The Mouse That Roared An Island Parish

4,000 miles south-west of the British Isles,

where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea,

lies the island of Anguilla.

Colonised by English settlers in the 17th century,

it was quickly abandoned because of its poor soil,

so the African descendants, many of them former slaves,

became landowners rather than plantation workers,

fostering an independent spirit and close connection to the land

that still flourishes.

Today just 3% of the population is white,

and it's now one of the 14 British Overseas Territories

with its own government and the Queen as its head of state.

Fire!

It's very similar to growing up in Cornwall.

Everybody looks out for each other,

and it's just a really nice way of living.

I mean, I've been here 23 years,

and I still think I'm kind of British.

With an average temperature of 80 degrees,

British expats have been lured here by the beaches, low taxes,

and relaxed way of life.

We have a tradition in Anguilla of going to take a sea bath.

This is the epitome of paradise.

You know, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

But this delicate island's future is precarious.

With few natural resources,

Anguillans have always had to be inventive to make ends meet,

competing with larger nearby islands like Antigua and St Kitts

for the tourist dollar.

Here, the threat of hurricanes is ever present.

And in the eye of these storms is a rock,

the Anglican Minister Bishop Errol Brooks,

who presides over the island's largest parish.

As a people we stand strong

when things get rough.

This paradise is extremely fragile.

In the days to come...

It's wonderful to see so many of you out this afternoon.

It's great to see such a gathering, so give yourselves a hand for coming.

..islanders don their national colours to celebrate

the most important date in the calendar - Anguilla Day.

We're proud of where we come from,

49 years ago. And we're proud that Britain has been

by our side through it all.

HORNS BLARE

The Anguilla Day Round The Island Boat Race stokes local rivalries.

Yeah, I'll be cheering for the Real Deal on Monday.

And I'll be cheering for the Sonic on Monday.

HE LAUGHS

And I will beat him on Monday.

And author Trudy Nixon steadies her nerves for a reading

at Anguilla's literary festival.

It's going to be a full house,

which, I think, is what is giving me the, kind of, heebie-jeebies.

# Anguilla star

# How I long for you

# I will never be far

-# My Anguilla star...

-#

-RADIO DJ:

-Anguillans near and far, you've got to come home for Anguilla Day.

Yes, something a lot of folks dream about, Anguilla Day,

that's a day they look forward to.

Anguilla Day, 2016.

Just a couple of days away.

HE LAUGHS

As part of the forthcoming Anguilla Day's celebrations,

a special service will be held in St Mary's Church In The Valley

in a few days' time.

"I give you a new commandment.

"Just as I have loved you, you also shall love one another."

Leading the act of worship

will be the head of the Anglican diocese, Bishop Errol Brooks.

On the 30th of May we're having an ecumenical service

to mark the 49th anniversary

of the Anguilla revolution,

which we call Anguilla Day.

In 1967, the people of Anguilla

decided to take their destiny into their own hands.

It's extremely important, because it's a vital part of our history.

So every year we have this ecumenical service

along with a number of other activities

to mark this historic event.

It's not just Bishop Brooks who values the significance

of Anguilla Day.

-Hello!

-APPLAUSE

Now, you can call me Doctor Banks,

or you can call me Sunshine Lady,

or you can call me teacher Linda.

-Which name do you prefer to call me?

-ALL:

-Sunshine Lady!

OK, that's what I am for the day, Sunshine Lady.

At the local library in the capital, The Valley,

Dr Linda Banks is teaching schoolchildren

about the Anguillan revolution.

What do you know about the revolution?

About St Kitts and Nevis.

-About St Kitts and Nevis.

-Yeah.

In 1825, a union was formed between Anguilla

and its neighbouring islands of St Kitts and Nevis,

who governed the island.

After World War II, as other British Caribbean colonies

strove for independence,

Anguillans became unhappy they were not getting

their fair share of resources.

And they had electricity and we didn't.

-Uh-huh!

-And we had less of the money.

Right. So, they had lots of things that we didn't have.

Would you be happy with that?

-ALL:

-No!

-No.

How do you think Anguillans felt?

-Mistreated.

-They felt mistreated.

Anguillans were upset.

On May 30th 1967, they took up arms.

No-one was killed, but they forced the St Kitts police off the island.

