It was still dark when they set off along the Railway Walk from Corbière at 4.30 am in the inaugural Walk into the Light organised by the Sanctuary Trust.
Charity trustee former Chief Minister Frank Walker, who took part with his wife Fiona, said by the time they crossed the finish line in St Aubin the sun was rising over the town.
Those who took part were met with free bacon rolls and hot drinks in return for collectively raising more than £6,000.
He said: ‘We were delighted that approximately 200 people turned out and there was a lot of chitter-chatter and laughter along the way.
‘We could not have hoped for better conditions and it all came together beautifully, then it started to rain after we had got to St Aubin so the timing was absolutely fantastic.’
Established in 2011, Sanctuary Trust now operates from two sites in the west of the Island, and can accommodate up to 24 men at any one time. Its main operation in St Aubin is currently being refurbished.
The charity aims to provide shelter and support for men facing homelessness and to help them get their lives back on track, while rebuilding their confidence and self-esteem to find jobs and live independently.
While a key purpose of the walk was to raise money towards the £25,000 annual running costs it was also a PR exercise to raise the charity’s profile.
Mr Walker said: ‘The money raised will be put towards our annual running costs along with other funds we have raised recently.
‘We were very pleased with the turn out considering it was the first event and everyone who took part had to get up in the middle of the night. From the feedback we have received we expect even more to take part when we run it again next year.’
The trust is largely funded through donations and fundraising initiatives with every penny raised going to maintain the services it currently provides. In addition to accommodation and support for its male clients, it also operates an outreach service.
The walk was sponsored by Jersey Electricity with the company providing battery-operated candles for the walkers to help light the way. St Aubin’s Café provided breakfast and Liberty Bus laid on complimentary buses back to the start.
