A 'blanket approach'
The 'blanket approach' started with mobilising Momentum staff and as many people as possible to knit squares for the ladies at Irene Homes to knit into blankets. The big goal was to have enough blankets to cover an entire cricket oval. Local blanket manufacturer Sesli Blankets came on board with a promise to donate a blanket for every completed knitted blanket. As it turns out, Sesli exceeded their promise by also donating an additional 380 blankets.
A blanket handover ceremony to recipient charities was held at the Johannesburg Cricket Club on Wednesday 25 June 2014. All the blankets were laid out on the pitch to see how close we came to our goal. In all, a total of 620 blankets will be donated. The initial recipient orphanages are: Growing Wise Homeless, Doves Nest Place of Safety and Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy Winterveldt. Other blanket drives will receive the remainder.
The campaign was kicked off earlier this year with support from the Momentum Proteas, the national women's cricket team, players from the Unlimited Titans, Cricket of the Year AB de Villiers and media and all of Momentum's staff and partners throughout South Africa.
Head of CSI at Momentum, Charlene Lackay, commented, "What a fulfilling project to be a part of! We are especially grateful to everyone at Irene Homes, who so willingly donated their time to a great cause. They agreed to help teach Momentum staff and others how to knit, and took up the mammoth task of matching up all the knitted squares and sewing them into blankets. Their work will keep many orphans warm this winter and for that we are wholeheartedly grateful."
Owners of Sesli Blankets, brothers Muzaffer and Mustafa Sesli, said the company was delighted to be involved in such a worthy cause. "It brings us joy to have been able to contribute towards keeping those less fortunate, warm this winter and we hope that it will make an impact for those who really need it."
