Appeal for help after storm destroyed polytunnel

An environmental group has launched a fundraiser after Storm Goretti wrecked its £12,000 polytunnel, a space for people learning to grow organic food.

Winds reached 95 mph (154km/h) as the storm hit Jersey on 8 January, knocking out power for hundreds of households and leaving roads blocked by fallen trees.

When the Grow Jersey team arrived the next morning, they found the tunnel twisted and flattened.

Co‑founder Sheena Brockie said it was "quite devastating" to see the structure "completely tumbled".

The charity is now raising money through Jersey Giving to replace the tunnel and keep its sessions running.

The space was used up to six days a week by school groups, community projects and volunteers.

Brockie said the team would have to think carefully about the future as storms become more common.

She said: "We have got the best quality polytunnel we could, maybe we need to think about windbreaks, but this is climate emergency. We are going to get these kind of weathers over and over again so we do need to go back and rethink how we move forward."

She said the loss would hit regular users hard and urged islanders to support the fundraiser.

"Any help that anyone can give us we would be grateful for," she said.

"We would be absolutely desperate for help to be honest, we need to rebuild this, we need to replace the things that have been lost, we need to grow back stronger so that might be more expensive."

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