Sark's Got Talent An Island Parish

Nestled just off the Normandy coast is the picturesque island of Sark,

the smallest of the four main Channel Islands.

Tourism is the island's lifeblood and in the summer,

Sark's population of just 600 receives over 50,000 visitors.

They come for its tranquillity, its beauty,

but also its eccentric charm.

I think there's very few places in the world where you've got

the sea, you've got the fauna,

the birds, you've got everything here.

Sark has no cars, no streetlights, and islanders

and tourists alike get around either by bicycle...

-Hello.

-Hello.

-..or horse-drawn carriage.

At the centre of the island's community are Sark's two churches.

The Methodist chapel, run by lay preacher Karen Le Mouton,

and St Peters, the Anglican Church which currently has

no permanent vicar.

With the church struggling to find a replacement

and the weather closing in, change is in the air.

Sark's lovely when the sun's out, but it can be like it is today,

it's not very nice.

The islanders have to while away the time with seasonal activities...

Somewhere down there, there'll be ormers to be had.

..and amuse themselves through the long wintry spells.

It's 8:00am and the temperature's hovering

around zero degrees centigrade,

nothing to put off Minnie McCusker, who runs the harbour cafe,

from her daily routine.

I'm a keen swimmer, I absolutely love the water

and it's a good way to start the day.

You certainly know you're alive when you've been in the sea.

Sark has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world

and on today's spring tide, there is

a difference of 10 metres between low tide and high.

No matter how cold the water is,

Minnie often has several swims per day for rudimentary body and soul.

-Does this kind of keep you pepped up for the whole day?

-Oh, for sure.

It gives you an inner warmth, like, it's freezing, to be in there,

but you get that kind of inner glow of the heat

and for the rest of the day, I'll be nice and snug and warm.

But in the height of the summer, a good day is a triple swim day.

Have one in the morning before I open up, bake all afternoon,

quick dip in the afternoon and then when the last boat has left Sark,

have my final dunk, so it's not a bad life.

Nine years ago, Minnie swapped her life in London for one on Sark.

A dear friend had been coming here for many a year and I had a cafe

in central London in an antiques market where

she had an antiques stall, and she had said for many years, "You must

"come and see Sark, it's a wonderful place I know you'd love it."

She returned after another weekend that she had come to Sark

and she said, "I cannot believe it,

"this lovely cafe right on the sea there, it's been closed

"for two years, but it's for rent. You should come and have a look."

I literally closed up my cafe that Friday night in London,

flew over, got on the first boat to Sark on the Saturday morning

and that's just where the dream started.

I spent the day cycling round.

Within that one day, I just knew this is where I wanted to be.

It'll be my ninth season this year,

and it's the best decision I ever made.

SINGING

We have our own family here,

because there's people here from all over the world and

in our ukelele band there's an Australian girl,

a New Zealand girl, a local girl and myself.

THEY SING

We've built our life to embrace this island, for all it has to give,

which is so much.

Bracken! Bracken!

For local shepherd Dave Scott,

today is a perfect day to take the morning off tending the flock

and hunt for winter treats.

Somewhere down there in the misty murk, there's ormers to be had.

The ormer is a Sark shellfish delicacy,

only to be found at the lowest of tides.

We go ormering in the winter and shrimping in the summer months.

Always on the spring tide.

Bit of a swell.

A bit like being a kid again, really,

you're sort of looking in rock pools and turning over stones,

and occasionally you'll turn over a stone

and there'll be an ormer under it.

Yes, that's one. Twist them off. It's a big one.

You can see they've got their own little spot, so they'll

come out and graze over all of these rocks here and they can motor along.

-Can they?

-Yes, it's surprising. Look at that.

Just pop that rock back the way we found it. And pop him in the bag.

Sometimes we go out to Little Sark and it's not really our patch,

but there's good ormering out there sometimes.

Certainly, some places, you can only get to by boat,

so some people just sneak in.

-There's no turf war though, as such?

-No, not really, no.

Is Estelle going to join us?

Certainly, I hope she joins us,

because it won't be easy to live with if I go and she doesn't.

HE LAUGHS

They're a good size. Yeah. They'll take some bashing.

Here comes Estelle.

And it looks like Estelle has managed to find some childcare

for young Robin, so she too can get her fix

of spring tide winter ormering.

-Hey. Sounds like Estelle's got one.

-How many have you got, Estelle?

-One.

-One.

-So far.

It's great. I'm so glad I came.

