Trauma Centre partners with Epic Foundation

A new light was shone and more hope received as Randburg SAPS Trauma Centre partnered with the Epic Foundation on 6 March.

Chairperson of the Randburg Community Policing Forum (CPF) Sandy Andrew, Colonel Andries Odendaal of Randburg SAPS and the Randburg CPF chairman of the business committee Hennie Oosthuizen, welcomed Alta McMaster of the Epic Foundation. The partnership will see a steady flow of comfort bags that will be handed out to trauma victims who visit the Randburg SAPS Trauma Centre.

Oosthuizen said, “We have put out a call for action to support the Randburg CPF and Trauma Centre. Businesses in the area and residents are encouraged to help the victims of abuse who visit the centre.”

The bags are coordinated by Epic and are for men, women and children.

Each bag is packed with gender-specific items like toiletries, clothing like underwear, as well as toys.

The comfort bags are also packed with surgical gloves and a black bag to make the collection of evidence easier.

Andrew said, “We (Trauma Centre) need to create a sustainable relationship with donors.”

Col Odendaal said Randburg Police are grateful for the partnership.

“We are really very thankful for the CPF and businesses, also to Epic for coming on board as a professional service to people who are victims of trauma,” Col Odendaal added.

A wish list of Randburg SAPS Trauma Centre:

• A vehicle that will be utilised for exclusive use of the Trauma Centre. The centre is currently dependent on any available police patrol vehicle to transport the counsellors to crime scenes – they are not allowed to use their private vehicles to transport victims. This is not ideal as victims need immediate support, and police patrol vehicles are in short supply .
• A corporate sponsor to assist with the vehicle expenses.
• Fuel for the vehicle.
• A lockable storage facility (it can be erected in the courtyard outside the Trauma Centre).
• Six allocated cellphones with airtime for official use only.
• Two laptops with 3G and two tablets with 3G.
• Branded clothing to identify counsellors at crime scenes.
• A colour printer.
• Desks and comfortable chairs.
• Paint, carpeting, curtaining.
• A steel cabinet that locks.
• CCTV system.
• Video camera/recorder.
• A Training budget.
• Burglar bars and a security gate.
• Clothing for women, children and babies/toiletries/baby food/bottles, nappies and products.
• Prizes for fundraising drives.

Details: Randburg SAPS 011 449 9000; Trauma Centre 083 458 5887.