A couple of Shetland ponies were at the head of Sark’s customary Palm Sunday procession. (0753455)

SARK’S seemingly indefatigable Carnival Committee has announced a family fun week for the schools’ half-term holiday at the end of next month.

Taking place between 25 and 29 May, the week kicks off with a family treasure hunt that is open to entrants throughout the week, with entry forms obtainable from the Visitor Centre at the end of The Avenue, next to the prison.

There is also an under-16s art competition where visiting youngsters simply have to go along to Sark School, introduce themselves to head teacher Sarah Cottle and, if they haven’t already completed their masterpieces where they are staying, get painting or drawing.

On Monday 25 May there is a teddy bears’ picnic in the gardens at La Seigneurie where children will be encouraged to go in fancy dress as well-known book characters.

The following evening there is a film show, while on the Wednesday of that week a family disco will be held between 6 and 7.30pm, with both events being held at the Island Hall.

The final event of the week is a family supper at AJ’s in The Avenue followed by a Channel Islands’ quiz – advertised with the somewhat challenging phrase ‘so you think you know about the Channel Islands, eh?’

In addition, as if that wasn’t enough to keep our tourists occupied – and hopefully happy – there is a four seasons photographic competition.

Further details about the classes and what’s required can be obtained from either the Visitor Centre or Sark Tourism’s website.

For those who plan their breaks in Sark even further ahead, might I suggest that they also make diary notes of the Midsummer Show at the Island Hall on 24 and 25 June, when the best of what Sark residents can grow will be there for all to see, and the annual Sheep Racing meeting on 18 and 19 July.

The Manche Iles service from Jersey started on Monday of this week and the timetable – which seems to indicate more services than in previous years – has been published.

The services link the three French ports of Granville, Carteret and Dielette with Jersey, Guernsey, Sark and Alderney and it’s evident from what traders here tell me that visitors using the service from Jersey to here tend to spend a little more per head than do our guests coming via Guernsey.

Added to that there is the somewhat dubious (for those travelling in the opposite direction to France) bonus of the euro being as near as makes no difference to being on a par with the pound. All it needs is for French tourists to be persuaded that not only will their euro go further than it’s ever done before, but also that these islands will give them a warm welcome as well as value for money.

While on the subject of shipping services, Sark Shipping has a day trip on Easter Sunday, although the Sunday services proper – which run until 11 October – don’t start until 26 April.

Easter this weekend means that it was Palm Sunday last week and those among the congregation at St Peter’s Church with an interest in the tourism industry might well have squeezed in a prayer or two for fine weather to give Sark a flying start to what might well be a difficult tourism season, what with the recession and all that.

There are no donkeys in Sark these days – it used to be home to the world’s oldest – but the Magell family loaned the congregation a couple of Shetland ponies for the customary procession. It was a nice sight and drew some favourable comments from the handful of visitors I spoke to who witnessed it.

The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net