Staff from Unique Vacations UK, Sandals & Beaches Resorts’ sales and marketing representatives, have pledged to run 100 kilometres around the island of Antigua to raise £100,000 for sick children in the Caribbean.

A team of eight from the company’s UK and European offices are running back-to-back half marathons over four days, 11th – 14th October 2023, to raise money for the Sandals Foundation, Sandals Resorts International’s philanthropic arm.

All donations from The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will go to the SickKids Caribbean Initiative and the Paediatric Unit of Mount St. John’s Medical Centre in Antigua to fund medical equipment and resources to help treat sick children in the Caribbean.

Both organisations are long term beneficiaries of the Sandals Foundation which has supported projects valued at over $79 million USD to date and impacted the lives of over 1.1 million people in the Caribbean, under the key pillars of community, education and the environment.

Graeme Saunders, senior manager, Groups & MICE, for Unique Vacations UK, said: “The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 was born out of a brainstorm over a few drinks. We wanted to come up with a physical challenge to help sick children in the Caribbean and support the vital work carried out by the Sandals Foundation.

“Our goal is to raise £100,000 but we hope to smash that, thanks to the support of our sponsors and partners. What better place to push ourselves and raise money for Caribbean communities than on the beautiful island of Antigua?”

The SickKids Caribbean Initiative (SCI) is on a mission to improve the lives of children diagnosed with paediatric cancer and blood disorders. The collaboration between SCI and the Sandals Foundation has helped establish the Eastern Caribbean’s only oncology unit and fund the training of five Caribbean paediatricians and 41 nurses in haematology and oncology. Funds raised from The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will be donated to SCI endowment fund, ensuring the continued sustainability of the initiative, benefitting many for years to come.

The Paediatric Unit at Mount St. John’s Medical Centre in Antigua is the only acute care facility on the island which offers 24-hour emergency care, giving babies in need of critical care and those born prematurely a better fighting chance. The proceeds from The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will be used to purchase much-needed medical equipment, giving new-borns a better chance of survival.

The team taking part in The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will endure hot and humid conditions as they take on the challenge. They will also be visiting projects sponsored by the Sandals Foundation at the end of each day, including The Paediatric Unit at Mount St. John’s Medical Centre, to see first-hand what a difference the money raised will make to children and their families.

For more information about The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 and to donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/islandrun.