Winter donation brings comfort to homeless

MINDFUL of the plight faced by homeless people during winter, a local community organisation has collected trolley-loads of clothing, tinned foods, blankets and non-perishable items to donate to Cape Town’s nine Haven Night Shelters.

Rondebosch-based Peninsula 77 Round Table Winter Knights hosted their annual one-day street collection drive at Montclare Place in Claremont on Saturday.

The organisation’s public and international relations officer, Thomas du Plooy, said: “It’s now mid-winter and, with the snow and cold fronts heading for Cape Town, it’s difficult for the homeless and those who don’t have shelter.

“We support our local communities by collecting donations from the public to give back to the (needy) community.

“We had a successful campaign in that we collected more clothing, blankets, toiletries and non-perishable food items for the homeless in our local communities.

“We also gave (some of the collected) items to Jubilee Community Swop Shop for the Homeless.”

Du Plooy said the Peninsula 77 Round Table Winter Knights also donated R5 000 to the Knysna Round Table for those affected by the recent wildfires, while the South Cape Round Table Winter Knights had raised and donated R200 000 for victims of the fires.

He said the organisation’s biggest annual fund-raiser is the Noddy Charity Christmas Party, which they host for disadvantaged children in the Southern Suburbs.

Haven Night Shelter spokesperson, Hassan Khan, confirmed the Peninsula 77 Round Table Winter Knights’ donation, for which he was very grateful.

“Haven Night Shelter policy is that we use what we need in our shelters and anything in excess of Haven’s needs we pass on to other NGOs and oldage homes and crèches – and sometimes to families in need.

“We are currently on a programme of collecting goods, such as baby formula, bottles, diapers and dairy products for children up to the age of 10 years in Philippi,” added Du Plooy.