Sanctuary Trust launch inaugural Walk Into Light

Sunday 15 April 2018

Sanctuary Trust will be hosting its first 'Walk into Light' from Corbière to St. Aubin on 21 April in a bid to raise funds and awareness of its efforts to provide support and accommodation for men who have hit a crisis and have few places to turn

The first Walk into Light will start in the darkness from Corbière at 04:30. it will follow the five-mile Railway Walk route arriving at St. Brelade's Parish Hall at sunrise just after 06:00.

Co-Founder and Sanctuary Trustee, Sean Power, came up with the idea following the success of the Pieta House Darkness into Light Walk which started in Dublin in 2008 and is now a worldwide phenomenon, with walkers from New Zealand to San Francisco supporting the suicide crisis charity every year.

He said: “We are grateful to Jersey Electricity for supporting this first event and we especially want to make this a family event and encourage families, - grandparents, mums, dads, children, boyfriends and girlfriends – to get out of bed and join us on this special, candle-lit, community focused walk. There’ll be well-deserved hot drinks and bacon rolls at St Brelade Parish Hall at the finish in further celebration of our community. Liberty Bus will transport walkers back to the start to collect vehicles if needed.”

Video: Last year Sanctuary gave Express a tour of their men's refuge, during Homelessness Awareness Week.

Sanctuary Trust opened its doors in a former guest house in St Aubin in April 2011. The co-founders were the Reverend Mark Bond, the Rector of St. Brelade; Sean Power, a St. Brelade resident and former States Member and the late Colin Taylor, BEM. Reverend Mark Bond once attended five funerals of male suicide victims in one year.

Chaired by Advocate Chris Renouf, the Sanctuary provides shelter and support for men facing homelessness due to a life crisis, whether mental, emotional, financial, relational or job loss, sometimes exacerbated by alcohol or drug misuse. Its aim is to help those men get their lives back together with re-built self-esteem and self-confidence and return to being useful members of Jersey society.

Today Sanctuary has two sites, Sanctuary House in St. Aubin and Sanctuary Lodge in St. Peter, which can accommodate up to 25 men for varying periods of time. They have helped hundreds of men get their lives back on track.

Mr Power explained: "It’s simply about getting men out of the dark place they are in, for whatever reasons, and into the light and a new start, hence the title of the walk which myself and fellow trustees hope will engage the public and widen support for the work Sanctuary carries out. We have helped men of all ages and from all walks of life who, for whatever reason, have hit a bump in the road and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Chris Ambler, JEC CEO, added: "Mental health awareness is very much to the fore in today’s society but even now men often find it difficult to discuss problems or ask for help until things hit crisis point. Sanctuary Trust identified that gap in care provision seven years ago and is helping not only Sanctuary residents themselves but the community, and we are pleased to help raise the profile of the Trust’s important work."