Supporting opportunities for Channel Islanders
Blue Islands continues to offer funding to provide off-island travel support for Channel Island charities, groups and individuals.
A huge number of applications for funding have been submitted and Blue Islands is delighted to announce the latest beneficiaries of the programme.
Adam Dalton
Adam Dalton flew to Dublin as a beneficiary of our flight funding programme to play in Johnny Reay Classic and The Irish Open for players with disabilities.
Adam finished in joint 3rd place in the Johnny Reay Classic Stableford division at Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Course after facing some challenging holes and cold weather. Adam then went on to finish in 9th place in The Irish Open at Roganstown Golf course.
Adam said:
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to play in competitions off island. It’s such a privilege to play among so many inspiring players and make more connections with people like myself. I may have a disability but I can also play golf.”
Alana Woodhall
Flight funding beneficiary Alana Woodhall flew to Birmingham to compete in the Swim England National Summer Championships.
Alana, who also competed in the 2023 Island Games, won silver at the event in the 800m Freestyle and reached the final in the 200m Backstroke finishing 7th.
Alana said:
“I would like to say a huge thanks to Blue Islands, my parents and coaching. All the support has allowed me to achieve another special moment in my swimming career that will stay with me forever.”
Channel Islands Air Search
Channel Islands Air Search were awarded flights to Jersey as a beneficiary of Blue Islands flight funding.
The voluntary service provides a vital rapid response air search and rescue service in Channel Island waters. The Air Search team are using funded flights to travel between Guernsey and Jersey to support key training and engineering work.
Search Crew Manager, 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.”
Chloe Gaudion
Thanks to our flight funding programme, Chloe flew to Southampton to play in a Girls Junior Golf competition at Skylark Golf course.
Chloe is one of the top Girls Junior/Ladies players in the Channel Islands. She competed for Guernsey in the 2023 Island Games and has previously represented Hampshire at county level.
Chloe's dream is attend a Sports University in the USA to play golf in 2025.
Chloe said:
"With the funding from Blue Islands I was able to play a golf course I had never played on. It was a great experience.”
Family First
Family First were awarded flights by Blue Islands to support Jersey families with children who require treatment off-island.
The charity, founded in 2011, helps local families with sick children that need to receive medical treatment in a UK hospital.
Family Liaison Manager Cheryl Dobel visited Southampton Hospital, frequently used by Jersey families, to meet with staff and other service providers. The flights enabled Cheryl to provide face-to-face emotional support in person at the hospital.
Cheryl said:
“A huge thank you to Blue Islands for supporting the Family First service. These visits are invaluable to our team so that we can stay up to date with the information and support we provide to the families but also for maintaining good relationships with the services in Southampton Hospital.”
Geoff Martel
Geoff Martel is using flights awarded by Blue Islands to take part in over 75s regional Walking Football matches and tournaments in the UK.
After he finished playing GFA league football, Geoff joined the Guernsey Walking Football team. Since then, he has been selected to play for both the South West region and the England over 75s team, where he has made several appearances.
Geoff used his first flights to travel to a competition where he captained the South West side to two victories and a draw. Martel impressed with a goal in his match against the South East of England and was called up to the England U75s team.
Geoff said:
“The funding from Blue Islands has made a big difference to the way that I can approach my matches and training. Knowing that my flights are covered has given me the incentive to put the sponsorship to good use.”
GRACE GREENWOOD
Para-athlete Grace Greenwood travelled to train at the GB High-Performance Athletics Centre at Loughborough University using flights funded by Blue Islands.
Grace races in the 100m with a T35 Classification for athletes with cerebral palsy. She started running when she was 12 and now represents England and Great Britain. She hopes the training will help her achieve the ambition of competing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Paralympics.
Grace said:
“It makes such a difference having access to the Loughborough University High Performance Centre. Thank you to Blue Islands for sponsoring my flights.”
Guernsey Royal Air Force Cadets
Using flights awarded by Blue Islands, the 201 Overseas (Guernsey) Squadron of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets travelled to liaise with their sister squadron in Jersey
The Air Cadets joined the 7 Overseas (Jersey) Squadron to practice marching for their respective Remembrance Sunday parades along with team building exercises and First Aid training.
Squadron Training Officer Syd Bowsher said:
“We were very pleased to have successfully been allocated these Blue Islands flights from Guernsey and were privileged to be invited to visit the cockpit after landing in Jersey.”
