Weekly round-up: Stories you may have missed

Sport stars have been helping pupils tackle gender stereotypes in Guernsey, a Jersey DJ has marked 30 years playing the music at a swim event and two women who went to school together have been reunited through their experiences with stem cell donations.

Here's our round-up of some of the stories which from the Channel Islands this week.

Princess Anne is due to open a new gorilla enclosure at Jersey Zoo, it has been announced in the States.

The Princess Royal, who is patron of zoo owners Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, will travel to the island on 30 April.

During her visit she will officially open the purpose‑built home for the zoo's gorillas - Badongo, Bahasha, Hlala Kahilli and Amari.

Rebecca Brewer, chief executive of the trust, said she was "delighted" to welcome the princess.

Two women who went to school together have been reunited through their experiences with stem cell donations and are urging people to join registers.

Beth Bowyer, 26, who now lives in Manchester, signed up to the stem cell register in 2019 by doing an "easy cheek swab", and last year received a call confirming she was a match for a critically ill patient overseas.

Bowyer said: "I thought it would be scary, but it was like giving blood for a few hours."

Isabel Marsh, 26, who lives in Jersey, was diagnosed with leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, in March 2021 when she was 21. She had a stem cell transplant in September 2021 and said it was the "best news" when a match was found.

A rescued turtle with a "fighting spirit" has reached another milestone in her recovery after undergoing a specialist CT scan.

Crush was taken to Sea Life Weymouth for treatment after being found washed up on a beach in Jersey following Storm Goretti.

Teams at the centre said the loggerhead turtle - which made national headlines after being transported on a passenger flight to Southampton - was recovering well.

She recently underwent a CT scan without the need for sedation, using a "specially designed structure" to keep her still and minimise stress.

A Jersey DJ has been helping swimmers keep going through a charity fundraiser for the last 30 years.

Geof Dingle said he played the music at the Lions Club of Jersey's Swimarathon event to help keep up the spirits of fundraisers.

The lane-swimming event, which started on Wednesday and continues until Sunday, is held each year at Les Quennevais Sports Centre in St Brelade.

Dingle said there was a great atmosphere: "It's pretty electric in here. It's a fantastic community event with so many people involved in helping, sponsoring, and swimming," he said.

"Inspirational" change has been created through assemblies with athletes aimed at tackling sports gender stereotyping at school, teachers and pupils say.

The sessions at La Houguette School have involved athletics, cricket, rugby and football stars speaking to students about the value of playing sport and the importance of ensuring everyone felt included.

Head teacher Claire Judd said the school had definitely seen a change in behaviour during lunch times with girls and boys playing "respectfully with each other".

Pupil Eva said she enjoyed the sessions and as they had taught her to stand up for herself.

The number of people visiting and using a library on Guernsey has reached a record high.

A report by Guille-Alles Library found footfall rose to 162,825 in 2025, a 25-year high, as well as an increase in book loans and new memberships.

It said about 150,000 books were borrowed, the library welcomed 2,346 new members, which was a third more than in 2024.

Chief librarian Cornelia James said the "strong figures" across the service underlined the essential role the library continued to play at the "heart of island life".

She said: "We're working hard to build on this momentum in 2026."

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