‘Pigs for People’ project boosts community
OWNERS and managers at the Historic Pig and Whistle Inn initiated a project called “Pigs for People” as a means to give something back to the Bathurst community.
The public are able to buy a wooden pig plaque for R250 which is then engraved with the buyer’s name and hung in the Pig and Whistle bar. The proceeds of the wooden pigs are all donated to community projects.
The most recent recipient was Entandweni Afterschool. The aftercare centre was opened in 2014 and looks after about 30 children who are assisted with school homework, life skills and have a safe place to stay while their parents are at work.
The Entandweni Afterschool programme is run by Nozuko Tokwe who said that the programme was designed to help teach children skills and to keep them off the streets and in safety while also focusing on school work.
Using the proceeds from recent piggy purchases, The Pig and Whistle bought items suggested by Entandweni Afterschool’s wish-list which included board games, stationery, hoola hoops, balls and other fun, interactive and educational items.
Front of house manager at the Pig and Whistle, Natalie Brighton, a Stenden alumnus, contacted Mzameli Dikeni at Stenden to help facilitate the handover with English students, Heather Phillpot and Beth Cockpain, from Coventry College in England who are interning at Entandweni Aftercare.
Anyone can be part of the Pigs for People initiative.
The man responsible for the carving and engraving the little wooden piggies is a local Bathurst man who receives a small percentage of the donation, thus supporting more local enterprise, Brighton said.
In the last two years, the Pigs for People Initiative have been able to donate a jungle gym and Wendy house to the Bathurst Primary School.
Last year they held a fantastic Christmas party for the school.
Pigs for People are continuously looking for ways to support the community and hope to have many more people joining their initiative.
“Thanks to the community and for all the support, through all the support of our guests and customers who buy the wooden pigs we put up in our pub.
“We have been able to source a few or all of each item on the wish-list for the aftercare school in Bathurst,” said Brighton.