ISLA HALL
As a recipient of flights awarded by Blue Islands, athlete Isla Hall travelled to Southampton to take part in the Hampshire Cross Country League
Isla competed in the Under 15 Girls category over a maximum distance of 4K in the third race of the season. She finished in first place on a challenging course.
Isla also travelled to take part in the Hampshire Athletics 3000m. Competing against athletes up to a senior level, she was the first female overall with a personal best time of 10.54.
Isla said:
“I'm happy that I finished in first place. There are 5 races in the League and if I hadn’t received help from Blue Islands, there would be a chance that I wouldn’t be able to travel to all of them, and not be able to compete and improve.”
Luke and Cameron Gomes
Padel tennis twins Luke and Cameron used flights awarded by Blue Islands to compete in their first LTA grade 2 competition at the National Tennis Centre.
Luke and Cameron have already achieved success winning the U18s padel tennis championship in Guernsey in 2023 and are using their awarded flights to further develop their game.
Luke said:
“The flight funding that Blue Islands has provided has been so important for us to begin our padel tennis journey and create vital opportunities for our future.”
Luke Holmes
Triathlete Luke Holmes flew to East Midlands as a beneficiary of our Flight Funding programme to compete in the first race of the British Triathlon Super Series.
Luke finished in 2nd place in a bike and run race at Prestwold Motor Racing track after qualifying in 7th place in a swim time trial at Nottingham University the previous day.
The result enabled Luke to take part in the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
Luke said:
“It is a very promising start for what will be my first year of international racing. It was exciting lining up against the best in Britain and finding out how I compared. Blue Islands' contribution to this result can’t be overstated.”
Tallulah-Mae (Lula) Rautenbach
Lula Rautenbach travelled to Southampton using flights awarded by Blue Islands to take part in the Hampshire County Swimming Championships.
The Guernsey swimmer competed against the top girls in her age category in the South East Region, Lula won four silver medals and two bronze medals predominantly in freestyle and backstroke events.
Lula said:
“I would like to thank Blue Islands for providing flights over two weekends. This has helped immensely as last year, my mother and I travelled off island 8 times for swimming. This year I am old enough to take part in Nationals, so that will mean even more flights.”
Matthew Deffains
15-year-old Matthew Deffains recently travelled to Birmingham using flights awarded by Blue Islands to take part in a Swim England National Youth Development Programme.
Matthew is a member of the Jersey Tigers Swimming Club and has previously competed at the British and English nationals. He was one of four swimmers from the Tigers to be selected for the programme and attended a 3-day residential distance camp in February.
Following to the training camp, Matthew is competing in this summer's Island Games in Guernsey and the Youth Commonwealth Games in Tobago.
Oakley Francart
Guernsey fencer Oakley Francart travelled to Birmingham for a training camp in Stratford-Upon-Avon, made possible as a beneficiary of our flight funding programme.
Oakley, who is part of the Sarnia Sword Club in Guernsey, used the training camp to prepare for the upcoming fencing season where he will compete in under 17 competitions.
Oakley has the ambition to represent Great Britain in fencing.
Oakley said:
“I am very grateful for Blue Islands' flight funding. It gives me the opportunity to join training camps and competitions to help me achieve my goals in fencing.”
Rebecca Hardy-Bishop
Rebecca is a S13 classified (visually impaired) para swimmer who travelled to compete in Southampton using flights awarded by Blue Islands.
Rebecca took part in the Hampshire ASA Championships 2023 and had a successful time winning four Gold medals. Later in the year, she competed at the South East Regionals summer championships winning 3 silvers in 400m freestyle, 200IM and 100 fly and a gold in 100 backstroke.
Rebecca said:
“Thank you to Blue Islands for funding these flights as this meant I was able to travel with another person as support staff at poolside. As a S13 para-swimmer this meant for the first time I was able to have a tapper at each end of the lane in a 50m pool, this greatly helped me to hit all my targets.”
Ryan Le Monnier
Ryan Le Monnier travelled to a Riding for the Disabled Regional Dressage competition in Cornwall using our flight funding programme.
Ryan (pictured riding Wexford) finished an impressive 3rd in the South West qualifier with an outstanding score of 73% in the Grade 7 walk/trot test.
Ryan hopes to qualify and compete in more events at Para level in the future.
Ryan said:
“Thank you Blue Islands for funding my flights and giving me the opportunity to compete at this level.”
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