The Bread tags for Wheelchairs project, started by Polystyrene Packaging Council’s (PSPC) has been hugely successful.
The Bread tags for Wheelchairs project, started by Polystyrene Packaging Council’s (PSPC) has been hugely successful.
The project assists people in need around the country to get wheelchairs. Currently in its eighth year, the fund-raising scheme encourages people to collect their bread tags which are then used to “purchase” wheelchairs for needy recipients. The plastic bread tags are made from high-density polystyrene, and can be recycled into, for example, seedling trays, cornices, skirtings, outdoor furniture, coat hangers, etc.
Pick n Pay in the Peppergrove Mall is currently the main central collection point in Grahamstown. Local physiotherapist, Fiona Semple, who now co-ordinates the project locally, collects the tags, and weighs and packs them, ready for ‘shipping’ once the target is reached. Currently, about 350kg of bread tags are needed for one wheelchair.
This is a lot of bread tags so any help in collecting tags would be appreciated by Semple who can be contacted on 046 622 3712.
Project co-ordinators ask that you do not deposit anything other than the bread tags in the collection boxes to facilitate the job of sorting and packing of the tags ready for shipping.
Removal of snares
A couple of recent reports have put the issue of snaring in the limelight again. Snaring is an emotive issue — either from the point of view of being a cruel form of killing wildlife, or killing threatened species, or from the point of view of animals being a food source for the indigent and unemployed.
Wherever one’s sentiments or needs lie, in terms of the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974, snaring is a criminal offence unless the land owner has a certificate of adequate enclosure (for example, a game farm). Local conservation officer Quintus Hahndiek has confirmed that, although the commonage is managed by the municipality, it is public land and snaring on the commonage areas is illegal.
This includes the newly formed Gowie Valley Conservancy, an area also susceptible to snaring. In response to the recent incidents of snaring, the local branch of the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA is looking to organise snare hunts or patrols, as well as an educational talk. Should any person or group wish to participate in this project please contact Eileen Shepherd at deshepherd1906@gmail.com
Local CREW activity
A number of ideas on the way forward for local CREW (Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers) groups arose out of a meeting in February when Tilla Raimondo, who spearheads SANBI’s Threatened Species Programme, gave an overview of the important work of this programme and how CREW fits in to this work.
CREW was started in 2003 and there are many active groups of volunteers in the country who go out regularly to look for threatened plants in the field. Going forward, instead of only monitoring the rare plants, local CREW groups will also monitor specific plots regularly, to generate a record in our local Herbarium of the flora with a view to preventing species becoming threatened in the future.
The Kenton/Bushmans group has already started their monthly monitoring and the Grahamstown group will be starting tomorrow. Potential monitoring sites under consideration are Mountain Drive, Mayfield Waterworks area, and Goodwin’s Kloof. For more info on local CREW activities, contact locally-based Eastern Cape CREW co-ordinator, Vathiswa Zikishe at V.Zikishe@sanbi.org.za.
Diarise the Green Fun Run on 1 May
The RMR Makana Green Fun Run will be taking place this year on May Day – Workers Day. This annual event is a highlight on university and community calendars. Registration starts at 3pm on the Drostdy Lawns – behind the Drostdy Arch, Somerset Street – and the run begins at 4.30pm.
The runners’ route is 6.4km and the walkers’ route is 2.3 km.
The event has a twofold aim: to bring people together linking Rhodes University scholars and academics with local schools and residents from Grahamstown central and surrounds; and to raise funds towards green initiatives on Rhodes campus, and beyond.
Anyone can get involved – as a runner, a walker, or businesses can sponsor scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds.
If you would like to be part of the fun, but not run/walk, the organisers are looking for marshals to ensure that the race runs smoothly. Please email Rebecca, rebeccajoub@gmail.com, or Shannon, g12h0176@campus.ru.ac.za, if you are willing to give a few hours to help marshal on the day. RMR Green Fun Run details at: www.ru.ac.za/greenliving/greenfunrun/
