Ian Houillebecq Builds in Burkina Faso

JACKSONS service adviser Ian Houillebecq swapped the day job of looking after the owners of Mercedes and Smart cars for building the block walls of a new church in Burkina Faso recently. Ian was one of  ten  members of the Freedom Church who travelled to Bobo in the rural West African country.

‘The practical side of the trip was to build a church,’ he explained. ‘The aim was to get the walls up to a certain stage and then have a local builder complete the project, and we achieved our aim.
‘We also carried out some repairs to a playground on the same site, but the trip was also about meeting the children we sponsor, and we took lots of medical supplies, football kits and footballs.

The Freedom Church sponsors 150 children in the village through the charity Compassion.’
The connection between the Freedom Church and Bobo goes back 12 years. It started through the respective pastors, Andrew de Gruchy and Samuel Yaldia, who met at Bible college in Belfast and have remained friends ever since.

Samuel  is responsible for  a number of churches, including the one which has outgrown its building. There have been three previous visits by groups from Freedom.
Ian explained that his 12 years in the painting and decorating trade and keen interest in DIY had prepared him for the building work in Bobo – that and some block-laying training before the party set out.

‘The big problem was the heat,’ he said. ‘It was physically demanding, and we also had to learn a different method of block-laying, which a local builder showed us.
‘We achieved everything we needed to, but less than we wanted, but it did give us time to mix with the local people and get to know them, which was fantastic. We were treated like royalty, and it was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

‘We hoped to bless the Bobo community by building a new church for them, but we ourselves were blessed by their reaction and welcome and their thanks. The children and their families have nothing but they still gave us gifts – one of which was a live chicken. We just had to smile and say thank you and then worry about what to do with it!

‘On the Sunday we attended a church  meeting that lasted more than four hours. It sounds a long time, but it was just fantastic. People were dancing in the aisles.’
Members of the Jersey group visited the families of the children they support. He sponsors Yasmine and Roger. ‘One of the children whose home we visited lived with their grandparents, neither of whom worked. They had no running water or electricity and the house was derelict and looked as though it was about to fall down.

‘It gets pitch black as soon as the sun goes down at  6  o’clock. We took them a couple of sacks of rice, which cost £15, and their reaction was amazing. They rely on charity for food. The staple diet is rice, and if they can’t afford it they make food from maize. A lot of the children don’t go to school because they can’t afford it – yet it only costs £35 for a full year, which is nothing to us.

‘The pastor at Bobo has big plans when the church is finished. He has already built a school but he has a vision for primary, secondary and university-level education under the church, as well as a community and health centre. We could have plenty of work out there for years to come, and I’m really looking forward to it.’

Ian said he was grateful to Jacksons for supporting his trip, and he hopes to return to Bobo next year.


Paul Le Conte
Motoring Editor
Jersey Evening Post

Jacksons Sponsor Jersey Triathlon Club...

JACKSONS is to sponsor the junior section of the Jersey Triathlon Club for the next two years.

The deal couldn’t come at a better time for the section, which has been running (swimming and cycling) for the last four years, as the success of the Brownlee brothers at the London Olympics has boosted numbers significantly in recent months.

Jersey Junior Triathlon Club’s Head Coach, Andy Kemp, commented: ‘When Jacksons  offered a sponsorship deal we jumped at the chance. It is great to have the backing of such a prestigious company.

‘We try and supply the sport to all at very low cost to our juniors. They pay a membership fee of £20 per year which includes all coaching, use of ten club bikes, entry to all our local races, and subsidy to our one race off the Island each year. The idea is to encourage any child to experience the fastest growing multi-sport in the world.

Training
‘To date we have seen over 100 children through the club and we currently have 35 to 40 children aged from six to 16 training and racing with us.
‘Since the Olympics we have seen a marked increase, inspired by the gold and bronze medals of Alistair and Jonny Brownlee.’

Jacksons sales development manager Neville Davidson said: ‘Jacksons are delighted to be sponsoring the Jersey Junior Triathlon over the next two years. To see the enthusiasm and commitment coming from these young people is so encouraging and makes it so worthwhile for us to be associated with such a growing sport within the community.’

Other key people involved with running the club are Dan Halksworth, an elite triathlete and current UK Ironman Champion, who competes around the world, and British Triathlon Level 1 qualified coaches Dave Holmes and Della Roderick. Although only running for four years, the section is already producing results. Daniel Heaven (15) raced in the South West regional series this year and came fourth overall, he is now part of the One Foundation High Performance programme. During their annual race off the Island they also won the Boys 14 year-old category at Eton Dorney, venue of the London Olympics rowing events back in June.

