The Salvation Army has thanked “veteran fundraiser” Tom du Feu for supporting the charity’s subsidised grocery shop after the former St Peter Constable raised thousands of pounds to support multiple food banks in the island.
The 82-year-old, who is living with cancer and is no stranger to charitable challenges, recently raised £3,000 through sponsorship and donations by walking from St Brelade’s Parish Hall in St Aubin to the SS Vega memorial on the Albert Pier on 13 May.
In 1945, SS Vega was the first ship to arrive in Jersey carrying precious Red Cross cargo after the island had struggled through years of Occupation.
The money raised through Mr du Feu’s Liberation-themed walk was distributed equally between The Grace Trust and St Vincent de Paul foodbanks, as well as the Salvation Army’s Pantry Store.
Launched earlier this year, The Pantry Store sells subsidised items to provide shopping with “dignity and respect” for struggling islanders.
Speaking to Express, Salvation Army officer Alice Nunn said Mr du Feu’s donation would “directly help us to fund the subsidised shop”.
The Pantry Store has only been open for a few months, but is currently helping hundreds of people.
“The motivation for doing it was to give support in a really dignified way,” Mrs Nunn explained.
“It’s been a lot busier than we thought it would be, we’ve had over 400 households already signed up.”