Scarlett Layzell (6), who was one of the youngest to complete the 10.9-mile Lieutenant-Governor’s Challenge from St Helier to St Catherine’s Breakwater, has so far raised £200 for the charity.
The idea to take part in the walk came after a trip to London with her family, where Scarlett saw a homeless man sheltering under a cardboard box.
Her father, Greg Layzell, said that she was inconsolable when she realised that they could not give the man enough money to change his circumstances.
Mr Layzell said: ‘We were in London for a day on our way to Dubai for a family holiday and as we walked through the Underground she became really quiet all of a sudden. I didn’t know what was up with her until we got off the train together and she burst into tears.
‘She was completely inconsolable. It took me a while to get out of her what was wrong, but after talking to her for a while she explained that she had seen a homeless man, which really upset her.
‘It occurred to me that she wouldn’t have seen a homeless person in Jersey before, which explained the shock.
‘She had already decided that she wanted to do the Island Walk, so when I asked her which charity she wanted to raise money for, she immediately said she wanted to raise money for the homeless shelter in Jersey.
‘I was very proud of her for completing the walk, as for the last couple of miles I could see she was struggling, but she kept going and finished it.’
Following the lengthy journey along the Island’s south-east coast, Scarlett then went to her swimming and ballet classes on the same day, her father explained.
Her family said that they wanted to thank everyone who had donated in support of her mission. Scarlett also said that she was proud to have completed the walk and was ‘thrilled’ to be able to make a difference to the life of homeless people.
Her family added that she was a ‘fine example’ to other young people and added that Scarlett deserved recognition for her determination to help the Shelter Trust. To donate to Scarlett’s cause, contact Deborah Lewis at the Shelter Trust on 608948.
