02/09/2026
Meet our Jaunters!
We asked some of this year's Jaunters a few questions about their upcoming challenge, JET Jaunt: Race to Rome... and let's just say Emily Balcombe and Oliver Gladdish didn't disappoint.
We think these two are going to be highly entertaining to follow on their journey to Rome. Here's what they had to say:
📍Why are you taking part in the JET Jaunt?
As soon as we heard about the Race to Rome, we thought it sounded like such a crazy and fun idea. Emily is a massive traveller, and Ollie is up for anything (except rollercoasters), so we decided we had to take part. The fact that it's in support of the Jersey Employment Trust makes it even more special.
We heard about the race through Aztec Group, where we both work and which is generously sponsoring our participation. We became best mates after meeting at Aztec in 2022.
Emily has visited more than 40 countries and spent nine months travelling across Asia and Australia in 2024/25. For someone with very little common sense and an unwavering belief that "it'll be fine" is a perfectly acceptable plan, she somehow made it home mostly in one piece, with only a slightly broken collarbone and a collection of stories that are probably best left untold.
Ollie, meanwhile, has a habit of saying yes to almost anything, with the notable exceptions of rollercoasters and, for reasons nobody fully understands, butterflies. While Emily is researching routes and accommodation, Ollie is quite content to nod along and ask questions later. There's a very good chance he still isn't entirely sure where Rome is, but he's committed now and that's what counts.
A lifelong Chelsea fan and self-proclaimed Cole Palmer superfan, Ollie somehow manages to bring both topics into conversation far more often than should be possible. What he lacks in travel experience, he makes up for in humour and a complete willingness to get involved in whatever chaos is unfolding around him.
He's also incredibly competitive for someone who claims he's "just there for the vibes". Our main competitors are fellow Aztec colleagues, Sam and Sam. At this point, Ollie seems almost as invested in beating them as he is in actually getting to Rome.
Together, we spend most of our time laughing and taking the mick out of each other. Whether we're completely on schedule or hopelessly lost, we're generally having a good time and making memories we'll laugh about for years afterwards.
📍What are you looking forward to?
Honestly, we're looking forward to the chaos. The Race to Rome is the perfect combination of adventure, teamwork and making things up as we go along. Emily is excited to visit new places and embrace the unexpected, while Ollie is looking forward to the food, the competition and proving that his complete lack of planning is, in fact, a valid strategy.
Most of all, we're looking forward to raising money for JET and supporting the amazing work they do. We're sure there'll be a few wrong turns, some questionable decisions and plenty of stories to tell afterwards, but that's all part of the adventure.
📍How have you been fundraising?
Our fundraising strategy has largely consisted of shameless self-promotion and politely harassing anyone who has made the mistake of making eye contact with us. Thanks to the generosity of our friends, family and colleagues, we've raised more than £800 so far.
📍Do you have any affiliation to JET?
One of the reasons this challenge means so much to us is because of the impact JET has had on Emily's family.
Emily's younger brother, who has autism, spent more than two years searching for work after graduating with a 2:1 in Geography. Despite his hard work and determination, finding the right opportunity was difficult, and he was starting to lose hope.
JET helped him secure a role looking after the reservoirs in Jersey, which he absolutely loves. Seeing first-hand the difference JET has made to his confidence and independence has shown us just how important the charity's work is.
📍You can donate to Emily and Ollie’s fundraising here:
https://jerseygiving.je/sponsor/activity/jet-jaunt-26-race-to-rome/em-and-ollie-3
Thank you to our sponsors CSC, Coop Mobile, Ports of Jersey and All Island Media for making this event possible.
