:00:08. > :00:11.Good evening. Welcome to BBC in the Channel Islands. The headlines this
:00:11. > :00:14.Thursday evening... Why it could be a bright new year
:00:14. > :00:16.for Alderney Renewable Energy and we could all bend of it. -- all
:00:16. > :00:19.benefit. Plus, a double-edged sword - modern
:00:19. > :00:24.technology brings a drop in Christmas card deliveries, by more
:00:24. > :00:27.parcels from internet shopping. And fancy a game of Euchre? Why
:00:27. > :00:37.this traditional pastime is guaranteed a future, thanks to new
:00:37. > :00:45.
:00:45. > :00:49.The Channel Islands could lead the world in developing tidal power.
:00:49. > :00:51.That is the message from the French energy company EDF, which has just
:00:51. > :00:54.installed the first of four underwater turbines in the Bay of
:00:54. > :00:57.St Malo. Up if initial tests are successful,
:00:57. > :01:03.they will be looking to exploit the strong tidal flow around our
:01:03. > :01:10.island's next. All Alderney could be first to benefit. David Earl
:01:10. > :01:12.brings us this special report. Last month, DCNS, who are better
:01:13. > :01:16.known for building nuclear submarines, deployed the first of
:01:16. > :01:23.four Open Hydro turbines on behalf of EDF in the strong tidal streams
:01:23. > :01:26.of the Cotes d'Armor. The 850-tonnes turbine was towed
:01:26. > :01:32.into position from Brest on a specially constructed barge, before
:01:32. > :01:35.being lowered onto the seabed. If successful, the test will pave
:01:35. > :01:41.the way for the world's largest tidal array, capable of powering up
:01:41. > :01:50.to 4,000 homes. One man who is taking a keen interest in the
:01:50. > :01:56.project is Chris Ambler of Jersey Electricity. Oath we have just
:01:56. > :01:59.signed a major long-term contract, a million and you'll contract.
:01:59. > :02:05.have put a very good working relationship with them for the last
:02:05. > :02:10.30 years and we're keen to continue that and the are obviously keen to
:02:10. > :02:13.see how they could use this trial in our water.
:02:13. > :02:17.DCNS clearly sees marine renewable energy as a growth market and with
:02:17. > :02:19.shipyards in Cherbourg and Brest to keep busy, has set up a new
:02:19. > :02:23.division to exploit it. One of their first moves was to
:02:23. > :02:26.purchase an 11% stake in Open Hydro, which in turn, has a 20% stake in
:02:26. > :02:29.Alderney Renewable Energy. ARE were granted a Master Power
:02:29. > :02:32.Generation Licence by the States of Alderney in November 2008 and have
:02:32. > :02:42.first choice when it comes to choosing sites for their turbines
:02:42. > :02:46.
:02:46. > :02:49.in Alderney waters. I think all the background work that has gone on
:02:49. > :02:53.creating the war and creating the regulator and a consenting regime
:02:53. > :02:58.and the environmental work we have been doing, means that all the work
:02:58. > :03:03.has been there and the project is ready to call. I think Alderney is
:03:03. > :03:06.still at the forefront of a very exciting project.
:03:06. > :03:09.Given French plans to develop marine renewable energy in the Bay
:03:09. > :03:11.of St Malo, plus the fact that Alderney owns its own seabed,
:03:11. > :03:17.Alderney Renewable Energy could end up becoming the island's French
:03:17. > :03:20.Connection. The French site chosen for the
:03:20. > :03:30.first turbines does not actually have the strongest tidal flows, so
:03:30. > :03:30.
:03:30. > :03:35.the company behind the project has Alderney firmly in its sights.
:03:35. > :03:41.soon is the experimentation is successful, we will start the
:03:41. > :03:48.commercial deployment of the energy to install around 1,000 turbine is
:03:48. > :03:52.between France and Alderney. We want to do that within 15 years.
:03:52. > :03:55.And you can hear much more about what tidal power would do for the
:03:55. > :03:58.Channel Islands on BBC Radio Jersey with Chris Stone, tomorrow morning
:03:58. > :04:01.from seven o'clock. In other news, further improvements
:04:01. > :04:05.need to be made to the way Jersey's government manages the donations
:04:05. > :04:08.and bequests it uses to pay for services and grants.
:04:08. > :04:14.The accounts for 37 larger funds managed by the States have been
:04:14. > :04:15.published. They range in value and are used to fund things such as
:04:15. > :04:18.Christmas bonuses, medical equipment and scholarships.
:04:18. > :04:21.A new report by the independent auditor says many improvements have
:04:21. > :04:28.been made since he checked two years ago, but the States needs a
:04:28. > :04:31.standard approach to accepting and managing new bequests and gifts.
:04:31. > :04:34.With the pressure on to save money, the last thing Guernsey Post wants
:04:34. > :04:37.to see is a drop in the amount of mail it deals with and,
:04:37. > :04:41.unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened when it comes to
:04:41. > :04:46.Christmas cards this year. But it seems internet shopping may have
:04:46. > :04:49.come to the rescue. A classic Christmas card - the
:04:49. > :04:53.perfect way to spread Christmas cheer and let your nearest and
:04:53. > :04:57.dearest know you are thinking of them.
:04:57. > :05:06.Or is it? Because in a world of social networking, e-cards and
:05:06. > :05:11.emails, it seems more people are opting to go electronic. Her think
:05:11. > :05:21.it is just the internet. It is easier just to send a little messy
:05:21. > :05:21.
