Learning from Guernsey – Orkney 2025 is going for gold!

As the dust settles on a fantastic 2023 Guernsey International Island Games, the baton has been handed over to Orkney for what will be the biggest single event ever to be held in the county.

This, the 20^th Games in 2025, is a chance for Orkney to showcase the islands to the 24 other member islands from across the world from the 12-18 July 2025.

Behind-the-scenes preparations have been underway for some time, but these have stepped up a gear thanks to the learning experience by those from the Council who attended the sporting extravaganza in the Channel Isles.

The Council will have an important role to play in supporting the Orkney 2025 Organising Committee, who are organising and delivering the major event.

“Exhausted but exhilarated” is how the Council’s Leisure and Culture Services Manager, Garry Burton, summed up the recent Games experience, which has left him and Council colleagues with a valuable insight into the onward planning and preparations required for Orkney 2025.

He said: “What a fantastic Island Games event in Guernsey – the first time I have attended such an occasion. While the days were long – as they started with myself and Orkney’s Team Manager Edgar Balfour attending 7am morning meetings to share information and raise any issues – it was a huge learning exercise to help ensure Orkney 2025 is as good as it can be.

“By working with the Orkney 2025 Organising Committee and other partners, we are absolutely confident that Orkney can put on a sporting show that will be remembered for all the right reasons – not just going for gold in terms of any medal success, but also for the quality of Games Orkney puts on for its athletes, supporters and visitors.”

The Council’s Corporate Director Neighbourhood Services and Infrastructure, Hayley Green, was also in Guernsey to glean as much as possible from the success stories and challenges faced by the hosts.

“Our visit was about looking at preparation for 2025. I have responsibility for infrastructure so roads, waste, cleaning – all the things that go on behind-the-scenes really, so I spent a considerable amount of time going around the different sports events and facilities looking how they were set up, watching how they moved people from A to B, the notices and signposting, road closures. I also spent time with the police looking at their advance planning to keep people safe, and how it was working in practice.”

As well as watching to see what worked really well – for example the live screening of events to ensure as many folk as possible could view the competitions as they happened inside and outside venues – they wanted to see the challenges that emerged so they could learn from them.

Hayley continued: “We were watching as they learned lessons along the way, the things they would have done differently, so we can benefit from them.”

For example, there were some practical issues around the transportation of athletes from their accommodation to events.

Garry explained: “They had set up Games routes with buses on loops, so it meant that some athletes were spending more time travelling than they should have been. We were able to relay information to the organising committee at the 7am morning meetings who were very responsive. They were able to look at the issues and put measures in place to make changes and improvements. It was all very well handled.”

Hayley added: “I was really interested in how they managed spectator safety during events such as the cycling and triathlon where that separation is vital for the safety of everyone in terms of crossing points at tracks or roads. We do not want people becoming frustrated behind barriers and unable to move around safely for example, so we need to look to see if we can set up safe crossing points which will be controlled by marshalls, and how the marshalling works between volunteers and the police. We will look to work through these potential issues with the Orkney 2025 Organising Committee about the routes that are chosen, and have already been looking at some of this.”

Whilst many of the Guernsey events were dotted around the island at many different venues, the plan for Orkney is to keep the main centres within Kirkwall and Stromness, so it’s easier to get people where they need to be via main routes.

Hayley explained: “Guernsey is a small island with a population three times the size of Orkney and their roads network is fairly complicated. We are lucky as ours is much simpler. Things to think about include our future roads maintenance programme leading up to that week in the summer of 2025.

Questions have been raised around how Orkney will cope with the influx of people. Garry says they have been looking at school infrastructure in terms of the provision of accommodation and storage.

“Council officers have already held a number of meetings with the Orkney 2025 Games Director Kirsty Talbot looking at specific topics – accommodation being one of them. We are in a more fortunate position than Guernsey was in that our schools will be closed for the summer at the time of the Games, so we can utilise those buildings.

The experience was also a great opportunity for networking and building up relationships with partners such as sportscotland, the International Island Games Association, the Scottish Government, EventScotland and of course other member islands.

They are both reassured by Guernsey’s offer that Orkney is on the right track.

Hayley said: “The welcome from everyone in Guernsey really was astonishing but Orcadians rightly love to show off Orkney, so I think we really have a chance here to put the county on the world stage and showcase all that we have to offer.

“The community spirit in Orkney is second to none so even though Guernsey raised the bar very high, we are confident we can match or even surpass it, and that is really thanks to our learned experiences gained from this year’s host island.”

Garry added: “The enthusiasm of the general public especially at the opening ceremony was just electric. There were estimated to be around 15,000 people out at the start supporting the athletes. School children were taken down to support the events – car horns were blasting as folk passed and others were cheering and clapping – it was just a fantastic atmosphere.

“Knowing the passion that folk in Orkney have, there is no doubt that we are in for a really special time comes our own Games.”

A huge team of volunteers will be required to ensure Orkney 2025 is a success and it’s a great way for non-sports people to get involved.

There’s a requirement for around 700 ‘Games-time’ volunteers to help the Games run smoothly. The roles will cover everything from meeting and greeting competitors from over 24 islands, to transport, to running a community hub and even through to supporting our sports during their competitions.

Kirsty Talbot has welcomed the Council’s representation in Guernsey to see how the Council can best support the event.

“It was really beneficial for us all to have lived the Games experience together in Guernsey, leaving both ourselves on the Organising Committee and Council officials in a much better position to make decisions that we are confident will work for the Orkney event.

“Personally, I have also come away with lots of ideas – including a few that may see changes to our original plans – all in all a great learning experience, in addition to soaking up the brilliant atmosphere!

“Given Orkney’s renowned welcoming spirit, I have no doubt that we will come up trumps for the International Islands Games of 2025 and that everyone will step up and make it a memorable Games.

“Come January 2024, the committee will be looking for people to sign up to get involved in one of the many volunteering roles we will have available – there are many ways that we can involve the wider community and make everyone a part of the success of the Games.”

If you’d like more information visit www.orkney2025.com or contact Island Games team by email info@orkney2025.com