To make this year’s Alderney Week as successful as previous ones, its organisers are appealing for more sponsors. Left to right: organisers Ronnie Cairnduff, Alex Birch, Nigel Vooght, Ilona Soane-Sands and Lee Flewitt. (0787642)

ALDERNEY WEEK organisers are appealing for businesses to support this year’s festival.

A lack of sponsorship for the island’s flagship event has caused serious fund-raising difficulties and means numerous events could be cut from this year’s programme.

Organiser Ilona Soane-Sands said: ‘Alderney Week is the island’s biggest community and tourism event. It’s a major contributor to the accommodation sector, puts bums on seats in planes, on the ferry, in the restaurants and pubs, makes the shop tills ring and is great publicity.

‘However, lack of sponsorship and donations is causing us a serious problem. Every business in the island is feeling the pinch of the credit crunch and fund raising for this year’s event is an uphill struggle.

That is why we are appealing to all island businesses to make a small contribution.

‘Just £50 per business would make quite a difference to our diluted coffers.’

Ilona said a watered down programme could lead to holidaymakers deciding against visiting Alderney in future.

‘We do not intend to repeat last year’s mega programme, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of Alderney Week, but it’s

still got to be a great week, otherwise we may not get the much-needed repeat business next time as disappointed visitors will stay away.’

Businesses or individuals who would like to donate to this year’s event should call Ilona on 824321 or email info@alderneyweek.net.

Those interested in making a contribution can also place an advert in the festival’s programme.

Any business which supports Alderney Week will be listed on the event’s official website and appear in the sponsorship acknowledgements which are printed in the local press.

This year’s Alderney Week runs from 1-8 August.

The theme is Around the World in Eight Days.

Visit www.alderneyweek.net for further information.

Nineteen sportsmen and women will represent Alderney at this year’s Island Games.

The competitors are busy preparing for the biennial event, which will take place in Aland from 27 June.

Seven islanders will take part in the golf competitions, while six are competing in table tennis and three in tennis.

The other events to include Alderney competitors are athletics, archery and sailing.

Michael Ellen, chairman of Alderney Island Games Association (AIGA), said: ‘Thanks to the support of the people of Alderney, the States and a number of kind contributors, we should be able to provide a similar level of finance for this year’s competitors as we did for the Rhodes games two years ago.

‘It is amazing just how many people make time, expend efforts or give money on behalf of this cause, which can be clearly seen for its qualities.’

Alderney must keep up its participation at the event in order to remain eligible to take part.

Mr Ellen added: ‘Our competitor numbers are low this year and this reflects several factors – a difficult journey, a relatively expensive venue and maybe a difficult year financially for many people.

‘However, it’s really important to hold down our right to compete – there is a cap on the eligible entrant islands and a waiting list of islands ready to jump into any vacancy.

‘Future games in easier places, such as the Isle of Wight in 2011, will hopefully attract higher numbers and more sports from the Alderney population.’