It’s hard for Jersey to shake off the Hungerford effect; the perception for outsiders that every Jersey inhabitant still lives the 80s highlife when millionaires wore double breasted jackets, spent all day holding a champagne flute and could afford to live in more than a semi detached house.
When I first moved to Jersey a client told me about a car rally. It was to San Sebastian in Spain and he was heading there in his Porsche. A performance car rally across Europe, stopping in on a Guggenheim museum seemed like the thing of dreams. It was a charity event and sounded like the sort of activity reserved for old Chuckles Hungerford and his Royal Barge dwelling contemporaries (that’s The Old Courthouse to those living a life outside of Bergerac, the TV series rather than the French town).
But this wasn’t ITV, this was real, for real people. It was called the ‘Tour de Liberation’ and was organised as a fund raiser for the Bush Hospital Foundation. I didn’t find this out until 2008 when we were approached to help reshape the event after it had stalled in 2007. We proposed to use our little magazine as an outlet to promote and means to rebuild the event and raise money for a new benefactor; Jersey Hospice Care.
With a few years in Jersey under my belt and a better understanding of the Island and how it works, we saw it as a great project we could throw Gallery’s weight behind and the galleryrally was launched.
Over the last five years we’ve travelled thousands of miles and raised thousands of pounds for worthy charitable causes. We’re hoping this year will see our total for the five years reach £150,000 for Jersey Hopsice Care. That’s a lot more than we’d have acheived with some boot fairs. It’s all down to passionate raillers that see the benefit in using their valuable summer holiday days to do some good.
We’ve been to the South coast of France three times, to Barcelona and through the Alps to Geneva. Each route covering spectacular countryside and breathtaking views. We’ve battled through Chip’s clues and challenges and learnt a few things along the way. We’ve also grown a small but connected Alumni of ralliers who all have fantastic shared memories.
A massive thanks to our previous years’ sponsors; Sure Mobile and Jacksons in 2008, Moore Stephens in 2009 and Peritus in 2010/11. Thanks also to the Royal Yacht and The Grand Jersey for helping us with breakfasts and rooms.
Next Year Chip has a new route planned, one that will fill in that big area of the above map with no Gallery Rally lines. Watch out Western France, we’re coming.
If you’d like to take part in this great event, join our new facebook group or email hi@galleryrally.com to be kept in the loop about developments and the launch party for GalleryRally 6.
www.facebook.com/galleryrally
If you’d like to get involved with the rally next year as an official sponsor email sponsors@galleryrally.com