I was so not going to come. Dah-dee-dah-dee-dah!

Head up my doo-dah about work, and it's brilliant.

There aren't many things Dave and I do together.

You know, this is one of them. And it's fab.

We're both equally excited.

We don't talk to each other at all, just do our own little thing

and then come and count them up at the end and have a cup of tea

and some sandwiches.

-Seven ormers.

-Seven ormers.

-Not bad.

-That's all right, yeah.

The Methodist chapel is run by Karen Le Mouton.

She's been a lay preacher for ten years, but today,

she's preparing to leave Sark for a trip to the mainland

and 24 hours of intense scrutiny by the Methodist hierarchy.

If she clears this final hurdle,

she'll realise her dream of becoming a fully ordained minister.

I've got really mixed emotions at the moment.

Because although I am excited and looking forward to it,

my mum is also terminally ill and not very well at the moment.

So, you're kind of torn, feeling you want to be there,

but you know you've only got this one chance.

She's got a very strong faith as well,

and if you like, believes in me

and what I feel God is calling me to do, so is very supportive of it.

But you still feel torn that you want to be with her,

so, I'm just praying that everything will work out at the right time.

Over at Dave and Estelle's, their daughter Robin is finishing her tea.

Little does she know her father has the perfect after-dinner

treat in store for her.

It's quite a long process, and it seems to take a while for him

to just settle down and relax.

They're just starting to go now, the ormers, yeah.

As Robin is about to find out, you never forget your first ormer.

Lovely. That's as tender as anything.

Little try first, Robin. That's delicious.

Yeah.

Next morning,

and Karen starts the first leg of her trip from Sark to Hertfordshire.

I'm in a good place, because whatever happens,

I know that God is with me, so, I just, I'm trusting him.

170 miles as the crow flies, the ten-hour journey will use boat,

plane, train, taxi and Tube.

It's mid-February and Sark's grapevine is buzzing

about a forthcoming competition, organised by Leanne Joiner.

£500 for the winner.

But it's not just the prize money that's at stake.

In April last year, I got diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma,

which is a type of cancer.

I was sent to Guernsey, and I was there for two weeks, and then

when they found out the type, that it was such a strong type,

I had to go to Southampton

and I was based in Southampton for three months,

and the CLIC Sargent Cancer Care did a lot for me in hospital

and after, so it's kind of our way of giving back to them.

We've got 16 definites and I'm still waiting on four or five

to just confirm their definite act.

Hello.

We've got posters up, we got it all over Facebook

and it's amazing how many people since we have the posters up,

people say, did you know that so-and-so plays this,

did you know so-and-so does this?

And all of these little talents are coming out that no-one knew about.

With the fishing season only a couple of weeks away now,

Baz Adams is busy repairing the tools of his trade.

You've always got something to do in the winter,

by the time you've got them all done...

-So how many pots have you got?

-We've only just got about 200.

They really needed some attention.

You see, you've got your two entrances,

you put your bait into there

and then you hook it over the end and then, you see, that's your door.

So, for getting them out, you don't have to put your hand in there,

which could be very awkward, you just open the door and get them out.

You mustn't dawdle.

When you've got a crab in there, you have to go for him,

and straight out, you know. Otherwise, if you fiddle with him,

he gets angry and then he grips and he won't let go.

-They'd have your finger off, no question about it.

-Really?

A crab, yes.

Whereas a lobster, if a lobster gets your finger, he holds,

I've had one caught me on that finger last summer.

He had me like that, and I sort of relaxed my finger and all of

a sudden, I felt him release, but I didn't quite give him the chance,

and I just pulled it, and he felt it,

and he got me a second time. He was squeezing even twice as much.

How are you feeling about the season starting? Are you up for this?

It's a lovely life, you know.

It's a hard life, but like me, it's my hobby as well as my job,

so it's perfect.

I'm too old to change now anyway.

Eight hours later and Karen must now cross London to catch a train

to Hertfordshire.

You forget what it's like with going from Sark to somewhere like London.

Everything just seems so overwhelming, it's so busy

and it's so full-on, and so many people.

Oh, this is God's heart.

Well, no, not really, I have to do a presentation

and this heart was supposed to fit in my suitcase.

Well, it was a lot larger than this to start with,

and I had to cut it down, but it still wouldn't fit,

and I didn't want to make it any smaller.

Trouble is, by the time it's been on a ferry, a plane, a train,

a Tube and battered about, it's got a bit scarred,

but I guess that's a bit like God's heart, really, isn't it?

