News
Birchwood adopts a river!
On the 2nd of May 2013, The Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in partnership with The Department of Water Affairs, City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Department of Basic Education, ERWAT and Rand Rand adopted the Modderfontein Spruit. Below is the official speech from the event by the Deputy Minister of Water Affairs, Ms. Rejoice Thizwilondi:
Good day
Today we are here in Ekurhuleni to launch the Birchwood Hotel Modderfontein Adopt a River initiative that seeks to create a partnership between the Department of Water Affairs, the Gauteng Department of Education, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, East Rand Water Care Company and Rand Water through the advancement of the Department of Water Affairs’ 2020 Vision for Water Educational Programme.
The Department of Water Affairs initiated Adopt a River project as part of the River Health Programme to ensure that our rivers are protected from any kind of pollution that might seek to threaten the river health.
I also appealed to my colleagues in parliament, municipalities, traditional leaders, business people, NGO’s, and community members to adopt rivers where they live. Our rivers are the main sources of our finite precious resource – water.
Programme director, allow me from the onset to commend Birchwood Hotel for heeding this clarion call that would bring all stakeholders together to formulate an integrated approach that is aiming at jointly protecting, conserving and managing the water resource in order to meet the needs of current and future generations.
South Africa is ranked amongst the thirty driest countries in the world. Although South Africa’s current water supply is adequate to meet the country’s current needs, there could be a problem in meeting future needs if we do not act now to secure effective and timeous smart water-management options.
Through the implementation of the Adopt a River project
we will derive benefits such as water savings, skills
development for the youth, job creation, and improvement
of water quality and of the state of the rivers.
The Adopt a River project consists of the following aspects:
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Cleaning solid waste from river banks;
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Provision of basic water quality testing to monitor quality of water in the rivers;
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Providing training to beneficiaries with the aim of improving the self-esteem and life skills development;
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Promotion of the spirit of volunteerism;
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Enhancing community participation on taking care of the environment and promote more public sector accountability;
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Providing education on preserving the environment
In Gauteng province three Adopt a River projects have
been implemented namely Kaalspruit, Jukskei and
Moreletaspruit Rivers. Through these projects the
following was achieved:
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Training of 300 women participants on water safety, first aid, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and separation of different waste streams;
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The collection of water quality monitoring data before and after the implementation of the project. This information will be integrated into the River Health Programme that informs the state of the River status report;
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Removal of solid waste along the river banks that contribute to pollution of the water in the rivers.
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Reduction of pollutions e.g. sewer manhole overflows and illegal dumping were reported to the relevant authorities;
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An increase in women participation in water resource issues and capacitating them to advocate for behavioural change and increased caring of the rivers and environment in their respective communities;
The Department of Water Affairs continues to implement the 2020 Vision for Water Educational Programme which seeks to educate grades R to12 learners about integrated water resource management, climate change and environment including water related careers. Annually our youth continue to participate at the Stockholm World Water Week.
Annually we host youth water summit whereby learners present their action projects, go for excursions to Rand Water and Roodeplaat Dam, do public speaking and debate on selected topics and participate in national competitions.
I would like to encourage the youths that are here today to actively participate in our different competitions such as the South African Youth Water Prize, Baswa le Meetse, Aqua Enduro and many others.
We need scientists, artisans, engineers and the like. Our current workforce is aging, we need fresh minds and new blood that would be able to take the baton and ensure that every citizen have access to clean water no matter where they live.
In conclusion, I would like to thank Birchwood Hotel for this initiative.
I also would like to thank all the partners that are involved in this initiative such as the Gauteng Department of Education, City of Ekurhuleni, ERWAT, Rand Water, community members and the Schools.
Let water unite us. Water is life, Respect it, conserve it, enjoy it.
I thank you
Birchwood Half Marathon 2013 - A Resounding Success
On 21 April 2013, The Birchwood in partnership with The Birchwood Spice Runners hosted their third annual athletics event. It was the second consecutive occasion that the race was a half-marathon (21.1km) and this year, a new route was introduced.
The response was overwhelming and the event played host to over 2000 runners who arrived on the day to run one of the three options of 5km, 10km or the full half-marathon. Adding to the festivities of the day were the opportunities to enjoy a breakfast after the race, visit one of the stands on-site from the sponsors or simply watch the tiny tots run their race in the picturesque Birchwood garden areas.
Birchwood would like to congratulate the below runners as well as thank everybody who made the day a very enjoyable one. We hope to exceed your expectations further next year!
