Randridge Mall got into the spirit of Mandela month this July, with 2400 squares ,knitted by staff and tenants from Sorbet and DM Watch & Gift, stitched together to create 80 blankets for delivery to Thandanani House of Refuge in Roodeport as a tribute to South Africa’s ultimate statesman and humanitarian, Nelson Mandela.
Marketing manager, Siphelele Sokhela, said that many of the mall’s most energetic knitters were still turning out squares which were being packaged in 30’s. Shoppers and members of the community are being asked to pick up these packages so that they can join the squares together and make them into blankets. An added incentive is a competition with a prize of a shopping voucher worth R2000. Once everyone has returned their completed blankets to the mall by July 25, the winner will be drawn.
Sokhela says this will give Randridge Mall time to make sure that the blankets are sanitized and dry cleaned before they are dropped off at the Thandanani House of Refuge, which cares for abandoned, abused, orphaned and neglected children.
“Recent cold snaps have been the perfect reminder of just how cold it can get and how much our little ones need extra warmth during these chilly winter months. We would like to thank both the staff that knitted the squares and the community members who transformed them into warm blankets for helping us to reach out to the poor. We know that Madiba loved children and, through this project, we have proved that, if we work together, we can reach out to those who need us most,” said Siphelele Sokhela.
