A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and supported the EcoTrail Hike and Bike – hiking the trails, riding the tracks or walking your dogs – making it such a huge success again this year. The event once again raised funds for the St Andrew’s social development programme, uBambiswano, which means “Holding Hands” – a Saturday School programme held at St Andrew’s for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underperforming schools. The programme provides a safe environment where the students can realise their potential and benefit from excellent teaching and valuable resources to supplement their education in Daveyton and Etwatwa.

A sincere thank you to the EcoTrail Team, St Andrew’s, Bedfordview, staff and students from uBambiswano staff and students, Huddle Park Golf and Recreation Centre staff, Modern Athlete staff, and the 24/7 Security team for their incredible support and their hard work in ensuring that the event ran smoothly and efficiently.

The ticket sales, online charity donations, parking fees, exhibitors’ fees and face-painting stall, as well as generous monetary donations from raised an astounding profit for the charity.

We are sincerely grateful for the various sponsorships and services from St Andrew’s School for Girls’ Parents’ Association, St Andrew’s School for Girls’ Rowing Club, Dis-Chem, The Housemaid, Modern Athlete, 24/7 Security, Beswick Machinery and MINI Bedfordview.

The day was complemented by various exhibitors: Dis-Chem Wellness Clinic, Curves Ladies-Only gym, JointEze sports massage therapists, and the Ekufundzeni mobile library which serves disadvantaged public schools by providing reading material and ‘Reading Gogos’. We also thank our food vendors for keeping our participants well fed and hydrated during the morning: Cupped, Chip ‘n Dip, Man-in-a-Van, Romy’s Cuisine and Caphine Café.

In addition to benefitting uBambiswano, this event helped highlight the importance of preserving our neighbouring wetland within Huddle Park Golf and Recreation Centre. The school’s Junior Eco Club and Senior Eco Task Team did an incredible job of cleaning up the refuse after the event; and they provided recycling bin stations around the venue and supplied water bowls for the dogs. The event also assisted the Germiston/Bedfordview SPCA in their efforts to collect food and blankets for their shelter animals, whereby participants donated generously for the privilege and joy of having their fur-babies join them on the day.

Diarize the weekend of Mandela Day 2018 for the next much-anticipated EcoTrail Hike and Bike event, in aid of uBambiswano. All possible sponsors and donors kindly contact ccannone@standrews.co.za for details on how to be part of this very worthwhile and successful BEE-supported fundraiser.