A powerful display of compassion unfolded this past Saturday as members of East London Ladies Circle 23 joined forces to uplift local organisations through a heartfelt winter outreach.
Divided into three teams, the group delivered non-perishable food items, clothing and handmade beanies to the Christian Youth Development Centre, Guardians of Hope SA, and King’s Children’s Home, ensuring that support reached multiple corners of the community.
Chairperson Kay-Lee Chetty said the initiative was born from two deeply personal and impactful experiences within the organisation.
“In 2025, we ran a fun challenge among our Circlers to see who could knit or crochet the most beanies,” Chetty told the Go! on Tuesday.
“What started as a friendly competition quickly became something much bigger, with even family members getting involved.
“Before we knew it, we had accumulated an incredible number of beautiful handmade beanies.”
At the same time, a food drive initiative gained momentum after a touching encounter earlier this year.
“After a Second Life handover, a house mom shared that she was grateful for the goodies because they would help the children forget that they were hungry.
“Those words stayed with us and inspired one of our members to start a food drive.”
The initiative was further strengthened through collaboration with Round Table East London No 1, which donated a large quantity of 5kg bags of rice.
With winter approaching, the Ladies Circle saw an opportunity to combine both efforts.
“By donating both food and warm beanies, we were able to support several organisations at once, while also highlighting the incredible work these charities do,” said Chetty.
Each beneficiary was carefully selected based on need and opportunity.
The Christian Youth Development Centre formed part of a joint food drive initiative with Legacy Properties, while Guardians of Hope SA was identified after sharing a call for assistance online.
King’s Children’s Home was chosen to extend support further along the East Coast and reconnect with an organisation the group had previously supported.
Chetty emphasised that community support remained the backbone of their work.
“So much of what we do relies on the generosity of individuals, businesses, sponsors, and volunteers. Without that support, many of these projects simply wouldn’t be possible.”
Beyond the immediate relief, the Ladies Circle hopes the initiative will spark greater awareness around the needs of local charities.
“We hope these donations provide comfort during the colder months, but more importantly, we want to highlight the incredible work being done by organisations that often operate with limited resources.
“If this inspires even one person to get involved, then we’ve achieved something meaningful.”
Looking ahead, the organisation has a full calendar of initiatives planned.
These include their annual Soup-a-Thon for Nelson Mandela Day, a wine-tasting fundraiser on July 25 in support of their Winter Drive, and the return of their flagship “Bowling for Boobies” event in October, which raises funds and awareness for breast cancer initiatives.
They are also exploring additional community-driven efforts such as beach clean-ups and blood drives.
“At the heart of everything we do is a simple goal — making a difference, creating connections and serving our community wherever we can.”
The King’s Children’s Home provides a safe, loving, and nurturing environment for babies and young children who have been neglected, abandoned, or abused, caring for 60 children from birth to seven years old.
The organisation received 11 bags of 5kg rice along with baby beanies.
“We are always immensely grateful for any donation that helps us feed and clothe our children,” said King.
After Kay-Lee’s comments about community support. King added that the home receives no government funding and relies entirely on public support to continue operating
Community members can support the home by donating essential items such as nappies, Lactogen formula, baby products, bottles, dummies, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.