Suddenly we heard...

SHE MIMICS GUNFIRE

Our eyes started burning.

There was something called tear gas.

People were crying.

People didn't know what to do.

And that was the beginning of the revolution.

Two years later, 135 British paratroopers

arrived on the Anguilla to restore order.

And Anguillans were at the airport, and they said,

"God save the Queen!"

We are glad that England finally came to rescue us.

The following year, peace was restored.

And in 1980, Anguilla was given full autonomy from St Kitts and Nevis,

to become a British Overseas Territory.

When the British came they built roads,

they ran wire to get electricity.

So, it's a lot different now.

You have a lot to be thankful for.

'Our children need to know that what they have today

'was done by the blood, sweat and tears of their forefathers.'

It's important for them to understand that, you know,

the Anguilla we have today, just 50 years ago it was very different.

What year was the revolution?

-ALL:

-1967.

Very good. Give yourselves a round of applause.

-Hip hip hip.

-ALL:

-Hooray!

-Hip hip hip.

-Hooray!

-Hip hip hip.

-Hooray!

I was 16 years at that time,

and we saw the helicopters landing

and we were so excited about this thing.

Seeing the eagles being parachuted.

Men jumping from aircraft and all kind of things.

A lot of action in a place that was normally quiet.

The impression, I believe, that was given at the time

was that Anguilla was definitely in chaos

and therefore they were going to have to do something about it.

But...

you know, when they came, not a shot was fired.

It was a peaceful invasion.

Today, the bishop has another matter to deal with

that is close to islanders' hearts.

The launch of a boat at Crocus Bay.

Friends, today we gather to bless this boat and this pier,

and those who will use it for work or pleasure.

Protect them from the dangers, the wind and rain...

The sea plays such a vital role in island life

that all vessels are commemorated to bring good luck.

And so may God's blessings

rest and abide

on Bateau Godot and this pier, this day and always.

Amen.

Anguilla's seafaring legacy dates back several centuries.

With little fertile soil,

islanders had to venture to larger neighbouring islands

like the Dominican Republic to work,

and also to bring back vital provisions.

Centuries of intrepid seafaring have led

not only to a mastery of sailing,

but also of boat building, a tradition kept alive today

by David Carty.

In an island like Anguilla,

boats have always been absolutely important.

It's been a long history

of trying to make ends meet

by using the sea to trade,

to build boats, to smuggle, and to fish.

And that evolved over just over a century

into a passion for boat racing.

Because the smugglers raced between themselves,

the fishermen raced between themselves,

and then when a real economy started in Anguilla with tourism, etc,

that's just formalised into a formal sport,

which is now the national sport.

Today, David and his son Damian's main business

is making high-end motorboats.

My elder son Damian has, from a very early age,

being passionate about what I've done.

At the age of two,

passing me nails while I was

getting the epoxy glues and the planks all together.

And that was a very special moment for me.

I've never forgotten that.

As well as motorboat building, their passion, like most Anguillans,

is sailboat racing.

And no prize is more coveted

than the annual Anguilla Day Boat Race trophy.

THEY SHOUT

Traditional handmade wooden sailboats from each district

will compete in the race, that circumnavigates the entire island.

And today, Sonic, the boat representing

the village of Sandy Ground,

is undergoing final technical tweaks.

When I say sonic...

You say boom.

-ALL:

-Sonic boom.

We just put her in the water,

and now we're going to put the lead in, the ballast.

All these pieces are going to go in.

Damian is Sonic's master tactician.

We think that this is the secret here. That, um...

I can't tell you how much pounds it is, all together, but we know.

And it's strategic points.

You just can't put any old piece any old where.

It has to go in certain pockets, certain places,

for the boat to sit the way we think it needs to sit.

And that is one of the secrets to success.

HE LAUGHS

This is one of the reasons why we'll beat the Real Deal.

HE LAUGHS

Sonic's biggest rival is the Real Deal,

which represents North Hill,

and has the backing of Damian's father David.

Yeah, I'll be cheering for the Real Deal on Monday.

And I'll be cheering for the Sonic on Monday.

HE LAUGHS

And I will beat him on Monday.

Even if I come last, second to last, and he comes last, sorry,

I'll still beat him.

We always get along well, and we have bragging right between us.

