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This Sunday, our SA Rugby Legends and the Lions Rugby team were joined by a multi-faith group of legends in their own right, as they shared shopping and food parcel packing duties to help bless families and households in need of winter warmth and nourishment.

Spar, SA Rugby Legends, Lions, multi faith group charity

In the true spirit of ubuntu, SARLA President Gavin Varejes has brought together a Rabbi, an Imam, a Pastor and members of their flock, along with some of the SA Rugby Legends, who all shopped at the Morningside SPAR (the Wedge Shopping Centre, Rivonia Road) together before packing the groceries into food parcels and distributing to their relevant charities.

"South Africa's rich diversity of culture and religion will be working as one to help make a difference in the lives of those affected at this time", said SARLA President Gavin Varejes.

Spar, SA Rugby Legends, Lions, multi faith group charity

Rabbi Alex Carlebach of the Lyndhurst Synagogue will be donating parcels to Fingertips of Africa, a charity that feeds 10 000 women, men, homeless, disabled and elderly people at various kitchens across the Gauteng region.

Imam Moulana Suhail, Director of Ashraful Aid, will be distributing parcels through the Ashraful Aid organisation, which serves 135 global communities affected by disaster, famine and war.

Spar SARLA Lions multi faith group charity

Rugby Legend, Pastor Pierre Spies of the CRC Church in Pretoria, will be supporting the CRC Cares Charity, which provides donations to communities in Pretoria and surrounding areas.

Gavin Varejes added, “We thank our inter-faith partners for joining us on this special day”.

Lions Captain Elton Jantjies and his teammates were also on-hand to help. Jantjies said, “This is what being South African is all about. Seeing people of different faiths pulling together for one common goal like this is amazing. It’s a real inspiration in this tough time for the country. We are stronger together.”

Spar SARLA Lions multi faith group charity

SARLA CEO, Stefan Terblanche said, “Every Sunday that we do this, we gain momentum. This is a testament to the spirit of collaboration that makes South Africa strong. Please keep supporting our efforts. Together, we can make a significant impact on the lives of our country’s poor.”

Spar SARLA Lions multi faith group charity

The event took place at SPAR, the Wedge Shopping Centre, Rivonia Road, Morningside, on Sunday, 7 June at 12:30pm. SARLA, the Lions Rugby Company and SPAR’s efforts are ongoing. To support this worthy initiative, please visit www.backabuddy.co.za/rugby-legends-feeding-initiative.

Spar SARLA Lions multi faith group charity

To stay up to date with news about SARLA’s continued efforts to support local communities, follow the SA Rugby Legends on Facebook. And for more information, please visit www.sarugbylegends.com

Facebook: SARugbyLegendsAssociation
Twitter: @SARugbyLegends
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SA Rugby Legends Association president GAVIN VAREJES explains how they are giving back during the lockdown.

When John Allan and I started the Legends in 2001, one of the first people we asked to get involved was Ian McIntosh, the former Sharks and Springbok coach. At first, he didn’t like the name ‘Legends’ because he said he wasn’t one. When I told him that for me a legend is someone who gives back, and that is what the Rugby Legends is all about, Mac said he was in!

I’ve got the biggest private collection of Nelson Mandela memorabilia in the world – he’s my hero. Mr Mandela once said: ‘Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.’ I couldn’t agree more.

With the Legends’ Vuka Rugby programme having been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been working really hard on our feeding programmes.

A couple of weeks ago, I sent a message to a group of about 25 people saying I couldn’t stand by while South Africans were starving and encouraged them to meet me at our local Pick n Pay in Morningside. Twenty of them arrived (the other five were out of town) and I told everyone to take a trolley and fill it up with food. We then distributed it to those in need.

This past Sunday, we had 50 people who handed out around 400 food parcels. Several former and current rugby players joined us – including John Smit, Joel Stransky, Warren Brosnihan, Elton Jantjies and Hacjivah Dayimani – as well as Minister Lindiwe Zulu, who filled a trolley and assisted with the packing and handouts.

Craigie Stevenson, Gavin, John Smit, Elton Jantjies and Joel Stransky

Craigie Stevenson, Gavin, John Smit, Elton Jantjies and Joel Stransky

Every food parcel feeds five people for three or four days. It includes things like oats, mielie-meal, beans, polony, nuts, tins of bully beef or pilchards, and salt. We also include a candle, which can burn for 24 hours and be used to heat up a pot, as well as things like sanitary pads, soap and Dettol.

We will also assist in purchasing and distributing hundreds of thousands of meals across the country.

