St Benedict's learners unite for Mandela Month with school-wide acts of kindness
True to their motto Veritas in Caritate (truth in charity), the St Benedict's College Junior Prep and Preparatory School community marked Mandela Month with meaningful acts of generosity and service.
Each learner took part, proving that even small gestures can make a big difference.
Grade 00 and Grade 0 learners prepared and donated 125 sandwiches and 90 pieces of fruit to the Elandsvallei Home for the Aged in Primrose.
ALSO READ: Mandela Day sparks generosity across Germiston as groups give back
Grades one and two focused their support on the St Francis Care Centre, Rainbow Cottage.
'Grade Ones collected 22 packs of nappies, 10 tins of formula, 54 jars of baby food, 18 baby creams and washes, 19 packs of wet wipes, baby clothes, and 10 bags of toys,' said head of marketing Mpumi Motsabi.
Grade Two learners gathered 120 canned goods, 11 bags of rice, 22 cleaning products, as well as tea, sugar, pasta, cooking oil, coffee, soup, maize meal, cereal, spices, stock cubes, and lentils.
ALSO READ: Avril Elizabeth Home invites community to Mandela Day Walk-A-Thon fundraiser
Grade Threes supported the Khanyisa Trust, a soup kitchen run by the Bedfordview Methodist Church, with a large donation of fresh vegetables.
Their contribution included 40 bags of potatoes, 10 bags each of sweet potatoes and butternut, four pumpkins, 15 bags of gem squash, 15 cabbages, 50 bags of carrots, and 40 bags of onions.
ALSO READ: Jenny Wu Sports Academy embraces the spirit of Mandela Day everyday
Grades four to seven joined forces with Assumpta Catholic Primary School, packing an impressive 2 568 soup packs in just 67 minutes.
These will benefit more than 10 000 people, distributed through The Father's Hand, an outreach initiative led by school chaplain Fr Thabo and the Assumpta community in Sharpeville.
This large-scale initiative was made possible thanks to the generosity of parents, learners, and retail partner Pick n Pay.
'St Benedict's extends special thanks to Pick n Pay for supporting our Grade Five learners on Mandela Day,' added Motsabi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Clean up benefits Margate Taxi Rank
The Margate Taxi Rank benefitted from a Mandela Day celebration that was organised by Siyanda Dlamini of the Peace Walk organisation. Dlamini had a goal of filling 50 refuse bags with litter collected at the taxi rank. He said the aim was to encourage people to come together and take care of their communities. 'If we take care of our communities, our communities will take care of us. If we look after our towns and cities, we can attract investors. Tourists will also want to visit our communities if they're taken care of,' he said. He added that he appreciated the mall management at the Margate Taxi Rank who delegated a few of the mall's employees to assist in the clean up. Dlamini also thanked Greta Opperman for the support he has received on the South Coast. He explained that Peace Walk Since 2022 is a community organisation that has done peace walks across Africa. 'The campaign started in January 2022. I was walking for peace and stability on our continent. I have met many people and have had the privilege of speaking to them personally to convey my message of peace,' he said. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Fever's Facebook page
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Neglected Horwood's Farm Homestead sparks heritage outcry in Edenvale
One of Edenvale's oldest buildings, the Horwood's Farm Homestead, has become a symbol of neglect, joining a growing list of CoE heritage sites left to deteriorate. According to DA Clr Mike da Silva, the CoE has failed to protect and maintain many of its historic properties. 'This building has been part of Edenvale's community life for decades. It used to be a popular destination, and business thrived here. 'But once the lease of the last tenant expired, the city made no effort to renew it or attract new interest,' said Da Silva. ALSO READ: Collaborated efforts bring a clean-up initiative to Horwood's Farm Eventually, like many others, the homestead was left to fall into disrepair. 'We've been raising concerns about the state of heritage facilities across Ekurhuleni. 'Take Benoni City Hall, for example. It's another beautiful structure that communities would love to use. These buildings are community assets and should be preserved for public benefit,' he added. Other neglected facilities include Gillooly's Farm, the Pam Brink Stadium in Springs and the Olympia Park Swimming Pool. Da Silva said there is widespread frustration over the lack of access to these community spaces. 'We've found that the booking and leasing processes are overly complicated, and there's a lot of resistance from the city. 'A good example is the Germiston Golf Club. They tried to secure a lease from as far back as 2009 and only managed to finalise it late last year, on such unfavourable terms that the arrangement collapsed,' he explained. To address this, Da Silva and others are advocating for a public-private partnership framework. 