The Quarry

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...

Water and wastewater bills in Guernsey will be increasing by around 9% next year, so why is this needed? Guernsey Water managing director Steve Langlois gives us a detailed insight into its plans to invest £130m. over the next 12 years, renewing pipes, upgrading treatment, improving collection from currently polluted streams, and getting ready to connect up Les Vardes Quarry. We find out what will...

Participation in climbing and bouldering has more than doubled between 2021 and 2023 in the UK and its inclusion in the Olympics raised its profile even further.  Since 2019 Guernsey has had an indoor climbing center attracting all ages and abilities.  To find out more about this and why it's such a good activity for physical and mental health, The Quarry spoke to  Dimi and Ellie from UP Clim...

In this episode Simon Sebire and Andrea Nightingale from the Health Improvement Commission discuss what the evidence is showing us about alcohol consumption in Guernsey and why collective action is needed. Alcohol related deaths remain common and it is a leading cause of ill-health that has an unequal effect on society. HIC promote public awareness campaigns like Count 14, which uses easy to under...

In this episode of Dig This, Warren sits down with entrepreneur Rob Jones. Rob shares his journey from growing up in Northwich to moving to Guernsey, helping to establish Aztec Group, and later following a lifelong passion for sport by creating Aztec Soccer and supporting the development of Victoria Park. This is a conversation about taking risks, learning from failure, and finding purpose beyond...

Dani Barnett has been on a roller coaster ride since having her ovaries removed four years ago. Ultimately the conversations that she was having with friends and colleagues, some of them whispered, led to setting up Unpaused. “Nobody really knew what was going on with me, and I'd get funny looks, and I'd just be like, ‘I'm in menopause. Leave me alone’.  “I found that my friends are...

The Quarry has partnered with the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce People and Skills Working Group to deliver a series of podcasts about the current workforce shortage and the future skills gap.  We will explore why action is needed and what the solutions could be as part of a collective call for change to help ensure the future success of the island. For episode 2 we were joined by The Guernsey Insti...