You know, when he beats me I never hear the end of it

until the following race and vice versa,

when I get my chance I let him know too, I rub it in.

So, it's good, it's a good rivalry between the two of us.

It's fun.

He's my son but that doesn't mean he has to be smart like me.

-You know?

-Can you imagine this?

He could be stupid.

THEY LAUGH

"The girls climbed out of the car and gazed at the view.

"A white bay stretched in front of them,

"and Charlie thought she had never seen so many different colours

"in one landscape before."

Five miles away, budding author Trudi Nixon,

originally from Poulshot in Wiltshire,

is reading an extract from her first, as yet unpublished, novel

to her best friends, fellow expat Sue

and her husband Alan Ruan.

"I would have been bored otherwise.

"Mind you..." Whoops.

"I can't be bored listening to this music."

-Where's the racy bits in it?

-THEY LAUGH

How do you know there are racy bits?

I know how your mind works.

THEY LAUGH

Trudi is practising for the most important literary event

in the Anguillan calendar,

Lit Fest, which she's co-organising.

"These words are not just random words,

"running helter-skelter on the page of life." Hmm.

Dr Linda Banks will be one of the experienced guest speakers

at the event.

Yeah, it'll be the first time with such a diverse audience,

people coming from around the world, people who are poets,

people who are writers, people who are editors,

people who are looking to publish, you know.

We're looking for new authors.

It's an intimidating prospect for debut novelist

and first-time speaker Trudi.

"Diva had never been so big, so hard to read, or as...

"implac..." "Im..." "Im..."

Ah, I can't say that word!

SHE LAUGHS

I can't say it.

"Implacably."

I'm absolutely petrified, to be honest.

It's kind of looming. I'm looking forward to the Lit Fest, but...

And I know this is great for me and I have to do this,

but these are my words and I can't actually seem to spit them out.

SHE LAUGHS

Feeling slightly overwhelmed...

Hello, Mummy Chicken. Hello, Daddy.

..Trudi calls back home for some moral support.

-ON SCREEN:

-I've got loads of confidence in you, honestly.

You'll make a super, super job of it. I know that.

-Oh. Thank you.

-All right.

Thank you, Mummy and Daddy!

They're always so good!

Didn't you see how good they were?

Oh, bless them.

-# Sail your boat comes in

-Sail it...

# Sail your boat comes in... #

-RADIO DJ:

-That's Anguilla Time with Sail Your Boat, and of course,

those boats will be sailing RIGHT for Anguilla Day

and the Round The Island Boat Race.

Boy, we love boat race.

INDISTINCT SHOUTING

People from all four corners of the island are celebrating

the 49th anniversary of Anguilla's liberation

from neighbouring islands of St Kitts and Nevis.

Down on Sandy Ground,

14 sailing boats from around the island are at the starting line

as people position themselves on hilltops and beaches

to cheer on their local team

for the 35th annual Around The Island Boat Race.

Damian and his father David get ready for the biggest day in the

-sailing calendar.

-We've got 14 boats out, that's the whole...

That's the whole fleet.

HOOTER

CHEERING

The race gets off to a flying start,

and keeping a close eye on the action

is the Royal Anguilla Police Force,

led by Acting Sgt Charles Richards.

Come in base, this is Gold Command.

Some of these guys, on the vessel, about 90% of them can swim.

The other 10,

they might be in a position to swim but not a strong swimmer.

Those are the guys that we have to try and get out the water first.

On the south side of the island, Sonic's tactician Damian

is tracking the progress of his team's boat closely.

Here comes the boats right now and the Real Deal looks like

it's still in the lead, but the Sonic is right there.

It's within striking distance, easy.

Easy striking distance.

Sonic and the Real Deal are naturally rubbing

for first and second, so hopefully when I pass by here

it'll still be close and going around the land

it still will be close, so it will be a good fight coming up.

I'm betting on the Sonic, all day, every day. That's my boat.

Damian's hoping his father's boat, the Real Deal, won't hold

on to its first-place position for long.

He was a little bit more confident earlier during the race, now he

seems to have simmered down somewhat

and he's kind of taking it easy and quiet again. So we'll see.

It's a long race, so anything can happen between now and then.

Damian decides to hit the water to follow the rest of the race up-close

with other members of the Sonic support team.

