North Durban motorbike club starts collection for animal charities

MEMBERS of the East Coast Motorcycle Club (ECMC) share a common passion for motorcycles and the open road.
However, they also have a heart for charitable causes, and ever since the club’s inception, they have worked with various organisations.

This month, they have partnered with Pick ‘n Pay Hypermarket to host a pet-food drive for animal non-profit organisations, Feeding the Furballs and Phoenix Animal Care and Treatment (PACT).

Throughout the month of June, shoppers can donate any food they want into the two dedicated bins in the main entrance of the shopping centre. There is also the possibility of winning a two-night stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in uMhlanga for those who donate by simply entering the form attached to the collection bins.

East Coast Motorcycle Club president Pravesh Ramfol said he was excited to see donations begin to trickle in.

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“Since we established the club in 2017, we’ve been involved in various charitable outreaches. This year, we felt, why not do something for the animals, and we decided to start a collection with PACT and Feeding the Furballs. The bins will be stationed at the entrance of Pick ‘n Pay for the entire month, and on June 29, our club birthday, we will be doing a handover to the organisations.

“Through social media posts, we’ve seen the needs of animal organisations, and we wanted to make a change. Despite the stereotype of bikers, we all have generous hearts, and we hope the community of north Durban will support our drive. We are also grateful to Pick ‘n Pay Hypermarket for partnering with us on this drive. What has been amazing is we started the drive on Saturday, and already, within a few hours, we had a number of pet foods donated to the cause,” he said.

Founder of the non-profit organisation (NPO), Feeding the Furballs, Farah Khan Maharajh, said she was touched by the gesture of the club and the store.

“We are so grateful for the support and having a local business come on board. We have a wide area of coverage throughout KZN and have hosted a number of outreach clinics, including sterilisation clinics and rabies vaccination clinics,” she said.

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Kerry Murch, one of the volunteers of PACT, shared similar sentiments.

“This drive is such a blessing. It also allows us to create awareness on what we do and the communities we support. I think people don’t realise they can make a difference with a small donation of cat or dog food,” Murch said.

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