Channel Islands
Channel Islands Mensa is a former National Mensa which has now joined British Mensa as a Region. The region covers the island groups of Jersey and Guernsey. Neither territory is part of the United Kingdom - each is more correctly a British Crown Protectorate and has its own government. There are approximately 130 Mensa members living on the islands, making it British Mensa's least populous region. Previously as a separate National Mensa it enjoyed huge prosperity under the dynamic leadership of Phillip Poole, and during this era it gained a reputation for having the highest proportion of Mensa members in a national population in the world.
After Phillip's death there was a period of internal disagreements which led to many members leaving. Eventually it was judged that the group was no longer viable as a National Mensa. Given the choice between becoming a Provisional National Mensa or joining another group, they chose to join British Mensa. Terms of the agreement included the status of a separate Region within British Mensa, and a phased move from their current subscription rates to the higher ones of British Mensa.
Ann Duquemin was initially the Regional Officer, and upon her resignation no volunteer from among the membership could be found. NMO Chris Docker took the unusual step of appointing a member from outwith the islands, Andy Farrell, as Regional Officer. Andy arranged for a weekend gathering (The Jersey Weekend) to be held in 2004 which brought an influx of Mensa visitors to the islands in the hope of stimulating the local group. Various local members came out of the woodwork at this time, including the current RO Lawrence Woolf. 2005 saw the sequel, titled The Channel Islands Weekend because it included a day on Guernsey.
Andy's brief included the instruction to find and hand over to a local member as Regional Officer as soon as possible. In 2005 Dominique Peck volunteered for the role, standing down in 2006 because she was starting a family, whereupon Lawrence Woolf took over. Dominique continues in the less time consuming role of regional treasurer.
Regional Officer: Lawrence Woolf
Former Regional Officers:
Thinks!
Channel Islands Mensa has a quarterly A4-format colour newsletter called "Thinks!", which is currently edited by Lawrence Woolf. Due to the low population of the region, Channel Islands strays from the normal newsletter scheme within British Mensa. Thinks! is produced in-house at BM's Wolverhampton office and mailed to the region's members. All other regions receive a mono printed A5-format newsletter each month which is mailed in with their Mensa Magazine.