At Blowing Point Harbour on the south of the island,

Trudi Nixon is welcoming international authors,

editors and publishers who are arriving from neighbouring St Martin

for Anguilla's literary festival.

THEY SHRIEK

Also greeting the visitors are Lit Fest committee members

Reggie Oliver and his wife Stephanie.

-Everybody's here.

-Everybody's here.

Got here safely.

With an island like this it's always your prayer that people arrive

safely, you know?

They had a good time, they feel the vibe already.

One already said to me, "It's beautiful, it's lovely.

"I'm never going to leave." And they just got here.

This year's event is being held at Paradise Cove

on the south of the island.

And the phone rings and I thought it was my friend.

"Yo, hello..."

LAUGHTER Jamaican writer Colin Channer warms up the crowd.

"Hello, may I speak to Colin, please?"

-"Hold on, let me get him, hold on."

-LAUGHTER

And next,

local writer Linda Banks takes to the podium.

"Waves pounding on the shore, pushing forward, then pulling backward.

"Having a tumultuous love affair with the sands.

"Loving her then leaving her,

"knowing that she will be there waiting patiently for his return."

So, women, embrace your power.

You might seem passive but they must come back.

For Trudi Nixon,

Lit Fest presents an unmissable opportunity to get her debut novel

in front of agents.

Hi, Johanna.

Trudi's pitching her manuscript to American publisher Johanna Ingalls.

My book is called Life Needs The Caribbean.

Two very different Englishwomen arrive on a tiny Caribbean island.

Back home, both confronting bleak futures,

both women realise that their time in the Caribbean might ultimately

help them figure out what they need to do to make their lives happy.

-I'd nearly gone...

-There's nothing I would change about that.

I swear, I'm being dead honest.

So can I send it to you?

Of course. And I will give honest feedback.

I'm so looking forward to reading it.

-Thanks.

-I really am. Thank you.

"Three days later,

"when the driver produced the reasons for the delay Nathanial did

-"not bother listening. He was learning slowly, but he

-was

-learning."

Thank you.

I mean, that was great. It was better than I could really have expected.

She liked my queries, she said it was perfect, actually,

and that it was ready to go and for me to just have confidence and send it out.

It was amazing.

It's a promising start for Trudi,

but soon she faces an even bigger challenge -

a live reading from her novel to an international audience of published

authors and critics.

It's a full house, which is, I think,

what is giving me the heebie-jeebies.

Back on the water at the Anguilla Day Boat Race...

..Damian Carty and the Sonic support team are willing the boat on,

despite trailing behind archrival the Real Deal.

We're about to go round the last marker.

Once you round this marker, it's straight to Sandy Ground

and then that's the first boat, first boat in, first boat wins.

Simple as that. See the red flag in the water?

They've got to round that and come up.

He's going the wrong way.

What are they doing? Have they gone the wrong way?

With the backing of his sailors,

Sonic captain Eddie Hughes decides to pull off an audacious move...

He's gone round a way that normally doesn't happen.

Shimmying past the last marker and capturing the lead.

Back on dry land, at St Mary's Anglican Church in the Valley,

parishioners and local dignitaries are gathering for a special service

held by Bishop Brooks to commemorate Anguilla Day.

We thank you for our political leaders who, through these 49 years,

have brought us to this time in our history.

Help us, Father, to work together for the common good and to build on

the successes of the past.

That our island home will grow from strength to strength.

ALL: God bless, Anguilla.

If you will look inside you will see many of the persons in the

congregation wearing the orange, white and blue,

those are the national colours.

The orange stands for the sunshine, the white - white sandy beaches,

and the blue the turquoise waters surrounding Anguilla.

OK, here we go.

I have

a little corsage on my...

Depicting the colours orange, white and blue.

It's wonderful to see so many of you out this afternoon.

It's great to see such a gathering,

so give yourselves a hand for coming.

Oh, it was a perfect day and people were out in their numbers with the

Anguilla colours.

It was really a beautiful spectacle.

49 years ago we didn't have running water, we didn't have electricity,

we didn't have proper schools, so we have come a long way.

We're proud of where we've come from 49 years ago and we're proud that

Britain has been at our side, by our side, through it all.

All right.

At Paradise Cove, the literary festival is in full swing...

I once met an English poet.

A West Indian, you understand.