Further information on the junior section is available at: jerseyjuniortri.com.

Winn £100 worth of fuel...

Anyone who clicks our Facebook Page 'Like' button between 6pm tonight (Friday) and 6pm tomorrow, will be entered into a draw to win £100 worth of fuel!

CHEEKY PEOPLE PLEASE NOTE - Don't even think about Unliking and then Liking again, we'll know and you won't be put in the draw. Don't worry though, Likies, you will get the chance to win some good stuff very soon. Watch this space!

Children in Need 'Bike-a-thon' - £3,000 Raised!

I am very pleased to announce that we have raised an astonishing amount of money from last weeks Children In Need Fun day at Jacksons. The total for Jacksons Airport site is £1,562.58 from the Cake sale, Dress Down day, Bike-A-Thon and the collection buckets.
Motor-Mall also had collection buckets contributing £258.00. This brought the total to £1,820.58. And it got better - the Senior Management decided to round it up to a grand total of £3,000! Fantastic news.

A big thanks to all our staff who contributed money to this event by buying cakes and also those who sponsored their work colleagues who took part in the Bike-A-Thon with a special thanks to all those who took part in the cake baking - without your help and support we would not have achieved the amount of money we have raised.

Congratulations’ to Lee Attley, who rode the furthest distance in the 35 minute session. Lee managed to ride 25.92 km, second was Konrad at 24.6km and joint third were Robert and Dave in at 14.8 km.
Thanks to our fancy dress riders: Carly-Zia in her leopard skin, Thomas in his priest outfit and, not forgetting, our two '118 118' boys, Hugo and Marcin. Thanks for putting a smile on our faces, guys.

Cake Bakers:
Tina, Carole Williams, Sue, Julie, Linda, Angela, Linda Parish, Helen Carins, Mick Reed, Erica Tennant, Maggs, Tracey, Annika, Yvette,  Pat and Ian. 
Bike-A-Thon Team:
Konrad, Adrian, Mark, Dave, Ryan, Cameron, Alex, Richard, Carly-Zia, Thomas, Fintan, Marcin, Lee, Gersende, JP, Curtis, Hamlyn, Robert, Joe and Phillip.
Support Crew:
JP Hawkins and Mick Reed.

Looking forward to next year, hopefully bigger and better, thanks to everyone for your support.
Mick Williams

Jacksons Guernsey Diamond Evening...

A well attended and 'Diamond Evening', at Jacksons Guernsey last Thursday, saw over 300 guests enjoying the opportunity to view and purchase stunning pieces from Ray and Scott jewellers.

With compimentary drinks, canapés and excellent live music from vocalist Lee, the annual event proved to be a great success.

There's going to be sparkle in someone's Christmas this year!

Ladies' Night

JACKSONS hosted a special ladies-only event last week, organised by women for women.
Recently appointed Mini and BMW sales executive Carly-Zia Davis welcomed the guests and shared hosting duties with Shani Clark, of Advisa Hepburn Financial Consultants, who was able to offer advice on investments and pensions.

After a champagne welcome and introduction, the ice was broken with a few games, taxing the brain with questions on statistics relating to women and identifying from a line-up of men what type of car they drove, to the fun and physical challenge of attempting to break the world record for how many people could be squeezed into a Mini. The record of 26 remained intact, but 16 was a pretty good effort. The evening ended with a fashion show presenting the latest trends by Ellis Collections.

Carly-Zia said: ‘It was an amazing evening. We had a really good turn-out and a relaxed and enjoyable time. The feedback has been very positive.
‘I wanted to get the message across that I am here to help and advise women when it comes to buying a car. This business is still male-dominated and some women customers would be more comfortable talking to and dealing with another woman.

‘Cars are more customisable than ever and I can help choose the right brand, design and trim level to suit individual wants and needs. I am genuinely dedicated to making sure a customer’s next purchase is

perfect.’

Carly-Zia said that the evening was likely to be repeated early next spring.

World of Luxury Event

It's that time of year again and one one event that should definitely be in your diary is Jacksons 'World of Luxury' taking place at Jacksons Jersey showrooms on Thursday 29th November from 6.30pm.

