Thursday 10 November 2011 – Golfing legend Gary Player was on hand today when Coca-Cola, the presenting sponsor of the Gary Player Invitational (GPI), visited the impoverished Buffelsdraai community in KwaZulu-Natal to announce an estimated R1 million donation to boost the work of the Wildlands Conservation Trust.
Wildlands uplifts rural and peri-urban communities through the creation of “green jobs” for the poor and restores the natural environment of these communities. One of its successes is a waste-preneur programme which sees members of the community barter their recycling in exchange for bicycles, building materials and food.
Today’s trip to the Wildlands project in Buffelsdraai saw Coca-Cola rewarding the sterling efforts of the country’s top 10 waste-preneurs. They were presented with bicycles after meeting their target of each collecting 3 000kgs of recyclable waste.
The GPI, which is hosted at the prestigious Zimbali Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal from November 10 to 13, is South Africa’s premier charity sporting event and the target for 2011 is to raise R2 million, dependent on the outcome of the annual black-tie auction on Friday November 11. Every R1 raised at the GPI SA will reward 1kg of plastic waste collected for recycling, with bicycles and food. The bicycles enable improved access to work and education.
Funds raised will be split equally between the Wildlands Conservation Trust and the Gary Player Foundation, which provides quality education to underprivileged children and strengthens impoverished communities.
Wildlands will use its estimated R1 million donation to buy 665 bicycles supplied by Qhubeka, a fellow KwaZulu-Natal non-profit organisation dedicated to using bicycles to provide a cost effective, healthy and effective mobility solution for South Africa’s communities. Wildlands has worked with Qhubeka to develop a Bikes for Life model, through which Green-preneurs either barter their recycling for bicycles or are rewarded with a bicycle for their exceptional effort. The bicycles are assembled in Pietermaritzburg through a partnership between Wildlands, Qhubeka and World Bicycle Relief.
Wildlands has green-preneur networks in 35 communities, spread across four provinces, who will grow over 600 000 trees this coming year while collecting over 3 000 000 kgs of recycling. The trees are planted out in community greening and forest restoration projects, which are integrated into local green-preneur based river, wetland, grassland and forest restoration activities. A key element of this recycling process is the re-use of PET and plastic containers. Coca-Cola also presented the waste-preneurs with stylish water-proof jackets made from recycled PET plastics.
Coca-Cola selected Wildlands as a major beneficiary because its goals are strongly aligned to the company’s Live for a Difference campaign, which focuses among others on entrepreneurship and recycling. “Our commitment, through our Live for a Difference sustainability programme, is to making a positive difference in the world by redesigning the way we work and live so that sustainability is part of everything we do. Forever. We are using our partnership with the Gary Player Invitational to push this agenda,” said William Egbe, the President of Coca-Cola South Africa.
The South African GPI, which features Major golf champions, celebrities and top-flight businessmen rubbing shoulders on the fairways, is the final of the four-tournament international series that includes the United Kingdom, United States, and China. Throughout its history the GPI series has raised more than R250-million for its beneficiaries worldwide.
Gary Player has long been a dedicated environmentalist whose philosophy in his business operations has always been to respect the land and its natural beauty and biodiversity. The Wildlands partnership is explicitly aligned with his thinking.
The GPI’s status as South Africa’s premier charity golf tournament is enhanced by the longstanding support of its committed sponsors partners and suppliers, including the technology leader in business software solutions, SAP, as well as Rolex, Johnnie Walker, UPS, Callaway and Audi.
The GPI is open to the public and the line-up for 2011 includes Gary Player, Ian Woosnam, glamorous golf pro Carly Booth and Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev. Tickets can be bought at Zimbali on the day or book through Computicket for R75 an adult and free entry for children.
About the Wildlands Conservation Trust
The Wildlands Conservation Trust is supporting the establishment of a network of Community Ecosystem Based Adaptation (CEBA) projects across the country, which focus on the link between African communities and the ecosystems that underwrite the welfare and livelihood of these communities.
The key elements of these projects are:
• The UPLIFTMENT of local communities through the establishment of “green jobs” for the poor and unemployed.
• The RESTORATION of the ecosystems that underwrite the welfare of these communities and which reduce our collective vulnerability to climate change
• The establishment of delivery PARTNERSHIPS between Government, Businesses, Non-Government Organisations and local communities.
About the Gary Player Invitational Global Series
The Gary Player Invitational Series, with events in the United Kingdom, United States, Abu Dhabi, China and South Africa, is aimed at raising money for non-profit charitable organisations, whose mission is to provide quality education for disadvantaged and underprivileged children and strengthen impoverished communities plagued by disease and crime.
For over a decade, top professionals, all-star sportsmen, celebrities, and businessmen have come together for the annual Gary Player Invitational in support of underprivileged children. For more information about our charity series, please visit www.garyplayerinvitational.com.
About Black Knight International
Black Knight International, the global holding company for all divisions of The Player Group, maintains a strong presence in North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Gary Player’s penchant for wearing black attire on the golf course, coupled with his competitive style of play and courteous demeanour, earned him the name, “The Black Knight.” The recognizable Black Knight logo identifies all the companies of The Player Group, including the Gary Player®, Player® and Black Knight® brands.
Contact:
Marc Tudhope, Managing Director, Black Knight International
E: marc@garyplayer.co.za or T: +27 21 671 5159
Debra Barnes, Client Service Director, Black Knight International
E: debbie@garyplayer.co.za or T: +27 21 671 5159
Splash PR
Doug Carew
E: doug@splashpr.co.za or T: +27 21 2790 9911 / +27 82 946 5750