Fluffy friends to raise funds for aquarium
EAST London-made “sea friend” toys – including seals, gannets, penguins and sharks – are set to become the new collectibles and the proceeds of their sale will help the East London Aquarium to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine animals.
The toys will be launched at an open morning at the aquarium between 9am and 11am today in celebration of National Marine Day.
Entry to the partially reopened aquarium will be free between 9am and 4.30pm.
Massive waves pounded the aquarium on the Esplanade in August, causing major structural damage to the tune of up to R1-million to its viewing decks, pump room, outside ablutions, electrical systems and enviro centre.
Part of it is now open to the public and repairs are scheduled for completion by the December holidays.
Lee-anne Andersen of the Friends of the East London Museum (Fela) said today would mark the launch of the Ocean Lifeline Project.
“This is a fundraising campaign that will be used for the ocean animals. The aquarium often gets strandings and they need antibiotics and medication, and to transport injured animals to Port Elizabeth or Cape Town,” Andersen said.
While the community often came forward to transport ailing turtles and penguins to other cities after responding to the aquarium’s social media requests, it was not always possible to rely on this method for urgent assistance, she said.
“We once had a penguin wash up at Coffee Bay but there was no one who could drive it here and it died.
“So the funds in the Ocean Lifeline Project will mean we will have petrol money and can immediately send a vehicle to collect it.”
She said members of the public wanting to sign a stop order to donate any monthly amount to the project would have an opportunity to do so at the aquarium today.
“Anyone who signs a debit order for R100 per month for a year will receive a free sea friend, which was made and designed in East London.”
The toys will also be for sale at R60 each.
“We need a constant inflow of funds which will go directly into a private Fela bank account and will be used only to rescue and rehabilitate marine animals.
“The account will be audited and we will be transparent in how the money is used,” Andersen said.
Some of the funds would also be used to educate school pupils about the devastating effects single-use plastics such as drinking straws have on sea creatures.
Buffalo City Metro chief of marine services Siani Tinley emphasised that funds raised would not go to the aquarium, but rather for the rehabilitative work it does.
She said Ocean Lifeline Project funds will ensure the animal will be rehabilitated until it can hopefully be released back into the wild.
There will be no entrance fee to the aquarium between 9am and 4.30pm today but not all areas are open to the public due to storm damage. — barbarah @dispatch.co.za