His heart gets scarred too.

For Karen, the next 24 hours will be crucial as she attempts to

go from voluntary lay preacher to fully ordained Methodist minister.

I'm a little bit nervous,

but sort of excited and kind of that sort of scary bit as well, really.

There's not a lot else I can do apart from keep praying

and keep calm.

'We're now approaching Tottenham Hale.'

Back on Sark, ormering is over,

and Dave and his faithful sheepdogs are back at work.

There's a nice spot to be in.

They can wander right down,

right down and paddle in the sea if they want.

The lambing season is only a couple of weeks away,

but this year, Dave has an added concern.

There's been a lot of worry about this Schmallenberg virus.

It's in England big time, and if the midges bite the sheep

when they're pregnant, they get a lot of deformities in birth

and also a lot of the ewes then will abort.

Your only crop out of the sheep is the lambs, so if you lose

the lambs for a year, then you don't earn any money out of your sheep.

You know, you've got a belly full of hay to start their day with.

You know, you've got happy sheep.

# Birds do it Bees do it... #

Sark's Got Talent is just a week away now

and competitors are busy honing their acts, accompanied by farmer

and church organist Kevin Adams.

I've been accompanying them, ready for their musical renditions,

for the Sark's Got Talent.

Sarah Cottle, the headmistress of Sark School, has entered.

# I always will remember

# Twas a year ago November

# I went out to hunt some deer

# On a morning bright and clear. #

Apparently, there's 18 or 19, I don't know if they'll all turn up,

but there's a few people that are quite nervous.

Sark School will also be represented by another member of staff,

teaching assistant Lydia Bourne.

This is so, so terrifying and nerve-racking,

but, if I don't do it, I'll be really disappointed in myself.

I'll be so proud just to get through it, even if I mess it up on

the night, just... I'll be really proud of myself, to have a go.

With his lobster pots shipshape, and despite the inclement weather,

church warden and cross bearer Baz prepares for the first

-service of Lent.

-I'm always lazy, I wear clip-on ties.

I find they keep their shape better.

-Baz, you look like you've lost some weight.

-I have lost some weight.

-How much have you lost?

-I've lost nearly

-two stone.

-Two stone? Yes.

-How have you done that?

-By just easing down.

Instead of having half a packet of biscuits

with my cup of coffee, I'll only have one biscuit. Things like that.

I tell you what, for my tea at night, I have a couple of sardines

-and pickled onions.

-Every night?

-Yes.

-Every night?!

-Every night that's what I have.

-Wow.

-I feel better.

It's better for the old ticker, you know,

because I shouldn't, you shouldn't overload your gut.

-I'm afraid was right up to 18.

-Were you?

-Yes.

-It sounds like you've got good willpower.

-Well, sometimes.

I think I'll be able to put on twice as many lobsters this year.

-HE LAUGHS I'm hoping.

-Yes, quite.

CHURCH BELL RINGS

A spot of rain is no match for an old sea dog like Baz,

but there's also another motivation for him every Sunday.

I've got my Sundays planned, in fact,

if I didn't go to church, I wouldn't sell any eggs,

because I always take some eggs up there for customers.

Oh, I think after you've been going for so long, you know, it's

nice to keep up tradition, really.

The Anglican St Peters hasn't had a permanent vicar for six months now.

The role is unpaid, so for the moment, the parish relies

on those vicars willing to stand in for a month or so on the island.

It's a good rotation of vicars, so, they're keeping us

on our toes and we keep them on their toes when they're here.

Variety is the spice of life, apparently.

So, today's first service of Lent will be taken by new vicar,

Neil Britten.

Well, basically, I was asked to come.

I'm one of a list of retired clergy in the Winchester diocese

who are fit and not gaga.

Let us pray.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name...

I think the technical term for me really is locum priest.

In other words I'm the stopgap

until they find somebody to come and live here permanently.

THEY SING A HYMN

'I've been carrying the cross now for years.

'My uncle carried it before and when he died, I took over,

'and I've carried on ever since.'

And during Lent, we concentrate on

the suffering and death of Jesus,

and it's very important we do this.

We are, first and foremost, subjects of King Jesus.

And he has given us a mission whereby we can be

subjects and agents of his kingdom, here on the island of Sark.

My friends, go for it.

Amen.

Sark's Got Talent happens tonight.

Leanne and her helpers have a few hours to get to the Island Hall ready.

After a slow build it's now the talk of the island.