A selection of Jersey’s finest retailers bring you a truly outstanding shopping experience plus, your chance to win all expenses paid Meal for Two at the Launch of Shaun Rankin’s new restaurant open early spring 2013.

If you would like to attend, please contact Angela Male on 497777 or email angelamale@jacksons.je

Full details on our website HERE

Jacksons Sponsor Junior Triathalon...

We should all support our young people by helping them to achieve their goals, test themselves and grow. With this in mind, Jacksons are proud to be the sponsor of the Junior Jersey Youth Triathon. See what amazing things they get up to at juniorjerseytri.com

Bentley and Aston Martin Fundraiser...

BENTLEY and Aston Martin customers attended a charitable fundraiser with a difference last week with a dinner cooked by a Michelin-starred celebrity chef in the Jacksons showroom.

Having been picked up and chauffeur-driven to the event, the 24 invitees enjoyed Shaun Rankin’s tasting menu to the accompaniment of a harp recital in a showroom transformed into a dining room for the evening.

Also in attendance were two new Aston Martin DB9 models, the coupe and Volante, and the latest Bentley Continental GTC.

Said Jacksons general manager Charles Tennant: ‘Each of the invitees made a donation towards the Prostate Action charity and we raised over £2,500. Clearly it was not a traditional car dealer activity but it was our way of keeping in contact with customers. ‘The meal was excellent, we have had a lot of positive feedback and we have been able, with our customers, to help a worthy charity.’

At the other ends of the culinary spectrum, Jacksons recently hosted a ride-out displaying the latest BMW Motorrad bikes and new Husqvarna range of motorcycles when the many visitors were offered a bacon roll in exchange for a donation to the Headway charity. The event attracted hundreds of visitors and raised £260.

Welcome Kevin!

Kevin Le Vallee is the man of the moment! He’s the new sales executive at Jacksons and Motor Mall on Guernsey, the largest 
multi-franchise motor dealership in the Channel Islands. Young Kevin was born on Guernsey, to local parents, and is currently in the process of renovating his home near the beach, where he enjoys evening walks with his wife. Since beginning his consistently successful career in auto sales, he reckons he’s sold more than 1,000 cars.
He started out 
working for Volvo, followed by Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche, and for the past two years he’s been selling Honda. Of his new position, he says, "I’m delighted to be joining an established company with a pro-active approach to improving customer care and service. Now, with an amazing sixteen brands on-site, I have the perfect opportunity to offer both new customers and my existing clients an extremely impressive range of superb cars."
Kevin leads a busy life, but still finds time to enjoy his numerous hobbies, which include surfing, snowboarding, photography, travel, reading, cars (of course!) and movies.
He and his wife have just returned from what he describes as a fantastic holiday to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. “We visited Venice, Rome and Paris,” he says, "and really enjoyed the sense of history in seeing ancient buildings and wonderful architecture." Now he’s back on Guernsey, refreshed, bright-eyed and bushy tailed - and ready to make his name at Jacksons and Motor Mall!

Mercedes-Benz SL Launch

More than 50 years ago saw the birth of a car that was to be crowned ‘sports car of the century’. It was of course the legendary 300 SL, pioneering a great sports car tradition. Now, a new era has begun:  striking a dazzling pose, the legend continues.

To celebrate the latest incarnation of the SL Jacksons hosted the Channel Island launch last Thursday.

Hosted by Jacksons General Manager, Charles Tennant, the evening introduced invited guests to the new SL, which was very well received.
Apart from the sumptuous new SL and the fabulous Mercedes Heritage display of classic SL models, those attending enjoyed a delicious mix of canapés, freshly prepared by Jersey's Michelin chef, Shaun Rankin, to accompany complimentary drinks. There was also a prize draw, with the lucky winners bagging a range of goodies from the superb Mercedes-Benz Collection 2012. All-in-all, an excellent evening.
Here's the official launch promo from Mercedes-Benz...

Bikes and Breakfast

A good time was had by all at Jacksons Bikes and Breakfast event at the showrooms in Jersey last Sunday, with money was raised for the charity Headway.

Apart from the socialising aspect, there was the chance to look at some great bikes: the eagerly anticipated BMW 2013 range and, of course, the new Husqvarnas.

Thanks to everyone who came along and made it a great morning - we'll be doing it again soon.

All New Volkswagen Golf...

