GSC appoints first Outdoor & Adventure Sports Development Officer

The Guernsey Sports Commission is delighted to confirm the appointment of Alan Jenner as the island’s first ever Outdoor & Adventure Sports Development Officer.

‘We are really pleased to welcome AJ to the team and excited about this new role and what we hope it is going to provide for our whole community,’ said Steve Sharman, the Commission’s Relationship Director.

‘Outdoor and Adventure Sports is a real growth area, and the island provides the ideal environment for these sorts of activities to take place. We are hoping to be able to develop increased opportunities for sporting activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, wild swimming and many other sea-based activities and plan to focus these around the new development at La Vallette and Havelet Bay,’ said Steve.

Alan has been in post for just over a week and is looking forward to the challenge.

‘It’s a brand-new role which I think the island has needed for some time and I’m really looking forward to developing the role using the skills I’ve gained over the last eight years as a stand-up paddle board instructor,’ said Alan.

‘The issue is that outdoor and adventure sports can often been seen as exclusive because of the cost and need to access kit and equipment. I want to be able to reduce this friction and make it accessible to the whole community.’

The role of the Outdoor & Adventure Sports Development Officer has been jointly funded by a private benefactor and the Guernsey Sports Commission and a key part of the role will be coordinating training and providing support to teachers, coaches, and volunteers to ensure that the delivery of adventure sports is safe and follows appropriate risk management practices.

‘Safety will be my primary role and I will be hoping to provide a central point for water safety training on the island,’ said Alan.

‘I will be coordinating logistics and having an oversight of activities making sure that there are some decent standards in place and that there remains a pathway to accessibility for all.

‘I will also be working with all the existing service providers and outdoor and adventure sports community and developing a water safety strategy which is something the island has been lacking for some time.

‘But it’s not just about outdoor and adventure sports. I’m hoping to deliver life skills, learning about our natural environment, the tides, the weather, how to decide when it’s safe to go out on the water. There is so much to learn and so much to see.

‘My ambition is to make the area around Havelet Bay and La Vallette a centre of excellence, providing a stepping-stone for people on their outdoor and adventure sports journey.

‘I would love to hear about what people want or how they would like to participate. I don’t want people to think that it’s all about abseiling down a 200ft cliff. It’s about embracing our whole outdoor culture and environment.’

‘My aim is to establish a friendly and welcoming environment open to all people at all levels helping them to achieve their own ambitions,’ said Alan.