'The idea is simple: Allow communities to maintain and use these heritage sites in return for fair, manageable terms, not necessarily monetary. 'The city can let these buildings decay or empower communities to care for them. It's about creating win-win solutions.' He added that abandoned buildings become magnets for crime and vandalism, and that the city should encourage community involvement rather than hinder it with red tape or demand rent without providing maintenance. Da Silva spoke during a community clean-up of the homestead on July 19, as part of Mandela Month activities. Clr Heather Hart, also present at the clean-up, echoed his concerns and outlined a community-driven vision for the site. 'This building has been neglected for years. Until about 2014, it was still restorable. Despite repeated appeals to the city to protect it, including a request to have it professionally wrapped to prevent further damage, nothing was done,' said Hart. As a result, the property has been vandalised and stripped, once boasting a five-star restaurant kitchen, now left in ruins. Still, Hart is optimistic about its potential. 'The community wants this restored. We envision a multi-use community arts centre, offering arts, ballet, music and even culinary programmes. 'Various community groups or small businesses could run activities on different days. It doesn't need to be managed by one organisation.' To kick-start this vision, Hart hopes to establish a Friends of the Homestead group. ALSO READ: Voice of the voter: Calls for Horwood's Farm Skatepark to be maintained 'Anyone genuinely interested in helping can get involved. We could meet monthly to clean the site, place plastic sheeting over roof leaks, secure tarpaulins, lay matting over damaged floors, and slowly preserve what remains.' She encourages local businesses to support the initiative through sponsorships of materials and equipment. Those interested in joining or supporting the initiative can contact Hart directly. City responds City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that the city owns the property and that there was a lease application at an advanced stage to lease the property for business purposes. 'The site is recognised as a heritage site. The question regarding the availability of the preservation plan will be referred to the Heritage and Museum Services Section of the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture,' said Dlamini. ALSO READ: Calls for more security made following vandalism at Horwood's Farm 'The plans to wrap the building were unsuccessful due to budgetary constraints. The option to fence off the property to prevent free access was done,' he added. He said the city is open to exploring public-private partnerships or community-led initiatives to restore and repurpose the building for community use. 'This option cannot be ruled out for the future. However, the short-term plan is the lease mentioned. The prospective tenant will rehabilitate the property, guided by the city's Facilities Management Division and the Heritage and Museum Services section of the city to ensure compliance. 'The lease, if approved, will allow a free rental period of six months to cover the rehabilitation costs to be incurred by the prospective tenant,' said Dlamini.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
Community members stitch hope for Edenvale's children in need
Community members stitch hope for Edenvale's children in need Community members and the local business Lavender and Time recently joined forces to spread warmth this winter by crocheting items for two Edenvale charity organisations. Seven blankets were lovingly crocheted for Child Welfare South Africa in Edenvale and Bedfordview, while baby beanies and baby grows were made for children abandoned at Edenvale-based Tree of Hope. The donations were handed over to Michelle dos Santos, Ward 18 committee member responsible for the women and children portfolio, who delivered the items to the respective charities. ALSO READ: Child Welfare Edenvale to hold 74th AGM on August 15 Diane Gomes, who teaches smock making, garment construction and crocheting at Lavender and Time and who was involved in the project, explained that several women who regularly meet at the store wanted to do something special for the community this Mandela Month. Diane said store owner Heather Lawlor selected the charities, and the women began working on the projects in June. Highlighting the many hours and effort involved in handmade blankets and clothing, Diane said the group wanted to give back to reputable organisations. ALSO READ: How to collect your SASSA disability grant immediately She emphasised the importance of supporting charities that work with children, saying that focusing on grassroots levels is vital. 'If we want to have functioning adults in society, we need to focus on assisting children in need,' she said.
