Enjoy a spa and help raise money for an elephant sanctuary in Laos

A LUXURY Thai spa in the New Forest has pledged to raise more than £15,000 for an elephant conservation charity in Laos.

The sacred national emblem of Thailand, the Asian elephant is under serious threat of extinction with only two live births for every 10.

SenSpa, at the Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst, donated more than £5,000 last year to the conservation centre and is now hoping to raise the same again each year for the next three years.

The donations will help fund breeding programmes, education and health services at the elephant hospital. The spa is also boosting the amount it is raising by donating £1 from every soap stone elephant it sells at the spa’s boutique.

Diners at the spa’s Zen Garden restaurant can also add 50p to their bill which goes to the elephant sanctuary.

Spa director Lina Lotto said: “Elephants in Thailand are been seen a symbol of power, peace, stability, strength and wisdom, and the notion that elephants bring good luck has a long history in Asia.

“Our Thai heritage is extremely important to us at SenSpa and we are keen to help secure the future of these wonderful animals.

“The money we have pledged will be helping to fund the vital work done by the Elephant Conservation Center, which has been protecting elephants in Laos for over a decade by running welfare, vet care, breeding and training programmes.”

Laos, which shares a border with Thailand, puts elephants to work in the logging trade, and they are often ill-treated.

Elephants at the conservation centre are given rest from an exhausting life and many pregnant elephants are taken there to give birth.