GUERNSEY, June 30 — The Havelet Regatta, moved this year from its traditional September date to the pre-summer holiday slot, drew hundreds of local families to its fourth seaside event on the South Esplanade and Havelet Bay. The record shows the event raised funds for the Guernsey Cheshire Home, a local charity that needs to raise £500,000 every year to operate, according to event organiser Barrie Duerden. Five pirate statues, voluntarily restored for Iris & Dora, stood on the shore guarding the beach activity.
The statues were among the attractions drawing visitors and their four-legged friends to the bay. On the timeline, first-time island visitors Lauren and Holly Kerslake-Smith, cousins from Bournemouth, were practising their chalkboard skills on dry land.
“I’ve drawn ‘I heart Guernsey’ because I’m really enjoying this lovely little island, and definitely want to come back,” said 16-year-old Holly. Lauren described stumbling upon the event, calling it brilliant with a very good cause and lots of creative activities. “We’ve come over from Bournemouth, we didn’t realise there was so much going on in Guernsey,” she said.
Mr Duerden said the regatta, established by his family, aims to encompass the bay’s sea-faring offerings with traditional fete games, classic beach activities, and accessible family fun. “We’ve got a close association with Guernsey Cheshire Home, and decided early on that we wanted to support it,” he said.
“It’s an important local charity that needs to raise £500,000 every year to run. My wife Odette’s family have long been involved.” Along with food, music and stalls, traditional fete games and accessible activities lined the South Esplanade. Havelet Bay hosted all the favourite regatta antics.
Swimmers and sailors raced at sea, while dogs of all sizes put their best sandy paw forward on the popular agility course. Youngsters rolled along on the closed-off section of road, enjoying balance bikes with Ezyrollers and a new skateboarding zone. Moving the date from its usual September slot proved worthwhile for the event, organisers said, as hundreds of local families were drawn to the fourth seaside gathering.
The regatta combined the traditional seaside elements with accessible family activities, a focus organiser Barrie Dueren emphasised was deliberate from the start. The event’s connection to the Guernsey Cheshire Home runs through the Duerden family.
The charity’s annual fundraising requirement of £500,000 underscores the importance of community events like the regatta in supporting its operations. Looking ahead, the success of the date change and the strong turnout suggest the Havelet Regatta has established itself as a fixture on the island’s pre-summer calendar. The combination of pirate-themed shore attractions, water sports, dog agility courses, and children’s activities on the closed road section appears to have broad appeal for local families and visitors alike.
