DURBAN North ‘trail mom’, Alison Chadwick, has cycled the Cape Argus, the Tour Durban, the 94.7 cycle race and has participated in hundreds of trail runs, proving she has serious athletic ability.
But what you don’t know about the local resident is her selfless struggle to make a difference in the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Since 2010, Alison, a trustee of the Addington School Community Trust has raised more than R1-million for the organisation. “The company I work for is situated across the street from Addington Primary School, and part of its corporate social investment was helping out the school every month.
“It was through them that I realised the conditions that the children had to study under and their needs. There are more than 500 ‘refugee’ children attending the school and only about 29 per cent of parents are able to pay school fees. Many of the children come from broken homes because of the drugs and prostitution that permeate the Point (Mahatma Gandhi) Road area.
“In 2010 I saw an advert in the newspaper about Willowton Oil giving away R4-million to 40 different charities. I wrote them a motivational letter explaining the challenges facing the school. Later that year I got a reply, with the company pledging R100 000 to the cause. I realised then that I can make a difference and fund-raising isn’t so difficult if you have the passion,” she explained.
Since then she has helped the school through various initiatives to erect new fencing, replace broken classroom windows, re-open the senior library (which had been closed for years), upgrade the toiletry facilities and assist a young boy with Blount’s Disease to help straighten his legs. Through friends and colleagues, Alison is also able to raise R2 500 every month for porridge for the school.
“I always tell people I don’t have any children of my own but I care for 1 500 of them. I love them and I would do anything for them. It’s hard to explain the feeling of making such a monumental difference to these children’s lives, suffice to say their smiles say it all.
“It has taken dedication, commitment, passion and time but I am chuffed and hope that the children at Addington Primary School continue to be blessed. I’d just like to thank all those who contributed and have given so much to these children,” she said.
Alison is planning on taking some of the children to their very first play at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in December.
Alison’s fund raising timeline
2010: R100 000 (Willowton Oil)
2012: R20 000 (Engen) and10 000 (Sugarequip)
2013: R150 000 (al Baraka Bank) and R10 000 (Regent Harriers)
2014: R100 000 (Ivan Miosic Trust)
2015: R100 000 (Ivan Miosic Trust) and R550 000 (Victor Daitz Foundation)
Moore Stephens and Adroit staff and ex colleagues R2 500 per month
Moore Stephens R1 000 per month for cleaning products
