The Exchange

What do you mean I can't buy any of the clothes in your store? A question I'm sure that many have asked when visiting one of Cavindish's newest stores, The Exchange. As the world's first cashless boutique, all they ask is that you sign up to become and Organ Donor and you can leave with a garment or accessory from one of SA's top 25 designers.

Unfortunately for those of us who have already signed up, we'll leave the store empty handed, but what an amazing way to encourage more people to save lives. To find out more visit: The Exchange

Keep Calm and Give Blood

Did you know that a single blood donation can save up to 3 lives? Did you know that while having 5 days of stock is ideal for the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service they currently have 3.5 days worth of stock and this number can at times drop to 2 days? Their website lists the 6 good reasons to donate blood as being:

1. Blood saves lives: Every unit of blood donated can be separated into its constituent parts and used to enhance the lives of up to four recipients.
2. There’s no substitute: Unfortunately, there is no known substitute for blood and it cannot be replicated due to its complexity. Only real blood will do.
3. Blood is in short supply: Because the need for blood is so unpredictable, we’re always one day away from running out. While 75% of our population are potential recipients, a mere 1.5% are donors, and only 16,000 donors give blood more than four times a year.
4. It's a good cause: Giving doesn’t get much better than this.
5. You could be next: It's not a nice thing to consider, but the fact is that you, a close friend, or a family member could well be the next car accident victim or surgery candidate requiring a transfusion. Wouldn’t it be good to know that our stock levels are adequate?
6. The process is safe and quick: We use sterile, disposable equipment, so there’s no risk of infection. The entire process takes just 20 minutes, after which you can resume your daily activities. And finally, you won’t even miss the one unit (475 ml) of blood donated. It is quickly replaced by your body.

I found this chart rather interesting. If you do know your blood type, check out who your blood could help:

I'm on my way to donate my 17th pint now (very convenient that the blood service comes in to our offices to do it!) So what is stopping YOU from giving blood? Visit the South African National Blood Services website to find out where you can donate anywhere in South Africa.

Keep Calm and Spread Good Cheer

If there is one thing I dislike more that being late, it's being lost. And yesterday I was well and truely lost...in Ottery, a suburb that seems to advocate no street signs and the same road names for multiple streets, differentiated only by the prefix "old" or "new." I'm now told by my in-the-know colleagues that the street signs fetch a high price and if you didn't grow up in the 'hood, you stand next to no chance of finding your destination in the ETA that Garmin estimates. Garmin...yes, that trusty old fellow would have been a rather useful aid to me, but feeling like a fully-fledged-Capetonian of late, I decided that I knew my way around enough to navigate on my own. Big mistake.

So after an hour of sweat, almost-tears, frustration and road works, I finally reached my destination - Christel House. I was there to attend the schools Year End Special Assembly and little did I know that I would be treated to a Glee-styled concert in additional to the normal prizegiving that we tend to snooze through. The learners put on the most incredible show and my mood was instantly cheered because of it.

The school was founded 10 years ago by Christel deHaan, well know in the tourism industry as an advocate of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. The learners are grouped into Houses names after their sister schools in USA, India, Mexico and Venezuela and when the house results were released it was clear to see that compitition is rife between the four groups!

Particularly touching was the R600 donation that 2 young girls (a donor's daughter and friend) gifted to the school after running a lemonade stand. When handing over the donation they "hoped that the school liked the money and bought something nice with it!" Seeing such a generous spirit being developed in kids so young makes you hope that this is habit is nurtured and grows, encouraging others who see it to follow suit. (Donate here)