Around £90,000 was raised by the auction itself, which was broadcast live on Channel 103, with the extra generated by the Pledge a Wedge campaign, where Islanders were asked to donate £10 to be in with the chance to win a luxury holiday, and donations.
More than 200 prizes and experiences went under the hammer, with star lots including a round of golf with former Masters champion Ian Woosnam, which went for £10,000, and a once-in-a-lifetime flight in a Spitfire plane, which sold for a winning bid of £6,510.
The chance to name a character in one of crime thriller novelist Peter James’s books achieved a final total of £7,501 and a collection of signed F1 items went for £8,105.
The Jersey Christmas Appeal helps an average of 1,500 people and families in need at Christmas in the Island each year with things such as food and fuel vouchers, hampers and gift cards for young people.
Broadcaster Fiona Walker, who again presented the auction with Peter Mac, said she was still in shock at the final amount and the huge generosity shown by the Jersey community in donating and pledging.
‘It is a real example of the community coming together in difficult times and it shows that Jersey can and does pull together,’ she said.
‘When you are involved in something like this you realise how many people do care about others. So many people have been incredibly generous, both donating lots and giving us big donations and buying. People were giving £1,000 for a night at a hotel which they could buy much cheaper themselves, for example. It really was phenomenal.’
She added that she believed the effects of the Covid pandemic had encouraged more people to get involved in the event this year.
‘There have been so many charities that have had to cancel events and people haven’t been making the charitable contributions they would normally, so I think people are looking for ways that they can contribute. It is also a fun way of doing it.’
Mrs Walker said the event had been carried out under strict Covid measures, with the auctoin’s radio presenters speaking from different studios, everyone working on the show spaced out and masks worn by those who could.
‘There was a fantastic atmosphere,’ she said.
