To celebrate Mandela Day this year, Supa Quick has sponsored 50 packs of wool which will be made into 1 000 reflective beanies for children. This initiative, called Halo Beanies, is the brainchild of Wheel Well, the charity focused on children’s safety on the road of which Supa Quick is a long-time supporter.
Wheel Well’s Founder, Peggie Mars, says that pedestrians are particularly vulnerable on our roads at night, especially children. According to RTMC figures for pedestrian fatalities, 746 children under the age of four, a further 746 between the ages of five and nine and 407 in the 10-14 years old group were killed on our roads in 2022.
“Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable on our roads, particularly at night—children in particular. Making them highly visible is very effective in reducing the number of fatalities—World Health Organisation figures show that reflective gear reduces pedestrian road fatalities by up to 85%,” she says. “I felt that the key was to come up with a reflective garment that children would wear, and that was cost effective too.”
Mars points out that reflective strips on rucksacks or school uniforms are not very effective because children either lose them or don’t use them when playing.
Mars came up with an innovative solution. The first step was to source yarn that was both soft and highly reflective. The yarn used is made of the same material as the reflective strips on workwear. She then developed a model that links corporate sponsors with knitting groups in communities, working in partnership with Rotary.
Here’s how it works. Wheel Well supplies packs containing enough wool to knit or crochet 100 beanies plus simple patterns, knitting needles and crochet hooks. Each pack costs R2 700, and is sponsored by companies like Supa Quick. The packs are then distributed to knitting groups in communities, old age homes and the like. The knitting groups are able to decide where they want the beanies distributed and can participate in the handover as well.
Packs for individuals are also available at Wheel Well facilities for R45.
“Like all Wheel Well’s initiatives, the Halo Beanies project is meticulously designed to address the challenge of child fatalities on our roads. It fosters collaboration between corporations and communities to work towards saving lives,” says Yolandi Grundeling, Brand Manager at Supa Quick. “We hope other companies in the automotive industry will support this project to reduce the number of child pedestrian fatalities caused by poor visibility, especially on crowded and poorly lit township streets, amidst the country’s challenges like loadshedding.
“Given Madiba’s dedication to children’s welfare, it’s fitting that our sponsorship aligns with Mandela Day, a time dedicated to making a positive impact.”
Wheel Well’s primary focus is reconditioning car seats for distribution to families who otherwise could not afford them. Supa Quick outlets serve as collection points for donated used car seats.
