Strawberry Hill Hotel & Spa, St Andrew's most celebrated hideaway located in the Blue Mountains, and also a sponsor of Pulse's 9th Annual Caribbean Fashionweek (CFW), will this year leverage the event's platform to raise funds for conservation efforts of the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT/Green Jamaica).

For the last two and a half years, Strawberry Hill has been committing a 'dollar per guest night sold' to the JCDT/Green Jamaica to assist in the conservation of Mount Horeb, the last 700 acres of primary rainforest that lies west of the Blue Mountain Peak. The mountain rainforests of the Blue and John Crow National Park, of which Mt Horeb is a part, are recognised globally for their high biological diversity and threatened status.

Focal point

During CFW, Strawberry Hill will make JCDT/Green Jamaica the focal point of its sponsorship by working with Pulse on a donation drive to solicit contributions from patrons, participants and corporate partners.

Throughout the event, the JCDT will educate patrons about the projects that it spearheads and ask for cash donations towars the Conserve Mount Horeb Project. Currently, the focus of the restoration efforts will be the 150 acres on the outer periphery of the forest. This will cost U$75,000 over a five-year period.

To date, Strawberry Hill has contributed U$3,700 to the project through its 'dollar a night' scheme, and will continue to donate funds throughout the year.

Project's aim

Paula Surtees, general manager of Strawberry Hill, explained that "the aim is to raise the remainder of the U$15,000 needed for the first year of the project through additional efforts. We are thrilled that Pulse agrees with the significance of this preservation work and is helping to drive the effort and encourage others to participate".

For more information, contact Susan Otuokon, tel: 960-2848-9 or email: jamaicaconservation@gmail.com.

Strawberry Hill Hotel & Spa: 876-944-8400. www.islandoutpost.com