KNYSNA NEWS - Three groups of Grade R learners at their respective schools have recently benefited from a back-to-school drive initiated by a local shopping centre, which was held during February.

For the project, the team at Woodmill Lane Shopping Centre collected various items of stationery throughout last month as part of a drive to assist Grade R learners for their return to school. 

Thanks to the collection, they were able to put together 20 bags of stationery and a few extra items for kiddies with a sweet tooth. The handover at both institutions was carried out on Tuesday 2 March.

To help identify the schools and/or crèches that needed the back-to-school bags most, centre manager Madele van Niekerk reached out to Knysna councillor Georlene Wolmarans. 

"The smaller schools and crèches have had a very tough time during the pandemic as they don't yet qualify for assistance from the government, and also because parents are struggling to pay school fees," Wolmarans said. 

This led to them identifying St Patricks Magdaleentjie Pre-Primary School and Tinkerland Nursery School as the beneficiaries of the bags.

Pictured during the handover at Sunridge Primary is Knysna Municipality councillor Georlene Wolmarans, Sunridge teacher Christelle September, Woodmill Lane manager Madele van Niekerk, Sunridge teachers Maria Rhode and Rozé Pasja. Front, from left to right: Diago Alcaster, Candin Windvogel, Geneva Christians, Zurique Andrews, and Waylon Innes.

The bags contained various items of stationery such as a branded ruler, pencils, a scissor, a notebook, glue, a whiteboard marker, and crayons. In the end, 15 bags were handed to the Grade R learners at Magdaleentjie, and five bags were handed to the Grade R children at Tinkerland on 2 March. 

"The teachers and principal were very thankful for the helping hand and you could definitely see the sparkle in those little kids' eyes when they received their school bags. It is truly a great feeling to give back to the community, especially when you get to see those happy little faces," Van Niekerk said.

In addition to the bags handed over to Magdaleentjie and Tinkerland, the centre also procured 60 branded rulers that were handed over to Sunridge Primary School on Friday 5 March.

Woodmill Lane Shopping Centre manager Madele van Niekerk, Magdaleentjie Pre-Primary principal Magdalene Moos, and Knysna Councillor Georlene Wolmarans with some of the bags donated to the school.

'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'