Camps Bay Clean invites Camps Bay and Cape Town residents to join it on Mandela Day, Tuesday 18 July at 12h30, to give 67 minutes in honour of our late President Nelson Mandela.

Initially I was a lone soul in picking up the litter, until I started a monthly Camps Bay Community Clean on a Saturday or a Sunday, for one hour. The 41 Restaurant donated Fitch & Leedes beverages to the participants, as well as a prize of two burgers for the person collecting the most litter. Occasional donations of Home Composting kits are received from Clearer Conscience recycling company.

Twice we have invited Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis to join us, creating a major boost in our attendance numbers. We receive generous support from the Camps Bay Primary School in learners and their parents attending. We have filled up to 100 bags with litter at community cleaning events.

I have worked with a number of assistants over the four year period, initially homeless persons, but now I am very happy to work with Joy, who comes to clean up on one weekday a week after he has finished his day’s work, picking up litter at hotspots identified by local residents via our Camps Bay Clean Whats App Group, sending photographs and the location of litter. We proactively look for litter at spots at which we regularly find litter, often the sleeping places of vagrants in the area. We usually fill up to 30 bags per weekday.

We meet on the lawn opposite The 41 Restaurant in Camps Bay at 12h30 on Tuesday 18 July. Please bring a pair of gloves. I will bring bags. Fitch & Leedes will offer beverages after the Litter Clean.

I am grateful to all our community members and the sponsorships received from residents, Harcourts Atlantic, and the Camps Bay Ratepayers Association, in support of our work in Camps Bay. The support from the City of Cape Town Cleansing Department and Councillor Nicola Jowell is highly valued.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide @campsbayclean @whaletalesblog