The all-new Volkswagen Golf has been unveiled in Berlin ahead of deliveries to UK dealers in January. Order books open in October for the new model, which Volkswagen promises will offer more room for passengers and more advanced technological features than ever before.
New production techniques contribute to the Mk VII Golf being up to 100 kg lighter than the car it replaces, helping to make it up to 23% more efficient. At 4,255mm long, the new Golf is 56mm longer and 13mm wider than its predecessor. Rear legroom is improved by 15mm, front shoulder room is improved by 31 mm and elbow room by 22mm. The boot is 30 litres larger, at 380 litres. All Golf models will have touchscreen systems as standard, starting in the UK with a 5.8-inch colour display system, and rising to the range-topping satellite navigation system with eight-inch colour display.
 Features include DAB digital radio, auxiliary inputs (including USB), Bluetooth telephone preparation and access to vehicle trip information, an electronic parking brake, and standard multi-collision brake system and pre-crash protection for emergencies. For the first time, the Golf is also available with driver profile selection, which allows the driver to choose from four modes – Eco, Sport, Normal and Individual; with a DSG gearbox a fifth option – Comfort – is also offered. Powering the Golf is a new range of petrol and diesel engines, all of which incorporate Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems.
At launch, the petrol engines are a 1.2-litre TSI 85 PS unit returning 4.9 l/100 km (around 57.6 mpg and 113 g/km), and a 1.4-litre TSI 140 PS unit with Active Cylinder Technology, which can deactivate two of the cylinders, and achieves up to 4.8 l/100 km (58.9 mpg and 112 g/km). The launch diesel engines are a 1.6-litre unit with 105 PS, which returns 3.8 l/100 km (74.3 mpg and 99 g/km), and a 2.0-litre 150 PS unit which returns 4.1 l/100 km (68.9 mpg and 106 g/km).
Though the new car’s dimensions are larger, its overall design is unmistakeably that of a Golf, thanks to a design DNA that has evolved through the decades. Walter de Silva, Head of Design for Volkswagen AG, said: ‘One of the keys to the Golf’s success lies in its continuity. There are a handful of cars with a design that, like the Golf’s, has been refined, tweaked and enhanced down the decades and thus become timeless.’

Jacksons Falcons Graduate a Team of Champions

This Sunday saw Jacksons Falcons seize the division 2 crown for the first time in their history as the Falcons team.
A tough fought season which started off with the Falcons taking 5 out of 7 wins in an off Island tournament at the Bristol DD tournament, another first for an independent JSA team, culminated in the Falcons taking a string of victories that put them in the running for the battle for promotion, quite an unanticipated position for the team which has mostly been focused on the development of new players for the past few seasons.
Fresh off of their Bristol success, the Jackson Falcons found it difficult to regain their swing, and a number of inter-divisional matches saw them struggle to find their groove. The new season regulations created a new scenario which played to the strength the rough hewn diamonds, seeing an extra point at stake for any division 2 side which could keep within 10 runs of their seasoned opposition, a feat which the falcons achieved twice in 4 games against the upper echelons of the Softball Association.
Division 1 competition out of the way, the Jacksons Falcons bedded down, and as Summer 2012 found it's feet, and the Sun remembered how to shine, the Falcons soared to win after win. Clawing their way up from the bottom of the league, the Jacksons Falcons found themselves in a 3-way battle for the title, and having seen of Los Naufragos who by the end of the season had secured second place, headed into a tense head-to-head against Infrasoft Tigers, the winner of which would be crowned champions, whilst the loser would settle for third in the league.
Tigers winning the toss, they opted to bat second, putting the Jacksons Falcons at the disadvantage of first bat. Not to be distracted from the task at hand, the Falcons opened the innings with a strong outing. A home run from Ric Pedro and they were off, 4 runs on the board before the Tigers could close them down and something for the team to defend on the field. End of the first coming 4 - 2 in the favour of Jacksons Falcons, the Falcons began to overcome their nerves and switch up a gear, stretching their lead at will at bat, and keeping the Tigers to a low run count on the field, shutting them down at 0 runs three times during the course of the match.
Scoring in every innings and always remaining safely in excess of double their oppositions scoreline, the Falcons brought the wealth of their full seasons experience, coupled with the extra training acquired as a voluntarily non-scoring 'development' team in the corporate league, and pulled ahead with every turn at the plate.
The match was not without injury, and four of the Falcons came off the worse for collisions in the field, with another Tigers player also suffering an injury at home plate. This did not hamper their enthusiasm for the chase, and special mention goes to Rochelle Gardiner, who raced to secure two catches in the outfield, Sam Lempriere, who carried on pitching with an injury to his wrist and chalked up 2 home runs in the match, and Theresea Lambrick, who put in another solid performance at first base.
The end of the match saw the Falcons secure the title comfortably, a final score of 25 - 8 and with more wins than any other division 2 side.