20 acts will perform tonight in front of a sell-out crowd.

-How many tickets are sold?

-150.

-150 tickets?

-Yes, sold, just bought them. Yes, it is 150.

-That's fantastic.

Yeah, so we are going to squash them all in somewhere.

It's show time and our compere tonight,

all the way from Guernsey,

is Island FM's very own Carl Ward.

Welcome along to Sark's Got Talent.

We know, of course, that Sark has got talent,

but we're here to prove that very fact tonight

and raise some money for charity, an amazing charity,

the CLIC Sargent charity, so they can continue their amazing work

helping the people affected by cancer.

So, are we ready for our first act of the night?

CHEERING

OK, let's welcome then on stage, not easy going first,

act one - Sark School Class One.

# I'm a spring chicken

# Yellow and small

# My feathers are fluffy and they're keeping me warm

# My legs are not long so I'll never be tall

# But I'm a real spring chicken and I'm having a ball

# Chicken, I'm a chicken

# And I'm having a ball. #

With the show underway,

other performers wait nervously backstage, including Lydia,

the teaching assistant, who faces her very first public performance.

When I was a kid and I had to do these horrible Christmas concerts,

my mum used to play alongside with me, to the left of me,

so I'm just imagining that she's still there.

She wouldn't have been worrying, she'd just say,

"Pull your socks up and go for it,"

so that is what I am thinking to get me through.

Sark's Got Talent, Friday night here in Sark,

let's welcome Lydia Bourne.

CHEERING

SHE PLAYS: "Another Day In Paradise" by Phil Collins

SHE FALTERS

SHE FALTERS

I just literally, just froze.

My hands just froze

and I realised, I kept thinking, "All these people are watching me!"

and I thought, "Sort yourself out!" and I picked it up and it was OK.

SHE PLAYS SMOOTHLY

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Up next will be an act by a man who calls himself Fat Lad.

-Is it OK to call you Fat Lad?

-Yep, yeah.

I work with chickens, so I thought I'd dress up as one,

see how it goes.

On Sark's Got Talent, it's Fat Lad.

APPLAUSE

MUSIC: The Match Of The Day theme

HE CLUCKS ALONG

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Fat Lad's musical clucking goes down well, but he's not alone

when it comes to Sark's own unique brand of showbusiness.

I'm going to try, for the first time ever, a bit of stand-up comedy.

For charity, do something different for a change,

and if I crash and burn, then fair enough.

Please welcome then on stage - it's a great hairdo,

you're going to love it - Mr Jim Hodge.

CHEERING

Jim Hodge's day job is harbourmaster,

but for tonight only, he has given that up.

Talking about horses, I actually used to be a panto horse,

but I quit when I was ahead.

LAUGHTER

I went to the doctor's the other day.

He said, "You have an unhealthy appetite for revenge."

I said, "We'll see about that!" LAUGHTER

THEY ALL SING

Despite the prize on offer,

performers and audience are all in it together.

THEY ALL SING AND CLAP ALONG

CHEERING

It's three weeks since Karen's trip to the mainland and,

with husband Steve by her side, today is the day she finds out

whether she's to become ordained or not.

It's here, look.

Candidate's mailbox, unopened.

It is a bittersweet experience, because we're so excited

about knowing the outcome and what God's got planned

but then it's tinged with sadness,

cos my mother passed away last night, so...

it's...

it's a difficult time.

OK, I've got to open the attachment.

Oh! Shall I do this?

-Shall I do this?

-Yeah, come on, open it up.

Oh.

It's recommended that I be accepted for pre-ordination training

for the presbyteral ministry in the Methodist Church.

"Congratulations." Woo!

See, Mum was right. She was right.

We were talking about, was there anything else that she wanted to do

or see or organise before she passed away,

and she felt, no, she'd done everything,

and I said, "Well, there's just the interview results to come out."

She says, "I don't need to wait for that, I already know the outcome."

Oh, I've got collywobbles in my tummy.

Yeah, relieved and sad that Mum's not here to celebrate as well,

but...pleased she knew.

Yeah.

In the days to come...

-I have never seen a lamb born before.

-Well, there you go.

It's lovely, isn't it?

Dave the Shepherd has his hands full.

It was a terrible blizzard.

After a freak storm, the island faces a massive clear-up.

It's not devastation, it's just a setback.

And as Easter heralds the start of the tourist season,

it's all hands on deck.

Everybody's part and parcel of that tourism machine,

there's nobody it doesn't really affect.