Grand plan to reduce waste and help the homeless

Wednesday 04 November 2015

One of Jersey’s top hotels is going green and passing on a little bit of luxury to the Island’s homeless.

The Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa is donating all their partly used toiletries to the Shelter Trust.

As part of its drive to reduce waste, the hotel has given over 100 little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion to the Trust since May.

It has also provided 20 bathrobes and plans to donate old duvets, pillows and other items when it’s time to replace them.

Housekeeping manager Adelina Serrao said: “I noticed that most guests at Grand Jersey only use a small amount of the toiletries we provide during their stay. They can’t be reused at the hotel so we decided to donate them to people at the shelter. The feedback from the shelter has been really positive – they were very grateful for the donations and the items are all being used and appreciated.”

The Hotel’s general manager Martin Kelly said: “I am delighted that Adelina and her team have been able to recycle these items and find them a new home. People often wonder what happens to their used toiletries after their stay, so it’s fantastic be able to say that they are being reused in such a positive way.

“At Grand Jersey we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and providing our guests with a ‘greener’ experience. I would like to congratulate Adelina and the housekeeping team for making the scheme so successful, and I am looking forward to seeing it grow in the future.’

The Hotel has now got the housekeeping staff at Hand Picked’s other Jersey property on board and they are also collecting used toiletries from L’Horizon Beach Hotel & Spa to pass on to the charity.

The Shelter Trust is the largest provider of services for homeless people in Jersey; accommodating over 80 homeless people in four sites around St Helier and St Saviour.  As well as providing shelter, the trust offers support and a way forward for homeless people in the island.