Guernsey Friends of Air Search 

President's Report 2006 

Just over a year ago I made the President’s Annual Report to you towards the end of a very special year in the history of CIAS.  A milestone year in which the organisation celebrated 25 years of service to the public.  After all the interest generated by reaching this milestone landmark, there was a very real danger of the peak in public perception which had been reached, fading away.  Fortunately I am pleased to report due to the strenuous efforts of the Committee of the Friends, both here in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and also in Jersey, this was not allowed to happen and the succeeding year has been marked by numerous activities and events involving the Friends’ participation which has kept the organisation in the public eye. 

During the course of the last year, the Guernsey Friends supported by the crew have arranged eight Hangar Evenings where visiting groups have included Past Rotarians, a divers club; the Policy Council, a Church Group, financial institution and others – all being very impressed with what they saw and were told, and generating  further support from within the community.  The Friends also organised a fundraising Quiz Night and attended various events to publicise the work of the organisation.  These included the Christmas Fayre and also the Lifestyle Show at Beau Sejour plus outdoor events including the West Show, St. Saviour’s Revels, the Donkey Derby, Wave Summer Concert.  The Static Display when the public were able to visit the Air Search Hangar also proved popular along with the vin d’honneur in the Hangar for visiting pilots attending the Annual Air Rally.  Our planned Airport Runway Bike Ride has had to be postponed until next year but we were represented on the recent Airport Runway Walk by a number of sponsored supporters.  All these events both helping to raise public awareness of the service and raising funds at the same time. 

In addition to these events our Annual Draw has yet again proved to be very popular and a regular source of revenue along with sales of Christmas cards both here in Guernsey and in Alderney.  Our collecting-boxes both at the airport and around the island along with some sales of goods and used stamps all help to bring in extra funds.  Whilst this income is very necessary, we are also extremely grateful to the local businesses and companies who have sponsored searches and made a number of generous donations to our fundraising effort.  These donations whether they be from a dress-down day or a donation from a corporate are vital to our being able to maintain the level of funding needed to maintain the service. 

We have also been fortunate in receiving some good media coverage during the year including two articles in the 24/7 magazine.  Sadly much of our media coverage emanates from the searches the aircraft performs and the distress of those whom the service is tasked to aid.  However it serves as a reminder to all of the vulnerability of many for whom the sea is the source of their relaxation in one form or another. 

This year we have again had tremendous support from our Friends in Sark (who sadly due to the inclement conditions are unable to be here tonight).  We received another generous donation from the Sark Yacht Club and just recently a magnificent one from the Sark Festival of the Sea held this September.  Combined with other donations the islanders there really do give the service terrific support for which we are truly grateful.   

It is perhaps fitting here as I feel it would be remiss not to mention the retirement after tonight’s meeting of Tony Ventress who has been the Sark Representative of the Friends for very many years.  Tony has always worked most diligently on behalf of the Friends in Sark and has done much over the years to heighten the awareness of the service to the islanders there.  Although sad to say goodbye to Tony, we are very fortunate in being able to welcome to the Committee a new Sark representative in his place, Gail Le Lievre.  Gail has been a great supporter of the service in the past, not lessened in any way by her firsthand experience of seeing the service in action, and brings with her great enthusiasm and energy for her new role.  

The Friends Committee also says goodbye to Richard Corcoran who has been with us for a number of years and we thank him for his work during that period.  Our thanks also go to Shirley Morgan who retires from the position of Secretary tonight but who I am pleased to say has agreed to remain on the Committee.  At the same time, we welcome Margaret Murphy who has just joined us as our new Secretary.  We also welcome back to the Committee, a Life Member, Julie Twist who has returned to the island from Spain from where she kept in close touch with what was happening in Guernsey and also in contact with a number of the Friends Committee, so never really lost touch with us. 

Thanks to the efforts of the Friends and the support of local people and businesses, I am delighted to report that in the financial year ending in June, the Friends were able to pay over to the Trustees a total of £37,500 – an increase on the previous year of £4000.  In addition to this, a further £10,000 was paid across to the Trustees in September.  This is a marvellous result and reflects all the hard work and effort put in by a very small but dedicated group of people.   

It is perhaps interesting to note that up to date, the service has carried out 28 searches this year compared with 29 in the same period in 2005.  The number of searches of course only tells part of the story as the length of each flight can vary a lot which in turn affects the cost of each search.  Even in quiet periods, the aircraft still has to fly in order to maintain the intense crew training schedule and ensure that should it be called upon, then the highest level of professionalism is maintained at all times.  So the operating costs in addition to the required maintenance on the aircraft are a continuous drain on funds. 

Whilst due to much hard work, the Friends have had a successful year fund-raising we cannot afford to relax our efforts in the future as costs are continuing to increase and the job of raising money is not getting any easier with so many demands on people’s purses. 

It just remains for me to offer sincere thanks to all the Friends, helpers and many unnamed and unknown supporters, both individual and business, of Channel Islands Air Search who have helped us attain the results of the last twelve months.  On a personal basis I should like to offer my own thanks to all the members of the Committee who have done so much to support both the organisation and me on a personal basis.  It is a team effort and it is as a team that we can achieve the greatest success and best results.  We must also remember at this point the enormous contribution put in by the crew without which there would be no service and also the work done by our sister band of supporters, the Jersey Friends of Air Search.  

Thank you all for your support.

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