The paediatric and neonatal unit at the Falmouth Public General Hospital is set for a new beginning with the successful completion of the Sandals Foundation Island Challenge.
The trailblazing four-day endurance experience brought together some 30 UK and 16 local participants to run, hike and paddle through some of Jamaica's most iconic locations. On Monday, October 5, the team celebrated their success at Clifton Mount within the Blue Mountain range, having raised the targeted £100,000.
The four-day experience saw participants completing a 10km run from St. Mary to St. Ann, a 5km kayak through the White River Fish Sanctuary, climbing the Dunn's River Falls, and enduring a 3hour trek and tree planting activity in the Bogue 2 Forest Reserve. On Day 3 they completed a 21km half marathon from Falmouth to Chukka Good Hope, and on Day 4 - hiked through the lush Blue Mountain Range, experiencing the glowing Caribbean sun and rugged terrain in a different way.
Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, said the event provided a unique opportunity to showcase Jamaica's beauty and culture. She commended the challengers for completing what was not an easy feat.
"This has been a unique opportunity to showcase Jamaica and connect visitors – to its beauty, culture, food and communities. I am incredibly proud of what we were able to achieve. Our challengers were committed to pushing their bodies to the limit all for an incredible cause.
“For us,” Clarke continued, “It’s all about providing lifesaving equipment to our hospital and equipping our heroes – the doctors and nurses who work hard every day to save lives and to give our children a healthy start."
Equal to the resilience of the participants, Karl Thompson, Managing Director at Unique Vacations (UK) Ltd. says the success of the Island Challenge is because of the local and international partners.
"A huge thanks to everyone who made this possible. We came as a team, and we'll leave as a team, representing every individual, corporate, and travel partner who believes in the mission and the cause."
The Falmouth Public General Hospital, having lost its roof during Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, will receive critical neonatal and paediatric equipment including incubators and beds to serve our island's youngest and most vulnerable.
Next year, the philanthropic organisation will take the fundraising event to a new island, continuing its mission to strengthen paediatric and neonatal healthcare services across the Caribbean.
Island Challenge Jamaica 2026 is made possible through the kind support of a host of local and international partners including Sandals Resorts International, Island Routes, Jamaica Tourist Board, British Airways, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Mystic Mountain, Digicel, The Best Dressed Chicken, Wisynco, CPJ, Rainforest Foundation, Digicel, Jamaica Observer, Tour Jamaica Destinations Management Co. Ltd., Oxford Trading Ja Ltd., Trekkers Adventures Jamaica, the Jamaica Defence Force, Urban Development Corporation, the Forestry Department of Jamaica, the Western Regional Health Authority, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, CIBC, and A.L. Golaub & Sons all on board to create this unforgettable experience.
The Sandals Foundation Island Challenge – a four-day fundraising endurance experience – is off to an electrifying start after an early morning run and kayak journey across St. Mary and St. Ann. Blazing across the Caribbean in a different island each year, the Sandals Foundation Island Challenge has made its debut in Jamaica, bringing some 30 UK athletes and 13 local participants together to run, kayak, and hike across the rugged terrain and lustrous waters of the island’s north coast.
From October 2 - 5, they will put their minds and bodies to the test to raise £100,000 to strengthen paediatric and neonatal healthcare at the Falmouth Public General hospital.
Day 1 of the Challenge saw 30 athletes from across the UK running 10 kilometres from the Rio Nuevo Fishing Beach to Sandals Ocho Rios Beach Club, then getting on the sea for a one-hour kayak journey across the White River Fish Sanctuary before returning to Sandals Ocho Rios Beach Club.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at Sandals Foundation, says the cause behind the challenge helps to keep athletes motivated through strenuous physical activities.
“ It’s been an incredible first day with athletes pushing themselves to the limit. All have raised the funds to benefit our children on the island and we are extremely honoured to be able to support the Paediatric and Neonatal Department of the Falmouth Public General Hospital. The next three days will require them putting it all on the line but they are motivated knowing that every step and stride is bringing hope to families.”
Born out of a conversation with his colleagues after completing a half-marathon in the UK some years ago, Karl Thompson, Managing Director at Unique Vacations (UK) Ltd., says “The idea for Island Challenge came about during a conversation I had with some colleagues after we ran a marathon in the UK. I thought ‘we should do this in the Caribbean, where our philanthropic arm operates, and help improve the lives of children.’ Now this is our fourth event, and, based on our first day, we’re off to a great start. The energy was sky high; The people, the support, it was brilliant.”
