Despite the strong wind and rain, more than 120 people slept on the 11th and 12th floors of Pier Road car park on Friday 22nd November to raise money for local homeless charity, Sanctuary Trust.
This year’s event marked an impressive turnout for Sanctuary Trust’s annual fundraiser, now in its sixth year. So far, an incredible amount of nearly £30,000 has been raised, with donations continuing to come in. Like many charities, Sanctuary Trust has felt the impact of declining donations this year, as households face increasing financial pressures. Raising such a significant amount so close to Christmas is a testament to the generosity of the community.
Tim Ringsdore, Chair of Sanctuary Trust, commented: “It was so good to see such a diverse amount of people supporting the Sanctuary Trust annual sleepout at Pier Road car park on Friday night. We really are so grateful to our main sponsor Jersey Mutual and to everyone else who supported us in making this such a memorable evening. This was not just about raising money but also to raise awareness of what it would be like to be homeless just for one night, given how cold it was everyone appreciated the hardship this can cause. All Money raised will go towards our running costs to ensure our team can continue providing the diverse range of support our residents require. Our vision is to tackle homelessness in our community and this event certainly helps this aim and we really appreciate the generosity from everyone who supports us. I’d like to pay tribute to all our team for organising the event and their continued commitment and professionalism in everything they do for the Island”
The oldest participant to sleep out on the night was 75 years old, while the youngest was just 6. A group of young people from the Jersey Youth Service also took part, as well as teams from JT Global, Specsavers, and Andium Homes. Representatives from financial services organisations attended, including sponsors Jersey Mutual, and teams from Hawksford and Standard Bank. The event also welcomed attendees from the Government of Jersey, including Housing Minister Sam Mezec and Paul McGinnety, Director of Local Services.
Volunteers and Sanctuary Trust staff ran a soup kitchen, kindly provided by Highlands College and Fungi Delecti. Cooper & Co provided breakfast rolls, and teas and coffees were supplied for those sleeping out. In addition, Vini Jones from Grace Trust played an acoustic set, including a song he wrote for Sanctuary Trust.
Sarah Tumelty, Sanctuary Trust’s General Manager, said: “The atmosphere on Friday night was special. Despite the cold and windy weather, so many people came together in solidarity, which was inspiring to see. For those who participated, returning to a warm bed in the morning was a certainty—and that stark contrast is what makes this fundraiser so impactful. It makes you stop and reflect on how challenging life would be without that option. We were thrilled to have some of our current and former residents join us—they’re strong advocates for this event and the cause it supports. Looking ahead, we’re excited about Tim Ringsdore’s ambitious personal challenge next year, where he will spend a week sleeping out. This effort will raise awareness and highlight the critical need for support and compassion for those experiencing homelessness in our community.
“We have a long list of ‘thank yous’ to all the people and businesses that made this year’s event such a success: Highlands College and Fungi Delecti for the soup, Arron Cheetham at Cube for creating the branding and artwork, JMD Secure for providing overnight security, Justin at Marquee Solutions for the cabling, Island Fire for the fire extinguishers, Bob Mauger for the wheelie bin, First Class Catering and St Brelade’s Parish Hall for the urns, Cooper & Co for the breakfast, Parking Control for use of the car park, Ben Davies and Jo Ferbrache at Factory and Gallery Magazine, Ruben Abreu for the videography, Vini Jones for the acoustic set, as well as all our staff, trustees, volunteers, and everyone who donated.”