:05:21. > :05:29.jury text on the phone. Perhaps we should move into any next century,
:05:29. > :05:34.but as far as I'm concerned, there are still Christmas cards. It is a
:05:34. > :05:37.lot less personal. I prefer to go out and choose my own Christmas
:05:37. > :05:40.cards. Whilst some still favour the
:05:40. > :05:42.traditional approach, the amount of cards sent this year is down by
:05:42. > :05:52.around 5%. But whilst Guernsey Post is seeing
:05:52. > :05:52.
:05:52. > :06:00.fewer of these, it is not all bad news. The news is mixed. Christmas
:06:00. > :06:04.cards are declining, but on the more positive front, the amount of
:06:04. > :06:11.packages has increased exceptionally - we're probably
:06:11. > :06:15.looking at an increase of one quarter. Will the internet is
:06:15. > :06:18.killing one part of the business, the other part of the business is
:06:18. > :06:23.thriving because of it. So the increase in internet
:06:23. > :06:26.shopping is one Christmas gift Guernsey Post is pleased to receive.
:06:26. > :06:29.You are watching the BBC in the Channel Islands. Later in Spotlight
:06:29. > :06:39.with Natalie and Simon, born in 1910, two months premature and not
:06:39. > :06:48.
:06:48. > :06:57.expected to live - Hilda celebrates You can stock surging down the back
:06:57. > :07:06.of this awful. The top prize in the Jersey Lottery has been won. The
:07:06. > :07:11.top prize was won by an anonymous winner, who scooped �750,000. It is
:07:11. > :07:15.thought the lottery raised �400,000 for local charities and
:07:15. > :07:17.organisations. Euchre - it is up there with Gauche
:07:17. > :07:20.and Bean Jar on the list of Guernsey traditions.
:07:20. > :07:24.Yet there was concern that not enough people were taking up the
:07:24. > :07:26.card game, which has been played in the island for so many years.
:07:26. > :07:30.But a group of local players decided that had to change.
:07:30. > :07:32.A busy night at a Guernsey bar. But rather than celebrating the festive
:07:32. > :07:35.season, these people are celebrating one of Guernsey's
:07:35. > :07:38.traditions, Euchre, a game which has been played on the island for
:07:38. > :07:48.many years and these workshops are being put on to ensure it is played
:07:48. > :07:52.for many more. We have had quite a lot of people asking us how to
:07:52. > :07:57.learn the game. They have seen it played in pubs. It is a very good
:07:57. > :08:02.social game and we do not want to see it dying out. Families have
:08:02. > :08:05.paid it for generations. I know that during the war, families
:08:05. > :08:08.played at almost every night during the war.
:08:08. > :08:18.And whilst it takes a bit of practice, apparently you get the
:08:18. > :08:19.
:08:19. > :08:29.hang of it - eventually! It is truly enjoyable. A day's your brain
:08:29. > :08:33.
:08:33. > :08:39.working. I am doing OK. I am doing so sore! I know I will have enjoyed
:08:39. > :08:43.a if I get home and I have got a headache! It took me a couple of
:08:43. > :08:46.times to get used to it, but then it became easier.
:08:46. > :08:49.So if you want a New Year's resolution that keeps your mind
:08:49. > :08:59.active and a Guernsey tradition alive, then perhaps these euchre
:08:59. > :09:21.
:09:21. > :09:27.Among good evening. This line of cloud their you can see coming out
:09:27. > :09:30.overnight is making slow progress to us. As that moves away, we will
:09:30. > :09:36.have a north-westerly winds initially and then by Saturday,
:09:36. > :09:42.Christmas Eve, we will have westerly winds with a high pressure,
:09:42. > :09:46.which should leave as dry, bright and with some sunshine. There is
:09:46. > :09:51.the possibility of some overnight drizzle tonight and temperatures no
:09:52. > :09:56.let up law than 10 degrees. Tomorrow, after any cloudy start,
:09:56. > :10:06.the rain will set and then it could become quite wet for most of the
:10:06. > :10:16.afternoon. He fresh wind will make it quite lively going into tomorrow
:10:16. > :10:16.
:10:16. > :10:26.night. Here are the coastal forecasts. The high water times are
:10:26. > :10:36.
:10:36. > :10:46.as follows: And if you're heading for the pitch to go surfing, here
:10:46. > :10:46.
:10:46. > :10:53.are the wave hates. No soul, he is the look ahead, Friday, a chilly
:10:53. > :11:03.day with the rain, a bit more dry on Christmas Eve and much the same
:11:03. > :11:04.
:11:04. > :11:09.on Christmas Day. So, very quiet in general over the Christmas weekend.
:11:09. > :11:13.Finally, a Jersey businessman is hoping that his daughter will have
:11:13. > :11:17.the Christmas number one this year. David Bridge's daughter Sophie is
:11:17. > :11:21.part of the Military Wives choir. Their Wherever You Are song is the
:11:21. > :11:23.fastest selling single in six years and looks set to top the chart on
:11:23. > :11:32.Christmas Day. Sophie O'Sullivan's husband has just returned from
:11:32. > :11:36.Afghanistan. For me, it was little like trying to get every single day
:11:36. > :11:41.and giving me something to look forward to. It also gave me
:11:41. > :11:47.something to get up in the morning for. You feel very deflated when
:11:47. > :11:52.your husband is away. So, a position in the top 10 would be a
:11:52. > :12:00.huge honour, but to get a Christmas number one would be a huge honour -