Finishers:
10km – 860 runners
21km – 790 runners
10km Men
Open
1 Lucky Mohale (Mr Price) - 31:40
2 Paulus Radebe (Elim) - 31:43
3 Xolani Nkiwane (Blue Sky) - 31:45
Veterans
1 Never Matiya (Wanderers) - 33:19
2 Tokoy Mofokeng (Sports Connection) - 35:42
3 Emmanuel Mole (Sibanya Gold) - 41:43
Masters
1 Jerry Rankapule (Gallopers) - 36:42
2 Wilson Moloto (Vodacom) - 40:33
3 Zaniki Ngodela (SCAW) - 40:39
Grandmasters
1 Dieter Meyer (RAC) - 48:10
Juniors
1 Warno Potgieter (New Balance) - 34:20
2 Itumeleng Mlangeni (ADT) - 36:34
3 Roman Nkomo (Benoni Harriers) - 40:53
10km Women
Open
1 Portia Ngwenya (Transnet) - 38:19
2 Keskoketswa Lechaba (Elim) - 38:39
3 Nobuhle Tshuma (Elim) - 38:52
Veterans
1 Frith vd Merwe (Benoni High) - 45:54
2 Assalinah Nyathi (Post Office) - 48:41
3 Gail Babich (Savages) - 57:05
Masters
1 Sonja Laxton (RAC) - 46:18
2 Riana Mellors (Sunward) - 65:33
3 Hannelie Rootman (RWFL) - 82:20
Grandmasters
1 Margaret Boshoe (Sunninghil) - 58:57
Juniors
1 Nobuhle Tshuma (Elim) - 38:52
2 Tegan Roberts (RAC) - 58:09
21km Men
Open
1 Desmond Mokgobu (Mr Price) - 66:51
2 Abraham Yator (Nedbank) - 67:37
3 Paul Pitco (BNAC) - 71:39
Veterans
1 Sipho Ncube (Toyota) - 73:11
2 Piet Mosibedi (Transnet) - 74:12
3 Chukudu Mphulo (City of Ekurhuleni) - 76:56
Masters
1 Tony Silva (Bedfordview) - 77:46
2 Daniel Mothibe (New Balance) - 79:36
3 Thomas Ngobene (Greater Elim) - 81:29
Grandmasters
1 Jeff Sales (Nedbank) - 1:40:42
21km Women
Open
1 Cornelia Joubert (Nedbank) - 78:41
2 Andronika Mokgotla (Goldfields) - 86:45
3 Emmah Mathibela (Toyota) - 86:58
Veterans
1 Sarah Mahlangu (Toyota) - 1:40:54
2 Julie Soicher (Rockies) - 1:41:19
3 Laura Venter (Nedbank) - 1:43:56
Masters
1 Pam Hampton (Sunninghill) - 1:48:45
2 Caroline Wridgeway (Boksburg) - 1:51:51
3 Victoria Ngobese (SAPS) -1:52:58
Grandmasters
1 Petra Myburgh (Striders) - 2:09:04
National Lotteries Board - Official Press Statement
Last week. Birchwood were proud hosts of the National Lotteries Board Indaba for 2013. Below is the press statement from NLB, released on 18 April 2013.
NLB presses ahead in creating new partnerships and realigning NGO sector
“Despite the magnitude of the challenge, National Lotteries Board (NLB) is undeterred in its effort to create new partnerships and realign the non profit sector within its reach towards the uplifment of communities,” says Prof. Alfred Nevhutanda, chairperson of the NLB.
Whilst addressing delegates at the Birchwood Hotel during the highly anticipated two-day National Lotteries Board Indaba, Prof Nevhutanda said the Indaba was by far the biggest gathering organised by NLB and involved stakeholders across many sectors of our society.
“The Indaba is aimed at getting concerned and affected stakeholders together to share their experiences and take the temperature of the non profit sector to determine its health, confront common challenges head-on and explore new ideas on how to do things better together,” said Prof. Nevhutanda.
The 2013 Indaba is the second, in as many years, to be hosted by the National Lotteries Board. Thabang Mampane, Chief Executive of NLB, says the Indaba is not a talk shop. “Delegates will be involved in serious soul searching and we would like them, as our stakeholders and beneficiaries, to take the lead in discovering new ways of doing things,” says Mampane.
“The NGO sector has a lot to contribute to the social upliftment of our communities and we want them to be the drivers of any “social contract” we commit to as a collective,” added Ms Mampane.
This year’s Indaba will feature prominent speakers in various fields including an address by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, and the topics covered will range through sustainability, corporate governance in the NGO sector, alignment of National Lotteries Board initiatives with National Development Plan to many others aimed at unleashing the constructive energy of a nation.
Delegates have also been invited to exhibit their work and social champions will be honoured at a Gala dinner on the evening of the 18th of April.
Since coming into being, the National Lotteries Board has disbursed in excess of R14 billion rand to the NGO sector.
Ms Mampane says the National Lotteries Board recognises the enormity of the task before the organisation. She says the National Lotteries Board funding touches thousands of lives across the country, and yet the need is still greater than the funds available. South Africa has an estimated 150 000 NGOs, of which only 100 000 are registered.
“We need to face the reality that as our funding either stagnates or shrinks, we must come up with new funding models to ensure that we stretch every rand available in terms of impact as well as reach,” says Mampane.
The National Lotteries Board recently announced that in future there will be a cap applied to all allocations in order to cover the growing list of applicants. “Our source of funding and amounts received from the lottery operator in terms of their licence has remained largely unchanged, while the need and expectations of potential beneficiaries have grown exponentially,” says Mampane.
