As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, a chain store surprised its neighbour, Chapel Street Primary School, with a R200 000 donation for a much needed upgrade of the school’s toilets.
Clicks CEO David Kneale said the company had a 35-year relationship with the 106-year-old school and wanted to do something beneficial for the 580 pupils.
“The school is under financial pressure in terms of its support. We want to be good neighbours and recognise that education is crucial and have tried to help out in a variety of ways,” he said.
Mr Kneale said they had previously upgraded the school’s roof and held fund-raisers for the school. Now the boys’ and girls’ toilets would be refurbished.
Principal Karriem Gabriels said the school had always had a good relationship with the store, saying they were more than just business partners but also neighbours.
“They are always willing to step in whether it be repairs, electricity, water, we can always call on them,” he said.
Mr Gabriels said the school was grateful as it could not have done the renovations – including new windows, durable toilets, tiles and water-saving taps – on its own.
There was a limit on what could be done as the school was a heritage site.
Mr Kneale said the Clicks’s anniversary was a special one. The company had started with one store in Cape Town 50 years ago and now had 650 stores countrywide.
“We want to celebrate this birthday with not only our staff but our customers with our promotions throughout the month,” he said.
Clicks store staff nationwide will be handing out R1 million worth of reusable sanitary pads to female school pupils at 16 schools nationwide and supporting 34 local charities with toiletries and basic essentials during the birthday month.