Channel Islands
Channel Islands Key Facts
Our accompanying photographs show the changing aspects of life both past and present.
Tourism contacts
For further information please see:
https://www.visitchannelislands.com/
For Jersey please see: https://www.jersey.com/
And also Jersey Tourist Information Centre,
Inside Liberation Bus Station,
St Helier
JE2 3AS
Telephone: +44 (0) 1534 859000
Email: info@jersey.com
And for Guernsey:
https://www.visitguernsey.com/see-and-do/things-to-do/guernsey-information-centre/
Guernsey Information Centre
North Esplanade, St Peter Port,
GY1 3AN
Email: enquiries@visitguernsey.com
Telephone Number: 01481 723552
For Alderney please see: https://www.visitalderney.com/contact/
Visit Alderney, The States of Alderney, P.O. Box 1001, Alderney, GY9 3AA, Channel Islands
Telephone: +44 (0) 1481 822333
Email: tourism@alderney.gov.gg
For extensive information about the Islands, please see
https://www.visitchannelislands.com/about-the-channel-islands
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands
Travel to and around the Islands
There are three airports in the Channel Islands; Alderney Airport, Guernsey Airport and Jersey Airport, which are directly connected to each other by services operated by Blue Islands and Aurigny.
The sea ferry route between the Channel Islands and the UK is operated by Condor Ferries from both St Helier, Jersey and St Peter Port, Guernsey, using high-speed catamarans to Poole in the UK. A regular passenger ferry service on the Commodore Clipper goes from both Channel Island ports to Portsmouth daily, and carries both passengers and freight.
Ferry services to Normandy are operated by Manche Îles Express, and services between Jersey and Saint-Malo are operated by Compagnie Corsaire and Condor Ferries.
Motor traffic drives on the left as in the United Kingdom, but most motor vehicles are prohibited on the island of Sark, (ferries to it are operated by The Isle of Sark Shipping Company).
For more information on transport around the islands, please see Transport in Guernsey and Transport in Jersey and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roads_in_Jersey
Government
The term "Channel Islands" is thought to have been used by the United Kingdom’ (U.K.’s) Royal Navy around the 1830’s.
They are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy, and are the remaining parts of the Duchy of Normandy (whose Duke seized the crown of England after invading it in 1066), ruled by the UK Monarch.
Like the Isle of Man, they are self-governing Crown dependencies, not part of the UK (but which has responsibility for the Islands’ Defence and foreign affairs), and have the UK Monarch as head of state, but have never been a member of the European Union, and have their own governments.
They include two Crown dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, which is the largest of the islands; and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, consisting of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm and some smaller islands.
The two major islands are Jersey and Guernsey. They make up around 99% of the population and over 90% of the land area.
They have a total population of about 17,500, and the bailiwicks' capitals, Saint Helier and Saint Peter Port, have populations of around 33,500 and 18,200, respectively.
Each bailiwick has its own independent laws, elections, and representative bodies, and the bailiwick of Guernsey has 3 legislatures: Guernsey, Alderney and Sark.
Currency:
Both bailiwicks issue their own banknotes and coins, which circulate freely in all the islands alongside UK coinage and Bank of England and Scottish banknotes.
Emergency services :
The islands have their own police force, fire and rescue, ambulance, and coastguard.
For Jersey, please see: https://www.gov.je/news/2020/pages/EmergenciesDay.aspx
For Guernsey please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_Guernsey_Police_Service
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernsey_Ambulance_and_Rescue_Service
https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2020-01-20/guernsey-coastguard-helps-with-sark-medical-emergency
Postal services
Jersey and Guernsey have operated postal administrations independently of the UK's Royal Mail since 1969, with their own postage stamps, which can be used for postage only in their respective Bailiwicks. UK stamps are no longer valid, but mail to the islands, and to the Isle of Man, is charged at UK inland rates.
Culture and History
For further information please see History of Jersey, History of Guernsey, and German occupation of the Channel Islands and also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands#Religion
Culture of Jersey and Culture of Guernsey
and: Music of the Channel Islands
In the 20th century the islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied from 1940 to 1945 during World War II by the German Army who built extensive fortifications which can be seen around the islands.
The economies of the islands following the 1945 liberation were transformed from an agricultural base to attract immigration and developed tourism, and since the 1960s Jersey and Guernsey have become major offshore financial centres.
Regional television and radio broadcasts are available in the islands. These services are provided by BBC Radio Jersey, BBC Radio Guernsey, BBC Channel Islands, ITV Channel Television, Island FM, and Channel 103. Local newspapers include the Guernsey Press and the Jersey Evening Post .
Accessibility and disability provision in the Channel Islands
The governments seek to promote disability access.
For Jersey please see:
https://www.cab.org.je/images/M_images/AguidetoJerseyforthedisabled.pdf
http://www.jersey.co.uk/jsyinfo/disabled.html
Jersey also has a Shopmobility scheme at the following address:
Shopmobility Scheme Lower Ground Floor, Sand Street Car Park, St Helier Tel: 01534 739672 Mobile: 07700 736797 www.shopmobility.org.je
“Shopmobility is a scheme widely available in the UK where visitors can use powered wheelchairs or scooters to enable them to visit shops and places of interest. There is a limited 8 number of scooters which will fit in cars. All equipment will be delivered to hotels/homes without charge for overnight usage.”
For Guernsey: please contact the Guernsey charity, Access for All:
Access for All,
New Place
Petit Bouet
St Peter Port
Guernsey
GY1 2AJ
https://www.facebook.com/accessforallgsy/
And also the following website:
https://www.charity.org.gg/AGC_Charity_Page?id=195
And also: https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=80842&p=0
BUT please note that it described ACCESS IN GUERNSEY As of 02/04/2013
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