“This is in part why we have gathered here with our stakeholders, not to lower expectations or indeed our ambitions but rather to find ways of making our limited resources go further,” concluded Mampane.
For more information please contact Tshililo Ragimana on 078 355 9054 or email Tshililo@flowsa.com
Zahara Ends 2011 off in Style!
October Jazz Press Release
RE: BRINGING THE LAUGHTER SIDE OF THE OUDE MEESTER EKURHULENI COMES ALIVE JAZZ!
OPENING: – MALATJI 2nd Act: - NDUMISO Before Main Artist: PULE – The Whiteman with Black Humor (Strictly Vernac Comedian) CLOSING: BHUDAZA
After 10 years of a successful Oude Meester Ekurhuleni Comes Alive jazz evening with great music, great audience and fantastic atmosphere, the concept is now brining on young talented comedians to spice up the event. As the Oude meester brandy’s new positioning of Old Master and Young Master in their new TV add, we will be bringing both seasonal comedians and up and coming comedians to create a new environment within the concept. Our line-up for October 7th speaks volume for what we want to offer our patrons who have been loyal to us for the past 10 years. Malatji who needs no introduction will lead the pack on that evening followed by Nudmiso Nyovane, the trumpeter of high quality. Just like we did in our last show, we will be bringing PULE the young white comedian who left our patrons in stitches and begging for more with his material on ‘Umuntu o mnyama aka funi umuntu o mnyama a ya phezulu’ referring to himself as a black man trying to make a living. As part of our quest to promote comedy in our monthly shows, Pule will be back by popular demand and will be ushering BHUDAZA on stage after his 15 minutes performance. Malatji who was produced by the jazz maestro Selaelo Selota will be making his 2nd appearance after releasing his previous album. The former Labantu jazz band leader became an automatic fit to the concept and always well received by patrons.
Our main artist Bhudaza who will come after Ndumiso, will be offering some of his old songs in his performance. Bhudaza who is also not new to the concept and to our patrons, will be making his 4th appearance since the concept inception and one always looks forward to his energetic performance with deep Sesotho songs. Patrons can look forward to yet another sizzling evening of both great music and unbelievable comedy.
We believe the concept has done well in creating a relaxed atmosphere for our patrons after a long month of hard work. The comedy element has proven to be fitting like a glove in making sure that our patrons get their money worth every month. Patrons can look forward to more hot line ups and great standup comedy every month to turn their blues away. One is particularly proud and excited that our patrons received the idea with an open mind and we are looking forward to more nights of dance and laughter.
We would like encourage our loyal patrons to book their tables and seats as soon as possible to avoid last minute rush.
Patrons can look forward to winning fantastic prizes courtesy of DSTV, OUDE MEESTER BRANDY, City of Ekurhuleni, KAYA FM & BIRCHWOOD HOTEL & OR TAMBO CONFERENCE CENTRE.
Booking lines are open now and patrons can book online or call Patience Moeketsi on (011) 897 0024 0r or email: patiencem@birchwoodhotel.co.za
Kind Regards,
Jazzman Mahlakgane
Marketing Director
Tel: (011) 897 0027 (direct)
Fax 2 mail: (086) 636 8616
Cell: 082 864 9442
Email: jazzmanm@birchwoodhotel.co.za
Your safety is our concern
Your safety is our concern
BIRCHWOOD MANAGEMENT IS 100% COMMITTED TO HEALTH & SAFETY
Over the past 13 years the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre settled for nothing less than striving for excellence, as our facilities bear witness too that process. So, when it was ascertained that our compliance with Occupational Health & Safety Act and relevant regulations was not meeting our high standards of excellence, something had to be done.
As the Birchwood team we don’t settle for anything less than the best when it comes to providing a safe environment for our employees, visitors and contract workers. It therefore then goes without saying that Birchwood top management were 100% committed to deliver. ESHETTI Safety Services were contacted in April 2011 to put the ball in motion, and they would aid us to comply with Occupational Health & Safety Act and meet our own high standards we set ourselves here at the Birchwood.
Our progress and remarkable improvement during the past 3 months under the watchful eye of ESHETTI, speaks for and visualises the commitment we have to reach our goal.
The Birchwood knows that progress and achieving our goal would not be possible without our committed and driven staff at the Birchwood. Part of the reason we have such great staff here at the Birchwood is because we have cultivated a belief in motivating and acknowledging staff who strive to go the extra mile.
Continuing our instilled culture, we instituted Quarterly trophy awards for individuals and departments striving for excellence in the Health & Safety arena. The awards are structured in 3 categories, Best Health and Safety Rep, Best Manager and Best Department
The Birchwood are proud to announce the winners of the quarterly trophy awards for the quarter April to June 2011 and they are…….
- Hilda Mwachande - Best Health and Safety Rep
- Johannes Makgae – Best Manager
- Main Kitchen - Best Department
Congratulations to the respective winners and department!
Contact: Natalie Faulds
Tel: (011) 897 0112 (Direct)
Cell Phone: 082 493 3528
Email: deidrej@birchwoodhotel.co.za
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