Select a region
One of Jersey's best-loved Christmas fundraisers is back for another year, and islanders are being invited to donate weird, wonderful and exciting lots to help money for those in need during the festive period.
As the Jersey Christmas Appeal returns, Express looks into its history, and some of the whackiest items at auction...
The Appeal was started by the Jersey Evening Post in 1897, originally known as the Christmas Dinner Fund.
It has continued ever since, even during the German Occupation. In Christmas 1944, the bleakest point of the German Occupation, the Appeal still raised £551 - approximately £21,000 by today's standards.
The aim of the Appeal is to help islanders in need get through the festive period. Chiefly, this is done by providing food hampers, toy vouchers and fuel coupons.
On average, 1,500 individuals or families are given support each year. Those usually targeted by the appeal include neglected children, single-parent homes, pensioners and low-income homes are among recipients.
Pictured: An example of the Jersey Christmas Appeal vouchers.
The annual charity auction is a crucial fundraising component of the Jersey Christmas Appeal
Through the auction alone last year, the Christmas Appeal it raised a staggering £51,803 - more than half of the total donations received by the Appeal in total.
The auction itself normally requires around 200 lots in order to be successful. These lots are all donated, either by individuals or businesses and offer a wide range of items, from vouchers to meals out. Local butchers have offered up selections of meat and there has even been cans of locally made dog food up for auction.
The aim is to get as many different kinds of lots as possible, so everyone feels that they can take part in the auction.
However, the highest end lots are known for being quirky and often outrageous.
Notable lots have seen winner taking a flight in a spitfire, having tea with the Lieutenant-Governor at Elizabeth Castle, having lunch with the Real Housewives of Jersey or a behind the scenes tour at the Orchid Foundation.
For the last few years, the auction has been run by Fiona Walker, who started working with the Jersey Christmas Appeal 20 years ago. She had a real challenge over the pandemic, with so many people and businesses struggling under covid.
In truth, she claimed, “I just didn’t know how we would do it”. However, they pulled through and ultimately had an “amazing year.”
Two years on from lockdown, and Fiona claims “I would have thought things would be easier”. However, it seems that the appeal will be needed more than ever this year particularly with so many islanders feeling the cost-of-living pinch. As a result, Fiona is looking to whip up lots to auction off this time around.
Pictured: One notable lot saw the winner taking a flight in a Spitfire.
Anything that might be considered a worthy prize is welcome.
However, the real goal is to get things that “money can’t buy…experiences that are just that little bit quirky.”
Fiona cited some of her favourite lots as examples: A day with the Red Arrows or, unbelievably, a chance to Model Marylin Monroe’s bikini, a prize kindly donated by an avid collector.
Bidding itself starts on 25 November and will run up to 4 December when the final round of auctions will happen live on Channel 103.
Fiona promises that it is a “good bit of fun” and that more often than not, they “tend to get a bit of a battle going” between rival bidders, which always proves entertaining.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.