A special guest lecture in the Island Studies Lecture Series takes place Thursday, May 3, at 7 p.m. in the SDU Main Building Faculty Lounge on the UPEI campus. It features David Earl from Alderney, in the Channel Islands, speaking about Alderney: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats! Alderney is the third largest of the British Channel Islands, which are UK Crown Dependencies. According to the results of a Census carried out in 2013, 50 per cent of the population (less than 2,000) is now aged 55 or over, while the number of young working-age persons on the Island has dropped by 47 per cent since 2001. More worrying, the number of children under 15 has dropped by 50 per cent over the same period. Despite a 17 per cent drop in the Island’s population in the period 2001‒2013, the States of Alderney (the Island's government) has, so far, failed to reverse the decline. The aim of this lecture is to paint a picture of the island and its people, as well illustrating its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The lecture will be followed by an opportunity for questions, answers, and suggestions! David Earl began his working life in the world of advertising and marketing but has spent much of his professional life in broadcast television and communications. He was recently awarded an MA in Modern War Studies from the University of Buckingham. David is visiting Prince Edward Island in order to learn more about the Island, and the work of the Institute of Island Studies. Admission to the lecture is free and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, please contact Laurie at iis@upei.ca or (902)-894-2881.