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Sunday's Big Co-op Clean found something unexpected when a wallet, complete with money, bank card and a driving licence, was found buried in the sand at Grandes Rocques.
The Big Co-op Clean saw volunteers in Guernsey and Jersey clean four beaches as part of a national initiative aimed at making a difference in local communities.
At Grandes Rocques, 30 volunteers collected a pile of rubbish which included plastic, bottles, clothing, a piece of carpet and an umbrella but one of the first things found was the man’s wallet.
‘It was soaking wet and covered in sand but remarkably still had an English £20 note in it as well as a Jersey £5 and some coins. The bank card and the driving licence gave us the person’s name and despite it being in the water, his business cards were intact and we were able to contact him and return it,’ said Greg Yeoman, the Society’s chief marketing officer.
‘The weather was pretty miserable but we still had more than 100 dedicated and hardy volunteers in Guernsey and Jersey which was fantastic and a testament to the community spirit we have in the islands. If we hadn’t been doing a beach clean then I can’t imagine the wallet would have been found so it was a very lucky coincidence.’
The wallet’s owner was Will Simpson who is on holiday in Guernsey with his partner Claire. The 35-year-old architectural visualiser first came to the island more than 25 years ago and wanted to return to experience it as an adult.
The couple arrived on the boat on Saturday and after checking into Carteret Farm Holiday Cottages went for a walk along Cobo and Grandes Rocques.
‘I lost it about 4pm and realised an hour later and although we retraced our steps, the tide was coming in and so we thought it would be lost. We couldn’t believe it when we got the call and I want to say a big thank you,’ he said.
‘Not a single thing was missing which is pretty remarkable when you consider how long it spent in the water.’
Unfortunately the sea water means the wallet is in a sorry state of repair.
‘I think I will be needing a new wallet but it seems a shame to throw this one away considering what it’s been through.’
Mr Simpson had already cancelled his debit card but still had his credit card after randomly putting it in his pocket on the boat.
‘I went to the shop to buy a map of Guernsey and a parking clock and put the wrong PIN in and for some reason, in the confusion, I put my credit card in my pocket instead of in my wallet. I never do that normally and then lo and behold I lose my wallet and still have my credit card so I can still pay for things this week until we get home,’ he said.
The couple plan to spend the week exploring the island including a trip to Herm.
‘I was about eight or nine when I came here and so I can’t really remember much but I keep seeing things that jog my memory and I get a flashback. We’ve enjoyed our first couple of days so looking forward to the rest of the week.’