Three-time participant, Bradley Mills says, “The island is beautiful. Coming into the Ochi Beach Club at the end of the run, in the final kilometer, everyone was cheering us on and it created such a good vibe. The whole team was there, so it was really an amazing experience.”
And for first time participant, Carla Hoyos, says, “It was lovely. Although I wasn’t prepared for the hills because we don’t have many where I live, the run was great…And the team was great too.”
On Saturday, October 3, the team will climb the world-famous Dunn's River Falls, followed by a 10km rainforest trek and tree planting activity in the Bogue 11 Forest. On Sunday, they will take on a 21km half marathon with 13 local participants through the beautifully preserved Georgian town of Falmouth, passing the beneficiary Falmouth Public General Hospital, through port, under bridge to main road, enter Hague and continue to Good Hope waterfall; and on Monday, the group will tackle a military endurance challenge in Newcastle, St. Andrew before conquering partial hike of the Blue Mountain some 4,500 feet above sea level.
The Jamaica staging follows three successful stagings held in Antigua and Barbuda in 2023, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines in 2024, and Saint Lucia in 2025. Collectively, the event has raised more than £300,000, benefiting 1,800 babies across the Caribbean.
The next three days promise to be a must-follow. Island Challenge Jamaica 2026 is made possible through the kind support of a host of local and international partners including Sandals Resorts International, Island Routes, Jamaica Tourist Board, British Airways, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Mystic Mountain, Digicel, The Best Dressed Chicken, Wisynco, CPJ, Rainforest Foundation, Digicel, Jamaica Observer, Tour Jamaica Destinations Management Co. Ltd., Oxford Trading Ja Ltd., Trekkers Adventures Jamaica, the Forestry Department of Jamaica, the Western Regional Health Authority, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, CIBC, and A.L. Golaub & Sons all on board to create this unforgettable experience.
Much more than repair, the restoration of schools across Jamaica's western and northern parishes affected by Hurricane Melissa is being described as a rebirth. Valued at just over JM $ 214,000,000, the works have given students a fresh start to the 2026/2027 academic year — spanning full structural rebuilds, reroofing, solar power, and water security upgrades at schools across the affected parishes.
Within hours of Hurricane Melissa's passage on October 28, the Sandals Foundation mobilized an immediate response — conducting cleaning and clearing operations at 17 schools across the affected parishes. Drawing on the expertise of local and international partners including Team Rubicon, UNICEF, Mercy Chefs, and Sandals and Beaches Resorts team members, the coordinated effort focused on salvaging resources, pest and rodent control, installing temporary roofing, providing meals, and setting up tents as temporary learning spaces to bring a sense of normalcy to students in the storm's immediate aftermath.
That emergency response laid the groundwork for a far larger undertaking: rebuilding schools stronger than before.
Restoration at Culloden Infant School in Westmoreland leads the effort at a value of $100,572,000. The school underwent a comprehensive structural rebuild — including the reconstruction of internal walls, new windows and doors, more resilient reroofing, two modular classrooms, electrical rewiring, and the installation of six water tanks — alongside new solar-powered energy. Students will also enjoy a new, fully outfitted library made possible through partnership with United States non-profit Good 360. Finishing touches — fresh paint and artistic murals throughout the school — complete the transformation, giving students a bright, welcoming space to return to.
Principal at Culloden Infant, Michelle Whittingham, says the transformation is beyond expectation. "Looking back from Hurricane Melissa, I'm just so overjoyed. When I came here after the storm and saw the devastation, I wondered and prayed if we could ever come back. Today, the school is much better than it was. We have gotten more. More things have been put in place, and I can't wait to welcome our children back to continue their early-childhood education."
Kings Primary and Infant School, which also serves as an emergency shelter, saw a similarly major rebuild — with structural repairs to walls, new windows and doors, and more resilient reroofing, alongside six new water tanks and a fully restored, solar-powered computer lab and library. With partners including Air Canada Vacations, Food for the Poor Canada, and interCaribbean Airways, some $91,500,000 was invested to help this vital community anchor rise again.
