Words by Joe Moynihan – Chief Executive, Jersey Finance
Whilst 2021 has been another challenging year for businesses generally, it’s also been a milestone year for the local finance industry, as we celebrated the 60th anniversary of Jersey’s finance sector.
Although this represents a tremendous achievement by all of those who have shaped the industry over the past six decades into what it is today, it’s also given us a good opportunity to reflect on the industry’s relationship with the Island’s community as a whole.
Island Life
We’re incredibly aware that our industry is integral to Island life – the people who work in it, the work firms do with community groups and charities, the investment they make in other local businesses – the industry is very much a part of the community in different ways.
We’ve tried to reflect that in our anniversary activity this year.
At the beginning of 2021, for example, Jersey Finance set itself the task of raising £60,000 for the Association of Jersey Charities (AJC), in a bid to provide a boost to local charities. Using the slogan ‘Together we Shine’, we held a number of events from family guided walks to abseiling off Gorey Castle as part of our dedicated fundraising week in September, whilst also encouraging our member firms to hold their own fundraising initiatives.
We were also incredibly proud to support this year’s Jersey Charity Awards, organised by the AJC, which recognised excellence within the local charity sector. I am pleased to say we’ve made significant headway towards reaching our fundraising target.
As part of our celebrations, we also worked with the fantastic Jersey Uncovered – a group of professional guides offering tours to highlight the wealth of Jersey’s touristic and historical sights – to encourage professionals in the finance sector to step away from their desks and enjoy some of the rich heritage that makes our Island a truly unique place. The ‘Together We Shine a Light On’ series of events took place in locations from St Ouen’s Bay and Noirmont in the west, to Seymour Tower in the east, with expert guides offering their insights into the wealth of history and our natural surroundings.
Finance may not be a sector commonly associated with the art world, but undoubtedly creative thinking is instrumental to innovation – something fundamental to any business wishing to stand the test of time. That’s why 2021 also saw us team up with ArtHouse Jersey – a charity that supports the Island’s artists – to promote opportunities to support the local arts and creative sector. We also spoke with ArtHouse Jersey on their ‘The A Word’ podcast about the importance of the creative mind, which undoubtedly enriches life both in and out of work.
As we head towards the year end, we are working with Jersey Post on a collection of stamps to celebrate 60 years of our finance industry.
Looking Forward
Of course, all this is against the backdrop of the continued upheaval caused by the global pandemic. Looking forward, the next 12 months promise to be just as busy and our hope is that the freedoms of pre-Covid times will once again be fully resumed, no doubt with a newfound appreciation.
Certainly, our focus will remain on ensuring that the finance industry continues to add value to the local economy and plays its part in supporting our community and local businesses as we get back to some semblance of normality.
And with our Jersey elections on the horizon in June, 2022 will be a big year for local politics too. There is a clear opportunity to have your say on how our Island is run to safeguard our heritage, while ensuring we are well prepared for whatever the future has in store – from pandemics to the urgency around climate change.
We live on an Island rich in character, history and good citizenship. It’s a message that has come out strongly from our anniversary activity this year, and it is vital we keep it that way to safeguard our future prosperity.
