Comets help spruce up Clare Ellis Brown Pre-Primary

The Varsity College Comets swapped their rugby ball for brooms and mops as they took some time out to help clean up the Clare Ellis Brown Pre-Primary School in South Beach, Durban.

The FNB Varsity Cup entrusts each university across the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield with a project as part of the Show Us Campaign. This year the Varsity College team has been entrusted with assisting the Clare Ellis Brown Pre-Primary School.

The team made their mark last week by assisting in clearing up the playground area, installing a trampoline as well as helping in cleaning up classrooms, and establishing a vegetable garden.

It was a rewarding morning for the players and Comets captain Abande Mthembu said it’s valuable to give back when you can.

“We are really privileged to be able to come and help out in our community and it’s important that we do that,” Mthembu said. “To be able to come and help gardening and planting as well as cleaning classrooms means that we can leave our mark behind and that is what we want to do.”

Comets centre Mambo Mkhize echoed the sentiment of the captain when talking about his experience on the day.

“We want to thank Clare Ellis Brown Pre-Primary School for giving us the opportunity to serve and give back to our community,” Mkhize said.

“This kind of activity shows that we are more than just rugby players and to see the faces on the young children after helping out makes all the effort worthwhile. Thank you to all the sponsors of the Varsity Shield and to Varsity College for making this possible for us.”

Schools such as Clare Ellis Brown rely on the support of the community. The principal of the school, Dr Nora Saneka, said she was grateful for the efforts of the Varsity College squad in helping rejuvenate their outdoor space.

“Children that have been brought up in a nature deficit environment need an outdoor space and the team from Varsity College have done a great job to clean up the playground,” Dr Saneka said. “They have also helped in building a vegetable garden for us and so we are now really connected to nature, thank you.”

Head of Sport at Varsity College, Carole Adam said that engagements like the Show Us campaign keep the young players attached to their community.

“I believe it’s important that student-athletes leave our institution as holistic citizens,” Adam said. “The Show Us Campaign through FNB Varsity Shield has provided our players with a chance to engage with the local community and hopefully it will leave a lasting impression, developing them as all-rounded students.”