Pebble Towers Here to Stay

The Spirit of islanders that was captured by people creating pebble towers during the lockdown is due to be immortalised in a social history project.

The towers were built by people during their two hours exercise while in lockdown, representing the spirit of GuernseyTogether and perfectly capturing islanders' approach to the coronavirus pandemic.

A joint project by The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture and the Guernsey Arts Commission will create a photographic and video record of the towers so they can be seen and remembered in the future.

They are asking for our help to build the collection of photos and videos. If you can help with images or videos you have taken of the towers, please post them on social media using the #PebbleTowers.

If you helped build some of the towers, you can contact the Arts Commission by emailing russ.fossey@gov.gg, or you can send a recording of yourself explaining how and why you built the tower to the same address.

While the collection is put together, Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services have agreed to pause their removal of any towers where there is a concern over their height or stability.

The Committee and the Commission wishes to thank them for their understanding and co-operation.

Russ Fossey, head of arts development at the Arts Commission, said: 'We have been going out to take pictures of the pebble towers around the island. Some had already started to return to the sea naturally, but that was part of the story as well.

'The towers are something islanders started and built though, and so we need their help in documenting them. If anyone has any pictures they can share with us of the pebble stacks, then please send them in via social media. On top of that, if anyone helped build some of the towers, we would really like to interview them for the collection.' 

Deputy Matt Fallaize, president of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:  'The pebble towers, large or small, have become symbolic of the way the people of Guernsey have faced the difficult challenges of the past few months. We did not want memories of the towers to be lost. They are part of our social history and in the future they will have special meaning for lots of people.

'We are delighted to be working with the Arts Commission to get an extensive record of the towers in all their shapes and sizes and in as many locations as possible. The people of Guernsey spontaneously and creatively built these towers and we are hoping they can now help us record them by sending us their pictures.'