Year in Review 2025: Guernsey and Jersey events

Parades, speeches and a re-enactment for Liberation Day, a new slot for Guernsey's air display and Melvin, the Lions Club mascot, makes a splash.

We have highlighted six events that took place in Jersey and Guernsey in 2025.

The Channel Islands celebrated the 80th anniversary of the end of German Occupation during World War Two in May.

It was marked in Guernsey with a visit from Princess Anne, a cavalcade and a memorial service at the Town Church.

In Jersey, there were memorial services, parades, speeches and a re-enactment of the arrival of the liberating troops in 1945.

The German Occupation, which began on 30 June 1940 when troops landed at Guernsey Airport, saw islanders imprisoned, forcefully deported and concentration camps operated on British soil.

Meanwhile, Alderney marked 80 years since the first families returned after the majority of islanders were evacuated ahead of the German Occupation.

The occupiers brought forced workers to the island and turned it into a fortress, with many houses destroyed or looted along with it becoming the site of the only Nazi concentration camp on British soil.

The rebuilding and restoration of the island after World War Two was due to the "dogged determination" of those who returned, said President of the States of Alderney William Tate.

The Duchess of Edinburgh visited the island as residents commemorated the island's 80th Homecoming - the day the first families returned after five years away.

In March, more than £78,000 was raised at an annual charity swimming event in Jersey.

The 2025 Lions Swimarathon at Les Quennevais Sports Centre had 392 teams completing 23,215 laps of the pool over the five days it ran, the Lions Club of Jersey said.

It said the cash raised would go to charities including Friends of Jersey Oncology, Jersey Hospice and ABC Breast Cancer Support Jersey.

This year's event was the 53rd edition of the swimarathon and the Lions Club of Jersey said almost £4m had been raised since the first event was held in 1972.

All eyes were on the sky over St Peter Port as the Guernsey Battle of Britain Air Display took place in September.

The move from daytime to evening was designed to be more accessible to all age groups.

Aircraft in the display included the Red Arrows and the "in-demand" Typhoon, the flying display director Barry Neal said.

The Pitts Biplane returned to this year's event too, with "gravity defying aerobatics", he added.

Crowds lined the streets of St Helier to watch Jersey's Battle of Flowers parade.

Renowned for its colourful floral floats and dancers, the 123-year-old annual event brings a carnival atmosphere to the streets of Jersey.

There were Disney-themed floats as well as others which celebrated nature and the world of films and music.

The event in August was free of charge and scaled-down this year to save money, and the exhibits, marching bands and dancers went through the town instead of along Victoria Avenue.

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.