Woman Inc Trade Fair is back!
Woman Inc Trade Fair and Exhibition, 2002 was launched on Wednesday, November 6th at the newly refurbished Knutsford Court Hotel (formally Sutton Place Hotel), and promises to be better than ever.
Slated for the weekend of November 23 to 24, sthe fair will be held on the grounds of Knutsford Court Hotel. The backdrop of the fair is the lush tropical garden courtyard and the spacious banquet hall that will provide the setting for many features including speakers’gallery, solutions forum, wellness clinic, kiddies corner, auction, entertainment, and demonstrations.
Since the last trade fair held in 1999, Woman Inc has been searching for a suitable location. According to Joyce Hewett, Woman Inc’s coordinator of public education, “We had our first trade fair in 1984 at the Jamaica Pegasus. This ran until 1989. We then went to the Oceania Hotel from 1990 until 1993. For our 10th anniversary, we had our trade fair at the National Arena. We went back to the Pegasus in 1995 until 1998. Our last trade fair was held at the Chinese Benevolent Association building in 1999.”
She continued: “we spent the next two years searching for a suitable location. We then decided to pursue the management of the Courtleigh Hotel who had purchased the Sutton Place Hotel. When this hotel, now called the Knutsford Court, was refurbished, they graciously decided to become one of our title sponsors.”
To date, Woman Inc has two title sponsors. This is the previously mentioned Knutsford Court Hotel and Air Jamaica. The major sponsors are the Jamaica Observer, The Gleaner Co Ltd, CVM-TV, Lerner Shops, Manufacturers Sigma Merchant Bank Ltd and Guardian Life. Associate sponsors are The Sunday Herald and The Sound of Joy.
During the launch, both Manufacturers Sigma Merchant Bank and Guardian Life presented cheques to the president of Woman Inc, Deborah Garbutt.
In addition, the guest speaker for the evening, Noel Greenland, regional marketing manager for Grace, Kennedy Remittance Services Ltd, highlighted the three-year commitment that the company has made to Woman Inc.
“We quietly support this organisation, so when you do business with Western Union, Bill Express, and our cambio FX Traders, remember that we give back to organisations such as Woman Inc.”
Greenland continued: “We are proud and honoured to be associated with Woman Inc.”
All proceeds from the trade fair are for maintenance of the Crisis Centre and Crisis Shelter which provide counselling and referral services, as well as temporary shelter for victims of rape, incest, domestic violence and domestic crisis.
