Liberation remembered through art

Friday 16 January 2015

A model of the Red Cross Ship that sailed to the rescue of starving Islanders during the Occupation has gone on show in an exhibition to mark the 70th anniversary of the Liberation.

The miniature version of the SS Vega created by the Jersey Model Boat Club is amongst the war memorabilia being exhibited at CCA Galleries until the end of the month.

Local goldsmiths Aurum have also turned the ship to silver, making 44 limited edition models to raise money for the British Red Cross. They will be going on display in the “70 Years Remembered” exhibition along with a selection of poems, artwork, sculpture, jewellery and glasswork by local artists and schoolchildren.

Gallery Manager Liz Purgal said: “We are delighted to host this exhibition for The British Red Cross for this special anniversary. It is a fitting way to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of liberation, with a unique visual presentation of nostalgic artworks, allowing Islanders to remember all the wonderful help that was received during the Second World War."

For a time during the Occupation Channel Islanders were entirely cut off from the food supplies they relied on until the Red Cross ship sailed to the rescue. It arrived with 119,792 standard food parcels, 4,200 diet supplement parcels for those who were ill, 5.2 tons of salt, four tons of soap and 96,000 cigarettes.

The British Red Cross Operations Manager Nick Chandler said: “This exhibition is particularly important as it brings to life and highlights how The British Red Cross has helped people in crisis allowing them to recover and move on with their lives. It also bridges the gap between a generation that understood or were in some way affected by the hardships of the time and a younger generation who can learn to appreciate all the work that was done to secure their safe future.”

Harry Fullerton OBE, an ex-commanding officer in Afghanistan, is doing a breakfast briefing entitled “Battlefield to Boardroom” for invited guests next Wednesday and the exhibition officially opens to the public next Friday.

It continues at CCA Galleries in Hill Street until 31 January. The Gallery is open from 10 am until 5 pm Monday to Friday and from 10 am until 2 pm on Saturdays.