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He spends his time travelling the world, camera in hand, but in his heart, Robbie is a Jersey boy.
Despite his busy agenda as a surf and lifestyle photographer who has used his skills to capture some of the best parts of Island life with Visit Jersey, Jersey Seafaris and many other businesses, Robbie was able to put the camera down for a moment to tell us what he would change about the Island he loves so much.
He says he likes to make his work "whisper bold words" and his mission for boldness has transpired in his ideas for our little Island.
My memories are filled with nostalgic scenes of summers spent by the beach in St Ouen’s. I would love to see the subtle beauty of the place appreciated even more, as well as more cool cafes and clubs based in St Ouen's Bay that work with the environment and compliment the surrounding area beautifully, not disturbing the peaceful, slow pace of life.
It has heaps of potential, and I truly believe it can be curated into one of the most beautiful places on earth (to me it already is.) I always hear locals talk about the social scene of the 60’s and 70’s and I want to see the place come alive, brimming with culture and energy.
We have become a worrying culture. Mental health must become a priority. Ultimately this is about awareness of ourselves and awareness of others. We are far too anxious, and too many people (young and old) are suffering unnecessarily. I know mindfulness can solve many of these problems. It is not a fad, but a very simple, practical solution.
Work towards using no chemicals and farming sustainably to solve our water quality problems, top-soil run off and seaweed issues as well as drawing carbon back into the ground with healthy soil to counteract the island's carbon emissions.
Local organic food should be easily affordable, and stocked in all major supermarkets, driving people towards eating locally, and supporting farming in Jersey. The solutions are here, and it is scalable. We must take care of ourselves, and the island we live on.
We need a system that teaches our young people not only how to study, but how to live. One that answers questions like, how can we find work we enjoy? How do we form meaningful relationships? How do we deal with challenging emotions?
We are not taught how to live well, and it is the most valuable skill to learn. Young people must learn how to understand themselves, as well as the subjects they study.
I feel there is a great deal of misunderstanding, confusion, mixed emotions and lack of trust between the local community and politicians. I would like to see us rebuild that trust between politicians and the local community. I want politics to be clear, understandable and relevant to everyone.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and not those of Bailiwick Express. Photo credits: Robbie Dark
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