At the beginning of May, Prof de la Rey launched the Woolly Winter Campaign as part of the University of Pretoria’s community engagement responsibility to assist local communities. She called on the staff and the students to make this year’s campaign ‘bigger and better’ than the previous year, with a target of 500 blankets to be collected.

The University’s community, including members of the public, responded to the call and contributed more than 700 blankets, food, and clothes with an estimated monetary value of R45 925.

Last week, 200 blankets, food and clothes were given to Child Welfare Tshwane, which will distribute these items to various charity organisations in the district. Another batch of blankets was also handed over to the Mamelodi Old Age Home. The last batch of blankets will be distributed at a day-care centre in Mamelodi.

The programme manager at Tuks FM, Dewald Noel, said they had engaged with members of the community in trying to establish what their needs were, and the Old Age home had been identified as an institution to benefit from the campaign. He appealed to the students to get involved in their communities and assist where they can. “Although it is important to focus on big and important issues of national concern, we should also focus on small projects which are often overlooked within our communities. In this way we as the youth can make a bigger contribution to the society in a very small way”, he said.

Prof Cheryl de la Rey also reiterated the same views and said the University of Pretoria was trying to get more students involved in more community engagement projects which made a difference in local communities. “I am very pleased that Tuks FM chose a project that will make a difference to the elderly, who are often a much neglected group. As Mandela Day approaches, I am again appealing to the University’s community to get involved in making a difference to our local communities”, she said.
 

Prof Cheryl de la Rey and Tuks FM crew, at the blanket handover to the elderly people in Mamelodi.

 Prof Cheryl de la Rey with the elderly residents of the Mamelodi Old Age Home.

 Tuks FM DJ, Gift Mona (left) and Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator Tuks FM, Zandi Skhonde, handing over the blankets to the elderly.