Marcia Tatham-Miller, Principal at Kings Primary, says, "The restoration work done at our school has helped to bring much renewed energy, confidence, and hope for our children and the wider community. You have helped us to rise from the devastation stronger, more determined to give every child at Kings the opportunity to learn, grow, and excel."
Beyond these two flagship rebuilds, major infrastructure works were carried out at five additional schools: Whitehouse Early Childhood Institute (ECI) in Westmoreland received reroofing, tiling, and electrical upgrades; Petersville ECI was reroofed; Flanker Primary in St. James saw the reconstruction and reroofing of its bathrooms serving grades 1–3; Whitehouse Early Childhood Centre received new roof sealant; and Cove Primary in Hanover gained new solar-energy technology, with rehabilitation work led jointly by the Sandals Foundation and American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ).
At the centre of the Foundation's reconstruction effort was a commitment to strengthening the resilience of the island's education infrastructure. Working closely with the Ministry of Education, policy guidance was provided by the National Education Trust.
Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts and President of the Sandals Foundation, Adam Stewart, says the success of the restorative effort rests on the love and support of the local and international community to see Jamaica rebound. "Our resilience as a nation stands tall alongside our strong culture and our influence as a people. We are incredibly grateful to our corporate and travel partners, who did not hesitate to respond during this challenge. Together we created an opportunity for rebirth."
For Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation, the island's principals are the true heroes of this story. "It has been a long road to recovery, and I have to take my hat off to the staff, parents, and especially principals who have not only had to continue educating our children within situations that have not been ideal — they made sure our children had food, they created an environment where children felt safe, and they have been there for every aspect of the rebuild, which has been incredible. We've done our best to rebuild stronger, help schools build to code, and strengthen the resilience of our learning institutions — but our principals are the true heroes."
As students return to newly restored classrooms this term, the Sandals Foundation reaffirms its long-term commitment to strengthening educational infrastructure across Jamaica. This is a rebirth for these schools, and the Foundation remains committed to education on a whole, ensuring every child has a safe, resilient place to learn and grow.
~Honored in the “Women Shaping the Future of Travel” category, Clarke is celebrated for her visionary leadership and contributions across Caribbean communities.~
In recognition of her far-reaching impact, Heidi Clarke has been selected to receive the prestigious “Trailblazer Award: Women Shaping the Future of Travel” as part of the 2026 Skift IDEA Awards. As Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, Clarke has harnessed the power of tourism to strengthen communities and expand opportunity across the Caribbean. Presented in partnership with Women Leading Travel, the Trailblazer Award honors a woman whose career demonstrates exceptional leadership, resilience and influence in shaping the future of travel.
Since launching the not-for-profit Sandals Foundation in 2009, Clarke has led initiatives that improve lives across the Caribbean, with a focus on education, community development, and environmental conservation in the nine islands where Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts operate. Under her care, the Foundation has touched more than 1.8 million lives, supporting more than 2,600 schools, close to 200 large-scale conservation initiatives, and mobilizing more than 32,500 volunteers across the region, among other extraordinary projects.
“It is truly an honour to be recognized, and I am immensely proud of what our team, together with our incredible partners, has made possible,” said Clarke. “I believe the success of any business should also be measured by the opportunities it creates for others to rise, empowering generations and strengthening communities. Tourism has an extraordinary footprint, and when we harness that reach with purpose, it can be a tremendous force for positive change across our Caribbean region.”
Clarke’s work has championed tourism as a force for positive, lasting change, bringing together communities, governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses and travelers to address local needs and strengthen the destinations that sustain the industry. Born and raised in Jamaica, she has spent nearly two decades developing programs that strengthen communities, expand economic opportunity and advance environmental stewardship throughout the Caribbean.
“Heidi is a true champion for the Caribbean and has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for its people and building a stronger future for the region,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts and President of the Sandals Foundation. “She leads with tremendous heart and purpose, and with an unwavering belief in the potential of our Caribbean communities. Her work through the Sandals Foundation is at the heart of who we are at Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, and reflects our deep and enduring commitment to the region we call home. This recognition is incredibly well deserved, and we could not be prouder of Heidi and the contributions she continues to make.”
The Skift IDEA Awards, now in their eighth year, recognize excellence in design, creativity and innovation across the global travel industry. The 2026 awards were evaluated through an initial review by the Skift Editorial Team, followed by an independent judging panel of travel and business leaders representing top hospitality organizations.