Tightline Fisheries and McCain have donated 30 tons of potatoes to our initiative, for which we are very appreciative, while Bismarck du Plessis has put together food parcels from their farm.

Andrew Dunn and Money4Jam have linked up with Joint Aid Management to help distribute tens of thousands of food vouchers to the poorest and most remote areas of our country.

A huge shout out to Douglas Craigie Stevenson, CEO of Cell C, Ty Waterston from Worldwide Advisory Services, Tony Strike and our other sponsors and supporters who have given us runway, wings and glide path.

It’s truly incredible how the SA Rugby Legends and feeding programmes, from the largest to the smallest, are teaming up to help government feed as many people as we can.

If you are in a position to help, please make a donation at the SA Rugby Legends website or to John Smit’s foundation, Barney’s Army.

Every single cent goes to the cause.

Original article posted on https://rugbyrocks.com/legends-living-up-to-name-during-lockdown

Johannesburg, 18 May 2020 – The South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) is, first and foremost, an advocate for the upliftment of disadvantaged communities throughout South Africa.

Through their VUKA Rugby programme and other charitable initiatives, SARLA tra-ditionally directs its efforts at enriching young people and local communities through sports development. But with all sports on hold during lockdown, SARLA members are now finding other ways to help.

SARLA’s network of Rugby Legends, players and businesses are coming together to help the needy deal with the immediate effects of COVID-19 on their livelihoods and ability to feed themselves.

SARLA leadership actively encourages everyone in their network to do their part to help fight the effects of the pandemic; and so far, many have stepped up to answer the call.

On Sunday, 17 May, at 12h30, Rugby Legends and players, John Smit, Elton Jant-jies, Joel Stransky, Warren Brosnihan and other familiar faces flexed their muscles to fill trolleys Pick n Pay, Morningside Shopping Centre.

Each player grabbed a trolley and packed it with essentials like beans, pap, and sugar, then pushed their trolleys to the car park to unload and put together food parcels. Once parcels were packed, every player took them to be handed out to needy people in their area of choice. South Africa’s Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, also arrived to lend a hand with the food parcels.

Rugby legends fill trolleys for charity

Gavin Varejes, President of SARLA and CEO of Richmark Holdings, said, “I couldn’t be prouder of how our boys have stepped up to feed our communities. And I really hope that they serve as an inspiration for others in this challenging time.

“We’ve seen our network and our sponsors come off the bench to help out in a big way to fight the effects of COVID-19. We are hopeful that we can play a part in get-ting South Africa to bounce back quickly.”

SARLA’s Rugby Legends have kept extremely busy supporting community uplift-ment this year.

  • John Smit’s Epic Lockdown Ride for Food saw over 1000 cycling around their gardens to raise funds for needy communities.
  • Natural soft drink brand, Lemonlicious, joined SARLA in handing over food and cooldrinks at VUKA schools in Johannesburg.
  • Joel Stransky, Dave von Hoesslin and Wayne Boardman handed out food parcels around Gauteng.
  • Several Rugby Legends, including SARLA CEO, Stefan Terblanche, Dick Muir and Wayne Fyvie participated in the #SparDonate challenge.
  • Bizmark Du Plessis has launched an initiative making maize meal available at a highly reduced cost of R1.50.
  • SARLA’s Dale Santon conducted three food drops of 250 food parcels to help over 1000 people in the Western Cape VUKA Rugby regions of Laven-der Hill, Mitchell’s Plain, Steenberg and Khayelitsha.

SARLA would like to say a special thanks to all the loyal sponsors who have made such a massive difference to these initiatives. Special thanks to Douglas Craigie Stevenson, CEO of Cell C, who was on-hand to offer support at Sunday’s trolley dash in Morningside and continues to be a loyal supporter of SARLA. And finally, thanks to Minister Lindiwe Zulu for her valued support.

Facebook: SARugbyLegendsAssociation
Twitter: @SARugbyLegends
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Infographic: How much money was raised with the CEO SleepOut?

Yet another successful Sun International CEO Sleep-Out took place this year. Here are some of results and beneficiaries.

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The 2016 CEO SleepOut saw South Africa’s C-Suite Members and Influencers spend a winter’s night on the streets gaining empathy for the homeless while raising funds for vulnerable communities.

“This year, just over R20 million was collected and banked so far,” said Gawie Marais, Partner at BDO, the CEO SleepOut Stakeholder Audit Partner. “Donations of R9 million will be awarded to the three Primary Beneficiary Partners equally; The ASHA Trust, Columba Leadership and The Steve Biko Foundation – all of which up-skill the youth and youth educators, or train in early childhood development. As just over R30 million was pledged, a further R10 million will also be divided equally and awarded to those Beneficiary Partners when collected,” said Darren Olivier, Trustee.

