Guernsey’s Liberation Day brought to life in final major project

On 8 May 1945, Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill announced the end of war in Europe, marking the beginning of the Channel Islands’ liberation the following day, and the end of five years of German occupation that shaped the landscape and people of Guernsey forever.

Cassidy Jones, a final-year BA (Hons) Graphic Design student, has designed and produced a commemorative book exploring the island’s annual 9 May Liberation Day anniversary - combining research, personal stories and community voices into a lasting record of one of Guernsey’s most important days on the calendar.

For Cassidy, the project is more than a university project, it is a love letter to the island that she calls home. A celebration of community that is deeply rooted in a lifetime of memories.

“One of my earliest memories is standing at the Liberation Day cavalcade with my brother, trying to catch the sweets thrown from the floats,” she says. “We collected so many that they ended up filling our mum’s handbag. Moments like that stay with you, they are part of who we you are.”

The book documents not only the 80 years of commemorations, but also the history behind them - from the German Occupation to the moment of liberation in 1945. Through research, interviews and images, Cassidy brings to life first-hand accounts, including the story of liberation retold through the daughter of an islander who lived through the occupation.

Alongside this are reflections on the much-loved Liberation Day cavalcade - a centrepiece of the celebrations - featuring military vehicles from the period, floats from local organisations and communities, and children dressed as evacuees, recreating their return after being evacuated from the island during the war.

Cassidy’s work draws on extensive research from the Island Archives, alongside stories gathered from friends, family and her beloved island community. In Addition, more than 100 islanders responded to a survey she conducted, sharing what Liberation Day means to them. Their responses highlighted the community spirit and closeness that Cassidy wanted to celebrate in her project, a selection of which she chose for her very last page:

“Liberation Day in Guernsey means pride, gratitude, and a deep sense of belonging.”

“Guernsey was forever shaped differently after Liberation Day and we must never forget.”

“A celebration of the sacrifices that were made so that we may enjoy freedom.”

Cassidy has lived on the island all her life, as did her great, great grandparents. It was important to Cassidy that the project also reflected her own family history.

“My late great grandparents lived through the Occupation. My gran was evacuated, but my ‘Pop’ had chicken pox so had to stay behind,” she explains. “Liberation is something I’ve always celebrated, but as I’ve got older, it’s also become about remembering them. Their stories were passed down but not written anywhere, so being able to capture memories like this has meant so much to me.”

Designed with the future in mind, Cassidy’s book has been created with press studs, allowing new pages to be added over time. As Guernsey marks its 81st Liberation Day this Saturday 9 May, her vision is for the book to continue growing for decades to come.

“I want it to be something that could develop over the next 80 years,” she says. “So future generations can keep adding their stories and reflections.”

Once Cassidy has completed her final university hand in this week, she hopes to produce additional copies of the book to share with contributors, island organisations and museums, ensuring the stories it contains remain accessible to future generations.

Having studied at schools and college in Guernsey before studying at Solent University, Cassidy says she is proud of what she has created, and excited to take the next step.

“I’ve loved my time at Solent and will really miss the friends I’ve made, but I’m excited to come home,” she says. “I want to start my career in the creative industries, ideally in graphic design, and projects like this have shown me how powerful design can be in telling stories that really matter.”

Graphic design at Solent harnesses the power of visual communication and encourages you to explore a range of professional techniques to develop your own unique visual style. Find out more on our website.

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