A GOREY café owner has raised over £39,000 for charity over the past six years by selling fish-finger sandwiches, sweet treats and knitted chickens.
And Rhona Hewit, who runs Rhona’s at the Beach, is hoping to surpass the £40,000 mark by her birthday in mid-March.
Her annual fish-finger-sandwich fundraiser was started in 2018 in memory of a beloved family member.
Each year Ms Hewit, who runs the café, chooses a local charity to benefit from the proceeds.
“The community spirit is incredible in Jersey. I wouldn’t be able to do this by myself and without the community,” she said.
Ms Hewit started the initiative after she lost her nephew to suicide, spurring her on to raise money for the Jersey Recovery College.
The café raised almost £5,000 for ocean therapy charity Healing Waves in 2022 and more than £6,000 for the Christian charity Grace Trust last year. This year, the proceeds will go to the MND Association, a charity supporting people affected by motor neurone disease.
Ms Hewit recently announced on social media that the café would be selling donated knitted chickens in the run-up to Easter to reach the £40,000 goal.
In response to the social-media post, many Islanders had kind words to say about the owner of one of Jersey’s longest-standing beach cafés, thanking her for raising so much money for local charities.
Legendary Island swimmer Sal Minty-Gravett commented: “You are amazing Rhona. Almost as amazing as your fish-finger sandwiches! Well done!”
Others, including The Butterfly Café in town, offered to donate some creme eggs that Ms Hewit can sell along with her chickens.