One of those always exclaiming how we take over the motherland.

With Trinidadian-born author Paul Keens-Douglas

charming a captivated audience.

That man started talking language like he worked in the BBC.

Or he head of the English Department at the university.

For Reggie Oliver it's been an inspiring few days.

Lit Fest was wonderful.

People have been lit up, they've been so excited.

The writers, almost everybody who came, had a special feeling for it,

so probably one of the best ones that happens.

It's been very, very exciting and very important for the country.

With Lit Fest coming to an end,

there are just a few guest speakers left to take the stage.

It's almost time for Trudi Nixon to read a passage from her

as-yet unpublished novel.

Of course it's very timely that I bring on now one of the architects

of the Lit Fest, Trudi, Trudi,

Trudi Nixon.

Good morning, everybody.

The Lit Fest inspired me and continues to inspire me,

to the point where I've actually written a novel.

The book is called Life Needs The Caribbean.

47-year-old hairdresser Tracey comes to paradise expecting the worst,

when she throws herself into a holiday romance with a sexy local fisherman.

A terrible miscommunication sends...

It's a slow start for Trudi.

"She didn't seem to be worried about her modesty at all.

"She was far too absorbed in her man,

"who didn't appear to mind that his girlfriend was far more enthusiastic

"than skilled on the dance floor."

But the audience seems to be on her side.

"..She's certainly thrown herself into island life."

And by the end of the reading they're completely won over.

"Tracey's tan faded quickly,

"despite coming back to what was called summer in England.

"And she missed her golden brown skin and she knew she didn't look

"like that woman she'd been on the island,

"the one had that floated so contentedly on the sea for hours and hours and

"thought great big interesting thoughts,

"a woman that danced a lot and didn't mind who watched her,

"a woman that was totally at home in her body despite her size,

"because she knew she was beautiful."

I'm all over-excited!

'If you can leave an audience laughing, then you've done very well.'

I had some people coming up to me afterwards saying,

"Oh, where can we buy the book?"

I said, "You can't buy it yet."

'Let's hope it's a bestseller.'

You'll be in the dedication at the front.

'We are so, so proud of you. We really mean it, we really are.'

Oh, the highs, the lows of an international career in novel writing(!)

What do you think, puppies? Is Mummy going to be an international publishing star?

Two miles away at Sandy Ground harbour,

the crowds have gathered to watch the closing stages of the

Anguilla Day Boat Race. With victory in its sights,

Sonic is past the last buoy and battling to hold on to its lead

ahead of closest rival, the Real Deal.

We've got a good 100 feet on her. That's good enough.

So we're going to skim this point now and then we're going to be right

in the centre. The result would still be the same, one winner - Sonic.

There are two chequered flags up here that we have to go through and

then that's it, we win.

Yes!

Yeah!

Sonic is first across the finish line and wins the 35th annual

Anguilla Day Boat Race.

I'm very happy. We've got to celebrate.

Damian's beaten his father's boat and archrival the Real Deal.

And most importantly, won today's bragging rights.

My dad congratulated me on my win.

I beat him, he got third, I got first.

He beat me and he beat me really badly.

The Sonic won a very convincing race and the Real Deal lost.

I don't know if he cheated, I don't think so.

I think she had a problem going around one of the sticks and lost

some ground and there it is, lost the race.

So the rivalry continues.

-ALL:

-BOOM, SONIC BOOM!

For the crew of Sonic and their captain, Eddy Hughes,

all that remains to be done is enjoy the spoils of victory.

All my muscles are aching right now, man.

It feels good to be a winner.

I'm a happy guy right now. And my crew's happy, everybody's happy,

Sonic fans are happy,

Sonic boom!

In the days to come...

On your marks, get set, go!

..there are high hopes for an Anguillan rider in this year's

interisland bike race.

Vroom. I want to be the Bradley Wiggins of Anguilla.

PHONE RINGS

-Good morning.

-French shop owner Natalie brings a touch of France

to the island by running a wine tasting for locals.

I think that Anguilla should have more indoor restaurants with air conditioning.

CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL

Just to drink wine at the perfect temperature.

And the Bishop makes a bumpy 90-minute journey to the beautiful

French island of St Barts, to check on church renovations.

Nice to welcome you back to your French parish.

Yes, sir.