Yesterday I attended a moving StreetSmart South Africa function at the Salesian Institute, at which R540000 of the annual monies raised in Cape Town restaurants was presented to six organizations working with street children. In total StreetSmart raised R1,1 million nationally in the past year. Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Margi Biggs
StreetSmart SA restaurant patrons donate over R1 million for the upliftment of street children!
On Tuesday I was invited to attend the hand-over ceremony of StreetSmart SA, of the monies raised by the voluntary R5 added to the bill of 92 restaurants around the country. The more than R1 million raised nationally goes to social upliftment projects for street children. Continue reading →
2014 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism winners honoured at Waterford Estate!
About two weeks ago we received the media release announcing the South African winners of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism awards. On Friday the awards were officially handed over at the Tuscan-inspired Waterford Estate, which won the South African leg of the competition.
I had never been to Waterford Estate before, at the end of the Blaauwklippen Road in Stellenbosch, and it is a surprise to see the Tuscan-design buildings once one has passed the
ponds, parking amongst the fruit trees. We were told that the wine estate had been in an almost derelict state when it was bought by Jeremy Ord, and built into the magnificent estate it is now over about 12 years. Sustainability of all natural resources is important to the owners and staff, and the ponds collect all waste water, which is recycled, we were told by Cellar Master Kevin Arnold.
Prior to the Awards luncheon, invited guests were able to enjoy a Wine Drive or to walk the Porcupine Trail. We enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine by KWV, found our names on a Continue reading →
Streetsmart smart move for restaurants and beneficiaries!
I have not been a great fan of the forced R5 addition to one’s restaurant bill without permission in Streetsmart restaurants, but after attending the presentation of monies to support the good community work for street children it is funding, and hearing what a difference the money makes to the less fortunate at a function held at The Salesian Institute on Thursday evening, my perception about Streetsmart has changed completely.
Established in 2005 by tour operator Margi Biggs as a means of helping street children, and now chaired by committee junkie Nils Heckscher (he has been or currently serves on the board of FEDHASA Cape, Cape Town 
Tourism, the former Cape Town Routes Unlimited, and Tourism Marketing of South Africa), Streetsmart generated just over R900000 in the past year, and a total of R7 million since its establishment. R5 is added to the restaurant bill per table, irrespective of the number of patrons seated at the table. This money is transferred to Streetsmart once a month. Streetsmart is also collected in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and in India.
Heckscher suffers badly from being in the shadow of his very well-known Continue reading →