Jacksons Falcons are:
Robin Tadier (c);  Ric Pedro;
Sam Lempriere;  Ronnie Le Monnier;  Daniel O'Kane; Andy Barcis; Tom Coles;
Alex Kilpatrick; Dominic Warren-Gash; Rob Le Brun;  Kelly Tadier; Nardine Nicolas; Rochelle Gardiner; Sue Terry;
Theresea Lambrick; Tasha Whipp;
Julie Daniel; Kirsty Hawksworth;
Laura Poingdestre; Cherie Le Maistre.

Motorcycle news...

SMR125

There have been some exciting events afoot on the new bike front.
Firstly, Jacksons are now an official Husqvarna franchise giving us the opportunity to have, in our showrooms, excellent motocross and enduro based street bikes from this renowned marque but, importantly learner legal 125s in the shape of the TE125 and SMR125. They're not just for learners, they're perfect for getting around the islands too.

C 600 Sport (Blue) and C 650 GT

Secondly, there are the new 'Maxi-scooters' from BMW Motorrad: The C 600 Sport and C 650 GT.
These aren't the usual city run-abouts, they have some serious poke and are very high spec for two-wheelers. Top speed for both is 110mph.
Come and check them out!

Mercedes-Benz SLS

Now gracing our showroom is this stunning Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG:
6.2 litre, 32 valve V8 producing 570 horsepower, delivering 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and a blistering 197mph top speed. Phew!
The quality of this car is just exceptional - you just have to see it in the flesh to appreciate it. Well worth a look.

Chauffeur Driven Bentley Competition Winner

Mrs Mary Rault of St Ouen is the winner of our Jersey Evening Post competition. Mary and her partner were collected from home in a chauffeur driven Bentley and taken to the celebrated venue at West Park, where they enjoyed a delicious meal and wine, as part of the prize.

We were privileged to have the Olympic Torch at our showrooms in Jersey on Tuesday and Guernsey on Wednesday, courtesy of BMW, who are a sponsor of the Games.

This momentous occasion gave customers, visitors and staff a chance to have their picture taken at this once-in-a-lifetime event.

 If you weren't there you also missed the opportunity to win tickets for the Games too!


Fraser Gillespie

Hugo Figueira

Mick Williams

 

Paul Kell

Herbie the cow managed to muscle-in on the action at the Guernsey showrooms...

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept unvailed...

The Porsche 918 Spyder Concept made its debut on UK soil at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Friday offering visitors a first look at the German automaker's upcoming plug-in hybrid supercar.
Revealed in concept form at the 2010 Geneva Show, Porsche is currently completing the development of the production model that will go on sale in November of 2013.
While the 918 Spyder will be available in the UK, Porsche has said that it will be offered exclusively in left-hand drive. Prices will start at €645,000 (£516,000 or US$805,000 at the current exchange rates) excluding taxes, with production of the two-seater model to be appropriately limited to 918 units.
Among other features, the open-top supercar sports a full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear axle steering and the upward venting ‘top pipes’ exhaust system.
The 918's powertrain consists of a mid-mounted 4.6-liter V8 with more than 570PS (+562hp) that works together with two electric motors, one on each axle, and a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
Porsche claims the 918 Spyder hits 100km/h (62mph) from standstill in less than three seconds and can lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under 7:22 minutes (Carrera GT: 7:32 minutes).
At the same time, the Stuttgart carmaker quotes an average fuel consumption of around 3.0lt/100km (equal to 78.4mpg US or 94.2mpg UK) with the use of the batteries that allow for an all-electric range in excess of 25 kilometers (+16 miles).

If you want one you'd better get in touch now as demand is sure to be high.
Call 01534 497777.

Credit to Carscoop for the above info.

Olympic Torch come to Jacksons...

We're very excited that the Olympic Torch will be stopping at Jacksons showrooms, La Rue Fondon, St Peter, Jersey on Tuesday 10th July and Airport Forecort, Forest, Guernsey on the 11th, between 9am and 12.30.pm.

Come and have your picture taken with the torch!