Virtual AGM for Guernsey 2023 NatWest International Island Games on what should have been the opening of the 2021 Games

IIGA Media Release

This weekend should have marked the start of the NatWest International Island Games... instead, the Games will now happen 8-14 July 2023.
The Chair of the IIGA Jorgen Petterson stated “We are obviously disappointed that we cannot all be together in Guernsey as we had planned, but we must move on and begin looking forward to what will be an exciting summer of sport in 2023. We would like to thank the Guernsey 2023 Organising Committee for their commitment in making certain the Games are staged and preserving this important competitive opportunity for athletes from our Member Islands. Instead of being in Guernsey, we are holding a remote AGM for all of the Member Islands, and we look forward to talking and meeting virtually, and will hopefully be in Guernsey for a pre-Games visit in 2022”.
Dame Mary Perkins, Chair of the Guernsey 2023 Organising Committee said “The Organising Committee were well advanced with plans for the event to be hosted in 2021. There will inevitably be some elements of planning that will need to be revisited, and we also need to consider any new guidelines that we will have to implement because of the pandemic, but the Organising Committee are in regular contact and are keeping an eye on things. We are taking the opportunity to review all of the planning we have done so far, revise our cosDngs, branding and communication plans, and address any other issues that may arise between now and 2023 and will be updating all of the Member Islands during the virtual AGM”.
Dame Mary added “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors, partners, our sports coordinators, volunteers and the States of Guernsey. Although things will be quieter on the Games front over the next few months, we hope that everyone will still stay involved. This is far more than just a sporting event - it brings together Islands in a moment of celebration. We will use this time to work as hard as we can to put on the best event possible and give Guernsey and the other Member Islands something to look forward to”.
Rob Girard from NatWest InternaDonal said “Island communiDes have been hit hard by Covid and the impact of sport on mental health and wellbeing has been in the spotlight in the past twelve months. Sport brings communities together, and the NatWest International Island Games is a celebration of both sport and community in an island setting so this gives us truly something to look forward to as we travel on the road to recovery. As a bank our purpose is to help individuals and communities thrive and our goal is to work closely with the IIGA and the Guernsey Organising Committee to deliver a fantastic Games to lift the spirits for all the athletes, support teams and spectators alike”.

Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture, said: “We are obviously disappointed that we’re not able to host the NatWest InternaDonal Island Games here in Guernsey in 2021, but we know we can now look forward to July 2023. All of us on the current Committee are committed to the development of all sports on the Island and are looking forward to supporting and working with the Guernsey 2023 Organising Committee to make sure the event is a huge success”.
Julia Bowditch, Games Director for Guernsey 2023, is currently in the UK, working at Wembley as part of the team supporting the UEFA European Football Championship. “The inevitable postponement of the Games in 2021 has meant that although we are keeping things ticking over, we have put a lot of planning on hold and will be able to pick it up again nearer the actual date” said Julia. “We will look to actively pick up the planning again towards the end of 2021, and will look at doing a full re-launch a year before the Games”.

Launch of the IIGA 5K Challenge
In order to maintain engagement and interest within the Member Islands, the International island Games Association (IIGA) have launched the IIGA 5k Challenge – a Virtual Competition encouraging everyone in the Member Islands to run or walk 5 kilometres.
Brian Allen, Chair of the Guernsey Island Games AssociaDon explained “This iniDaDve has been launched by the IIGA to run from the 3-9 July 2021. All Member Islands are invited to parDcipate and run or walk 5K and submit their Dmes using the RaceOne app and selecDng IIGA 5K Challenge - anyone is able to enter. The challenge will be just for fun and is intended to encourage physical acDvity, as well as offering some of the athletes a chance to compete with other islanders. The winners will be those that post the best Dmes for male and females and for the most parDcipants per island. The number of parDcipants per island will be pro rata to the populaDon and so all member islands, large or small will have a chance to win. We would encourage as many people as possible to enter and represent Guernsey”.