For the past seven years Capetonians have warmed the hearts of the city’s needy by donating generously to Good Hope FM’s annual Keep Cape Town Warm campaign. On Tuesday evening, Good Hope FM and Absa Bank once again committed both organisations’ time, resources and support, to focus on issues closer to the heart of the Mother city, at the launch of the campaign that was hosted at the Silvertree Restaurant at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Every year thousands of Capetonians are left destitute by the winter storms that rage through the Cape. In a bid to help the many families that suffer, Good Hope FM and Absa Bank have again joined forces for the annual Keep Cape Town Warm campaign. Good Hope FM and Absa Bank are hoping that Cape Town residents will once again step up and support this initiative this winter.

In 2010, Capetonians donated more than 1105 blankets, 130 black garbage bags of clothing and some non perishable food towards this annual goodwill drive, in the aim of aiding the city’s disadvantaged through the Good Hope FM Keep Cape Town Warm campaign with the support of Absa Bank.

Capetonians are encouraged to be part of this initiative by donating blankets, clothes and non-perishable foods, and assist in the aim to make the winter months more bearable for the city’s less fortunate inhabitants. Donations can be dropped off at the SABC studios in Sea Point, Absa Bank branches or at the various broadcast points, and also at the Silvertree Restaurant at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Good Hope FM personalities will be present at the outside broadcast venues, from 06:00 to 09:00 and again from 15:00 to 19:00, on each Wednesday from 1 June until 20 July, to help collect items from listeners, local residents, road commuters and passers by.

“As economic times are getting tougher and more people are left homeless, especially families with kids and small babies, lets pause and think about these homeless, destitute people, as we eat warm meals in the comfort of our homes and before we tuck into our warm beds on cold winter nights. We are people of Cape Town and we have a moral obligation to ensure that we look after those that are less fortunate than us. We therefore ask Capetonians to help us collect blankets, clothing and non perishable food, if they have any to spare, as it will provide some comfort to those in distress during these tough times,” says Good Hope FM station manager, Natano Brache

“As a caring and responsible brand, Absa is committed to the country’s growth and development, and we pride ourselves for being part of the communities we work in. The annual Keep Cape Town Warm campaign lends itself to that work ethic. We ultimately strive to ignite the spirit of Ubuntu and caring that motivates us as individuals and as an organisation to take joint action in caring for those less fortunate in our communities and to reinforce the power of the human network to bring about positive change in our city.” says Pholisa Magqibelo, Absa regional manager for Marketing and Communications.

The Good Hope FM outside broadcasts will take place from the following locations, with the broadcast times on each of these days from 06:00 to 09:00 and again from 15:00 to 19:00:

Wednesday, 1 June - BP, Merryman Street, Stellenbosch
Wednesday, 8 June - Engen Vineyard, corner of Main and Protea Roads, Claremont Wednesday, 15 June - McDonald’s, N1 City, Goodwood
Wednesday, 22 June - City of Cape Town, Civic Centre, Hertzog Boulevard, Cape Town
Wednesday, 29 June - Athlone Police Station, Klipfontein Road, Athlone
Wednesday, 6 July - Netcare, Van Riebeeck Road, Kuilsriver
Wednesday, 13 July - Shell Monument Motors, Main Road, Paarl
Wednesday, 20 July - BP, Somerset Road, Green Point

The handover of the donations to the various charity organisations will take place on 27 July.

As in previous years, the Courier & Freight Group will supply the containers at each of the collection points and the Community Chest will assist Good Hope FM in distributing the collections during the course of the campaign to the various needy organisations and communities in the greater Cape Town Metropolitan area.

Spare a warm thought for those who may be shivering and hungry this winter, and help Keep Cape Town Warm by donating a blanket, clothing, a tin of food or whatever you can do without to the cause.

Today, tomorrow, together we can make a difference by Keeping Cape Town Warm with Good Hope FM and Absa.