Hays Travel is once again sponsoring a Sandals Foundation Island Challenge fundraising event on Saint Vincent.
- Participants will engage in a rigorous 50-mile course involving running, sea kayaking, and hiking to La Soufriere’s summit.
- The event, marking its 15th anniversary, aims to raise £100,000 for healthcare initiatives.
- Funds raised will benefit hospitals and healthcare for children with cancer in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Dame Irene Hays expresses support for the participants and the charitable cause.
Hays Travel has announced its continued sponsorship of the Sandals Foundation Island Challenge, a fundraising event that takes place on the scenic island of Saint Vincent. For the second consecutive year, the event promises an exciting challenge for participants: a demanding 50-mile course that involves running, sea kayaking, and a trek to the summit of the active volcano, La Soufriere.
This year’s event is particularly significant as it coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Sandals Foundation. The organisers have set an ambitious fundraising target of £100,000, a sum intended to support healthcare facilities within Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These funds will specifically aid services and equipment for hospitals, with a focus on assisting babies and young children battling cancer.
Dame Irene Hays, the chair of Hays Travel, articulated the company’s enthusiasm in partnering once more with the Sandals Foundation. “After the success of last year’s Sandals Run, we are delighted to return as sponsors for 2024,” she stated, highlighting the impact the funds would have in providing emergency paediatric healthcare in the region.
The event also served as a celebration of the foundation’s efforts over the past 15 years. Key figures in this celebratory gathering included Adam Stewart, Sandals International’s executive chair; Heidi Clarke, the foundation’s executive director; and Karen Zacca, operations director. These individuals, along with the event participants, commemorated the foundation’s varied contributions, which extend beyond healthcare to encompass education and environmental initiatives.
The fundraising efforts concluded with an auction and raffle, successfully raising £15,000 towards the 2024 Island Challenge. Katharine Dunwoodie, a commercial assistant at Hays Travel, reflected on the importance of supporting the Sandals Foundation’s extensive work, encouraging potential donors to contribute via the foundation’s Just Giving page.
The Island Challenge epitomises collective efforts towards meaningful healthcare advancements in the Caribbean.
