Supporting opportunities for Channel Islanders
BLUE ISLANDS ANNOUNCES NEXT ROUND OF FLIGHT FUNDING
Blue Islands continues to support its home island communities through its flight funding programme. Charities, individuals and groups from Jersey and Guernsey are once again invited to apply for travel support in the latest round of the Blue Islands flight funding initiative.
Over the past year, 546 flights have been awarded to provide access to opportunities which would be difficult or impossible for recipients to achieve without the support of free flights.
Rob Veron, CEO Blue Islands said, “Since initial launch in 2019, we’re proud to continually support the Channel Island community with flight funding. Whether it’s sport, art, enrichment or development, islanders have been able to pursue their individual and shared ambitions through our funded flights and we look forward to supporting many more beneficiaries in 2024.”
Beneficiaries from 2023 include Channel Islands Air Search. The voluntary service provides a vital rapid response air search and rescue service for Channel Island waters. Search Crew Manager of Channel Islands Air Search, John Fitzgerald said, “We are so grateful to Blue Islands for their support. When we have to move pilots and engineers involved with our Search & Rescue aircraft, these flights make a great difference to our team.”
Padel Tennis twins, Luke and Cameron Gomes from Guernsey also used flights awarded by Blue Islands to travel to their first LTA grade 2 competition at the National Tennis Centre. Luke and Cameron said, “The flight funding Blue Islands has provided has been so important for us to begin our padel tennis journey and create vital opportunities for our future.”
Rob added, “We are excited to invite applications for our latest round of flight funding, selecting as many worthy beneficiaries as possible and sharing more amazing achievements from supported charities, individuals and groups in the Channel Islands.”
Image: Clockwise from top right: John Fitzgerald (Channel Islands Air Search), Luke and Cameron Gomes, Isla Hall, Luke Holmes, Adam Dalton
Latest recipients
Beneficiaries of the current round of flight funding
- 201 Overseas (Guernsey) Squadron of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets – training with their sister squadron, 7 Overseas (Jersey).
- Adam Dalton - travelling to Dublin to compete in golf competitions for players with disabilities.
- Alana Woodhall - travelling to Birmingham to compete in the Swim England National Summer Championships.
- Amice Anderson and Oakley Francart - Guernsey fencers, travelling to an Athlete Development Camp in Nottingham
- Brighter Futures – travelling to Bright Beginnings in Guernsey
- Bright Beginnings – travelling to Brighter Futures in Jersey
- Channel Islands Air Search - Voluntary rapid response air search and rescue service in Channel Islands waters using flights to support training and engineering work.
- Chloe Gaudion - travelling to Southampton to play in a Girls Junior Golf competition at Skylark Golf course.
- Chloe Ingrouille - Guernsey footballer, part of the U16 Brighton & Hove Albion Girls Academy
- Family First - a charity supporting families who have children in need of off- island treatment in a UK hospital.
- Geoff Martel - representing the South West region in over 75s Walking Football
- Grace Greenwood, 100m T35 para-athlete, training at the High-Performance Athletics Centre at Loughborough University.
- GROW Guernsey – travelling to meet Jersey based charities
- Guernsey Vale Recreation U15 - Football team travelling to Jersey to take part in the Dave Melton Memorial Trophy tournament
- Hannah Silcock – table tennis, British Champion from winning British Home Nations Championship
- Hannah Sterry - Jersey athlete attending national level swimming and cross-country running events.
- Isla Hall, competing in the U15 Girls category at the Hampshire Cross Country League.
- Jersey Bulls FC – Under 18s team flying to Southampton to play in the FA Youth Cup.
- Leo Carpenter - under 11 squash player training with the England Squash Aspire South Regional Squad.
- Luke and Cameron Gomes - Padel tennis players travelling to take part in LTA competitions in the UK.
- Luke Holmes – competing in the British Triathlon Super Series.
- Matthew Deffains, - swimmer, travelling for the Swim England National Talent Programme
- Megan O’Hanlon - participation in a Youth Climbing Series competition
- Mollie Perrett - flying from Jersey to take part in Archery and Shooting competitions in the UK.
- Monty Desforges - Guernsey sailor, racing in national and international events.
- Rebecca Hardy-Bishop - S13 classified (visually impaired) para swimmer, travelling to compete in para competitions in the UK
- Ryan Le Monnier - travelling to Exeter to compete in a Riding for the Disabled Regional Dressage competition
- Tallulah-Mae Rautenbach - competing in the Hampshire County Swimming Championships.
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