channel island heritage festival - Visit Alderney

CHANNEL ISLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL 30 March – 10 May 2018

Throughout the whole festival Birds & Batteries Boat Tour - Wednesday & Saturday 2pm Meeting at RNLI Car Park, in the Harbour at 1.45pm Tickets available from the Alderney Wildlife Trust £25 per adult & £20 per child* 01481 822333 View the most heavily fortified island from the sea and discover our sea birds who have now made it home. This one and half hour boat tour will open your eyes to our heritage and wildlife on this fascinating island. Alderney’s Lighthouse Tour - Sunday 3pm (except 1st April) Trinity Lighthouse, Quesnard Point Explore Alderney’s lighthouse with a tour climbing the 120 steps to the top where you’ll discover historical machinery and superb views towards France. Information available from the Visitor Information Centre & tickets available on the door. £4 per adult & £3 per child* 01481 822333 St Anne’s Heritage Town Walk – By arrangement Starting at the Visitor Information Centre, 51 Victoria Street, St Anne Date and time to be arranged at the Visitor Information Centre with at least 24h notice, Minimum number of participants on a walk is 4. £6 per adult & £3 per child* 01481 822333 A gentle, guided walk around the historic centre of St Anne, discover the hidden secrets of the capital with an expert guide. Including a visit to St. Anne’s Church and the Court (when possible). Evacuation, War Years & Homecoming Screenings – Thursday & Saturday (except the 7th April) 10am At the Alderney Wildlife Trust’s Office, Victoria Street 3 short documentaries to learn more about Alderney’s History. Information available ate the Alderney Wildlife Trust 01481 822935, free but donation welcome. Alderney Museum – New picture exhibition relating to the evacuation Open Monday – Sunday 10am – 12noon, Monday – Friday 2.30pm – 4.30pm. The Alderney museum displays a record of Alderney’s fascinating history. The museum’s collections are concerned exclusively with Alderney, and cover geology, archaeology, the natural environment and social history. Information available from the Alderney Museum, entry £3per adult, free for children* 01481 823222. Alderney Tapestry Library Opening time: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat 10.00-12.30, Tues, Thurs & Fri 14.15-16.30, Wed & Sat 17.00-18.00.

Alderney’s final chapter, embracing its strong and historic Normandy connection, features the Norman Conquest and the coronation of William at Westminster Abbey and concludes with the construction of the White Tower using stone imported from Caen. Entry free. Photo challenge Discover new parts of Alderney’s heritage you did not know about through the photo competition. A great way of discovery for all ages. Available from the Visitor Information Centre from Saturday 31 st March. Information available from Visitor Information Centre 01484 822333 *Child tickets are for under 16s

ALDERNEY HERITAGE WEEK 31 MARCH – 7 APRIL 2018

Opening of the Alderney Heritage Week Saturday 31st March at 10am.

The bells of St. Anne’s Church will ring to celebrate the start of the Heritage Week. The bells have played a role in the Evacuation of Alderney as on Sunday 23rd June 1940 they rang out the message to the people of Alderney to make their way as quickly as possible to the harbour to board the ships, waiting to take them to England, pending the certain occupation of the island by the Germans. The Germans occupied Alderney nine days later. As the war progressed, so the need became greater for the Germans to find more raw materials with which to manufacture munitions. Not surprisingly, the bells came in for attention. Each was removed from the tower, thus enabling the belfry to be used as a machine-gun post. Four bells were shipped to France to be melted down for munitions, and were stored in a field near Cherbourg, one was outside the main church door and the last one was at Braye harbour, waiting to follow the others to Cherbourg. Upon the occupation of the Cherbourg area by British troops in 1945, the bells were identified and brought back to Alderney in due course even though some were damaged. The tower now has 12 bells.

Alderney Minibus Tour Sunday 1st April, Tuesday 3rd April & Thursday 5th April Alderney Minibus Tour will take you on a fascinating trip around the island and back in time. Meet at 2pm from Les Roquettes, bottom of Victoria Street. Price £15 per personne. To book, contact John Horton on 07815 549191 or [email protected].