Caxton and CTP Publishers was one of the Stakeholders at the event with both Tim Holden, Executive Director and Jaco Koekemoer, Managing Director participating in the actual sleep out.

Caxton also produced the Homeless Talk supplement for the event as a fundraiser this year. The supplement took a look at the representation of homeless people, as well as factors that affect homelessness in SA. A nationally representative data study found that 14 million South Africans go hungry every day. Eleven schools registered and took part in the CEO SleepOut this year.

Summary of funds raised:

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The remaining funds were used to manage this mammoth operation and its associated logistics, with R3 million being kept in reserve to launch The 2017 Event. Over two years, R34 million has been donated to charity, representing 73% of The Project’s income revenue.

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The C-suit members and ambassadors 

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The CEOs who raised the most funds were Brett Levy, Joint Chief Executive Officer, Blue Label Telecoms Ltd, Paul Dunne, Chief Executive Officer, Northam Platinum Ltd, and Gavin Varejes, Executive Chairman, Richmark Holdings.

The primary and secondary beneficiaries included:

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Secondary Beneficiaries in 2016 included Homeless Talk, The Salvation Army, and Gift of the Givers, which all benefited from The Projects affiliated to The CEO SleepOut.

The full participant numbers

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More CEO SleepOut results

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Article originally published midrandreporter.co.za

Richmark Holdings hosted its annual charity golf day on the 3rd November at Houghton Golf Club where clients, friends and colleagues were treated to a game of night golf. The field consisted of 128 players playing nine holes on a beautiful evening with fluorescent golf balls and tees. This is the 10th year that Richmark has hosted a golf day in lieu of charity.

Mr Andrew Dunn, CEO of Richmark Holdings, presented two cheques on the evening, the first one being handed to Joint Aid Management (JAM) for R200,000.00 and the second one to The Kirsty Watts Foundation also for R200,000.00. Richmark proudly supports both these Charities and their efforts!

What a wonderful occasion on a prefect evening….this all made possible by our customers and partners….thank you for making such a huge impact on all the beneficiaries of JAM and the KWF….here is to the next 10 years! Andrew Dunn, CEO of Richmark Holdings.

Mr Andrew Dunn JAM
Mr Andrew Dunn Kristy watts foundation

Gavin Varejes is currently 2nd on the list for most funds raised for the CEO sleep out 2016 just below Brett Levy from Blue Label Telecoms

Six CEOs from the South African tech industry are among the top 20 business leaders who have, so far, raised the most money for The Sun International CEO SleepOut.

The event will take place on the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Braamfontein on Thursday night. It will see business leaders sleep on the streets for an evening, with a sleeping bag and cardboard floor-covering, to raise money and awareness of the plight of the homeless.

The CEO SleepOut Web site explains: "While this does not begin to simulate the reality of South Africa's most vulnerable children, it is a show of solidarity and a commitment to use business as a force for change."

Each CEO is required to commit to raising R160 000, and there is a leader board that shows how much each has raised so far.

In second place is Brett Levy, joint-CEO of Blue Label Telecoms, who has raised R347 500 already. Last year, he raised the most, achieving over R380 000.

His brother Mark Levy is at ninth with R184 000. MTN SA CEO Mteto Nyati has raised R171 100 so far and is in 12th place. In 16th place, Isaac Mophatlane, CEO of Business Connexion, has raised R163 830. He is followed by JJ Milner, MD of Global Micro Solutions, who has raised R161 800. Mark Rayner, CEO of MultiChoice SA, has raised R161 370 and is placed 19th.

These positions and figures are subject to change as more money is raised in the lead up to Thursday.

This year, the CEOs will each be joined by a staff member from their organisation, a student, and a matric learner. The idea is that these additional people, who show future business leader potential, will be able to network during the evening.

Last year, the event raised over R26 million for Girls & Boys Town. It was the largest sum raised by a single South African charity event.

It was also the largest amount of funds raised for any inaugural CEO SleepOut event. Sydney hosted its 10th event last year and Johannesburg raised more than Sydney did in its first year.

This year, there will be three beneficiaries − Asha Trust, Columbia Leadership and the Steve Biko Foundation − that will each receive an equal share of the net proceeds from the event.

The challenge was founded in 2006 in Australia and has since become a global movement, and aims to make businesses have a broader mandate than profits on its agenda.

CEO sleep out 2016