Ideas wanted to mark William the Conqueror's birth

Two workshops for ideas are set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday at Guernsey Museums at Candie Gardens

Islanders have been asked to bring ideas to workshops exploring how to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror.

States of Guernsey said local individuals, artists, schools, and community groups were invited to take part in two workshops at Guernsey Museums at Candie Gardens.

William became Duke of Normandy in 1035 and the Channel Islands were part of the Duchy when he won the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and seized the throne as King William I of England.

Deputy Paul Montague said he looked forward to seeing the "community come together to showcase the rich history, language and traditions that make Guernsey such a unique part of the Norman story".

When the Norman territories were lost to France in 1204 during the reign of King John, the islands swore allegiance to the English Crown and were rewarded with a high level of independence.

As a result, they retain strong connections with Normandy into the modern period.

'Cultural connections'

The States of Guernsey said to mark the anniversary there would be a year-long cultural programme including exhibitions, contemporary art, music and performance, festivals and trails, student exchanges and educational and sporting activities.

It said VisitGuernsey had already begun working with Normandie Tourisme to ensure Guernsey was promoted as a destination within the programme.

The States said the programme allows organisations outside Normandy to apply for funding with next funding round opening in November 2025 and closing in January 2026.

Helen Glencross, head of culture and heritage services, said: "Guernsey's deep historical and cultural connections with Normandy make us a proud participant in the celebrations, and I encourage anyone interested to come along to one of our workshops to find out more."

The first is on 12 November from 13:00 until 14:00 GMT and the second on 13 November from 17:00 until 18.00.