates on what people can do, not what they can’t. The Guernsey Cheshire Home sits on the Rohais, but Shorncliffe, for all the good memories it holds, is tired, and now the charity is planning for a new future. The Home receives no public grant,...

Les Fouaillages was built in about 4800BC, one of the oldest monuments to the dead. Sitting on L’Ancresse Common in Guernsey, it was only rediscovered in 1976 after a fire burnt through covering vegetation. Archeological digs that soon followed produced 36,000 pieces of pottery, flint and stone - including eight incredible arrow heads brought to the island from France when the tomb was closed in 2...

GradRoutes Guernsey is a new initiative by The Guernsey Institute which has explored what factors influence the decisions of students studying off island when choosing whether or not to return. It aims to reverse a trend of young talent staying away by showcasing viable career opportunities and internships in Guernsey. Project lead Michelle Morley explains more. This episode is part of a series wh...

It might be light touch, driving in with someone as they head to a job for the first time. Maybe it is more hands on, sitting next to them through the working day, breaking down tasks to be more manageable. But that support is priceless. That allied to the work beforehand, trying to ensure people are matched to the right roles and employers, can mean permanent jobs for those that would otherwise s...

Guernsey’s shift to embrace digital finance is showing encouraging signs. The Guernsey Financial Services Commission is signaling that it wants to have conversations with innovative businesses as it grasps the opportunity a changing approach from the US has created. That means looking at tokenisation, blockchain, stablecoin, and beyond. It has launched a consultation on what the regulatory environ...

In episode 19 of the Quarry Podcast, host Nick Mann is joined by Guernsey Training Agency CEO Simon Le Tocq and Tech Entrepreneur Ian Campbell, to explore the burgeoning role of AI in Guernsey.  The discussion, which featured a real-time AI assistant named Emma, painted a picture of an island at the outset of a significant technological shift, one that could act as a liberator for the local workfo...