Jersey to host Variety World Conference

Monday 29 February 2016

Jersey youngsters will benefit from a big global charity conference being held in the Island for the first time this Spring.

Over 200 delegates, charity stalwarts and celebrities including former footballer Rio Ferdinand, are coming to the Island in April for the Variety World Conference that will help fund a new £50,000 sensory pool for the Oakwell Children’s Respite Centre.

The keynote speaker at the conference taking place from 28 April to 1 May is Matt King OBE who, at the age of just 17 was left paralysed from the neck down after a rugby tackle. Since then he's been working to help others who have suffered similar injuries. He's completed the ING New York City Marathon and raised thousands of pounds for the charity.

Other speakers include Stef Kessler who is CEO of Variety Australia, Charlie Hulme who is the MD of DonorVoice, and Dr Mark Graham the Head of Social Investment and Enterprise at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Two awards ceremonies over the weekend will honour people for their dedication to improving the lives of children around the world.

Former Manchester United Defender Rio Ferdinand will be awarded the 2016 Catherine Variety Sheridan Award. Julia Morley who is the Chairman of the Miss World Organisation will be awarded the 2016 Humanitarian Award and Professor Anil Dhawan from Kings College Hospital will be awarded the 2016 Sir James Carreras Award.

All the delegates will be invited to see what the Island has to offer with trips to places like the Jersey War Tunnels and they will all be invited to the Jersey Children's Party - one of the highlights of Variety Jersey's calendar.

The Island's Lieutenant-Governor, His Excellency General Sir John McColl KCB CBE DSO is the Patron of Variety - the Children's Charity of Jersey. He said: "Welcoming the Variety World Conference to Jersey is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the remarkable work of Variety supporting children across the globe. It also allows us to showcase our beautiful Island to delegates from all over the world.

"Variety Jersey gives magical experiences to disadvantaged children every year and the World Conference will enable our volunteers to learn from others and to share their own best practice."

Variety has a network of 44 offices in 13 countries including Jersey, UK, Canada, America, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Barbados, Ireland and Japan and the charity helps millions of children around the world to live better lives.

Variety International President Barbie Hislop said: "All children are special, however, Variety’s core purpose is to serve children who grow up with a serious illness or disability. 

"These are extra special children who require an exceptional type of help and unlike many organisations, Variety does not focus on a single disease or condition but on multiple unmet needs. Through the sharing of ideas, best practices and innovation at the Jersey Conference, Variety aims to fulfil its promise to be the most effective and trusted children’s charity in the world."