Bibette Head Guided Tour

Monday 2nd April Visit a well-preserved and accessible example of a complex of Bunker on Alderney with Local Fortification expert Trevor Davenport. Meet at 2pm at Bibette Head. Information and tickets available at the Visitor Information Centre, £6 per adult £3 per child* 01481 822333 Watermill – Walk, talk and on site activity Tuesday 3rd April Discover the Bonne Terre Watermill with a passionate volunteer and get a chance to take part in the on-going work of restoration. The story of the Mill, which started in the 13th century, is not yet finished! Meet at Tourgis/Platte Saline car park at 10am. Please wear suitable shoes. Information and tickets available from the Visitor Information Centre, free but donations welcome 01481 822333. Lecture at the Museum Tuesday 3rd April A slide show on photographs taken on Alderney by the Germans during WW2. At 6pm at the Alderney Museum. Information available at the Alderney Museum 01481 823222. No booking required, free but donation for the Alderney Society welcome.

Museum Children activity morning Wednesday 4th April “Weapons of War on the Wall” – design your own poster to inform, persuade or inspire the public just as they did during WWII. From 10am to 12noon at the Alderney Museum. Information and bookings available at the Alderney Museum 01481 823222 or [email protected]

Cream Tea Served with a Slice of History: 1066 and all that… Wednesday 4 April A special screening of the docudrama “1066 - A Year to Conquer England’ by Dan Snow in the hotel’s private cinema followed by Afternoon Cream Tea and the presentation of Alderney’s famous Bayeux Tapestry Finale which involved over 400 stitchers including HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. It features the Norman Conquest, the coronation of William the Conqueror at Westminster Abbey and concludes with the construction of the White Tower. 3:00pm-5:00pm at the Braye Beach Hotel: Tickets £10 incl. cream tea. This event is limited to a maximum of 20 people.

To book please email mailto:[email protected] or call 01481 824300 For more information about the www.alderneybayeuxtapestry.com.

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Dinner and Cinema Night “An Island Story” Wednesday 4th April At 7.30pm at the Braye Beach Hotel 2-course dinner followed by the screening of “An Island Story” in the hotel’s private cinema. This unique and highly acclaimed emotional musical was written and produced by Ray Parkin and performed by the Alderney Theatre Group. It tells the tragic story of the island's evacuation in 1940 and the subsequent return of the islanders in 1945/46 to a devastated island. Tickets £19 including 2-course dinner. Space limited to a maximum of 20 people. To book please email [email protected] or call 01481 824300

Live History Friday 6th April Meet Miriam, Hira and Beda around a tea and biscuits, listen to their stories and take the opportunity to ask all the questions to those precious witnesses of the Evacuation of Alderney and the Homecoming. At 11am at the Visitor Information Centre. Information and tickets available at the Visitor Information Centre, free but donation welcome for the Alderney Age Concern, 01481 822333.

Town Walk – Place of interest during the occupation Friday 6th April A gentle, guided walk around the historic centre of St Anne, discover the hidden secrets of the town with an expert guide. Meet at the Visitor Information Centre at 2pm. Information and tickets available at the Visitor Information Centre, £6 per adult £3 per child* 01481 822333

“Much Ado About History” Friday 6 April A very special evening of historical entertainment brought to you by the Alderney Theatre Group. At 7.30 at the Georgian House Orangery.

Tickets £25 include a 2-course dinner. More details will be published on www.alderneytheatregroup.com. To book email [email protected]

Historical Open air Cinema Saturday 7th April Open air showing of the 3-part Evacuation, War Years and Homecoming documentaries, shown in the stunning setting of Tourgis Battery No 3, with local food cooked on site. If the weather turns the showing will moving indoors inside the rooms of the Battery. From 6.30pm onwards. Further information: 01481 822935 [email protected]