The cheques were handed to Les Carlisle, the Group Conservation Manager of the AndBeyond Group & Project Manager of Rhinos Without Borders (RWB) at the World Rhino Day celebrations event held at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre in Cape Town.
R466 505 raised in four years
This year’s donation brings the total amount jointly raised by Linton Park in partnership with Hugo Rust Primary for the past four years to R466 505. Linton Park increased its contribution from R 100 000 in 2018 to this year’s R 140 000, while Hugo Rust raised an exceptional amount of R 40 079 with their diverse range of school activities.
The Estate’s Rhino Involvement
Linton Park, with its founder’s history dating back to 1699, is part of the multinational Camellia Plc. business group with its head office in London. Camellia bought Linton Park in 1995 and initiated an extensive restoration programme to reinstate the estate to its former glory. This project was completed early in 2017 when the estate was formally relaunched. Herman le Roux, Linton Park’s Commercial Director, summarised the estate’s support for rhino conservation in the folowing words: “At Linton Park, we fully endorse Camellia’s global philosophy of environmental and nature conservation wherever possible.
Due to the fact that we have a sensitive and threatened ecosystem on a part of the estate that is a distinctively rare South African type of veld - historically and commonly known as ‘Renosterveld’ in Afrikaans - we decided to extend our commitment to conservation on a wider scale and also specifically to saving rhinos as a precious part of South Africa’s unique cultural heritage.
He added: “It is really unfortunate that on the African continent and within the borders of our country the continued existence of rhinos is in serious jeopardy and conserving rhinos are always under financial pressure. We make our donation to contribute to the fight for rhino conservation. Furthermore, we want to show our support for the invaluable work that champions such as Les Carlisle, his colleagues, the Rhinos-Without-Borders teams and others do in this regard.”
Hugo Rust Fundraising Initiatives
As mentioned above, local Hugo Rust Primary School in Wellington with its 600 pupils have since 2016 joined forces with Linton Park in the fight to save rhinos. Under the inspirational leadership of Ronel Saayman, project leader and teacher, the school’s learners, teachers and parents have thus far raised about R 78 555 through various imaginative fundraising initiatives - also attracting wide public interest and support with their colourful hand-produced rhino artwork and icons.
Les Carlisle who visited Hugo Rust as guest-of-honour and speaker during a special rhino conservation celebratory occassion at the school on the Friday morning preceeding this year’s Waterfront event, was full of praise for the school’s involvement with the Wellington-based fundraising drive since 2016. He commented: “I am actually astounded by what I have witnessed here in this small rural town of Wellington. The enthusiasm and creativity of the learners, their parents and the school’s teachers to raise almost R 80 000 in four years to assist us in preventing the slaughter of rhinos in South Africa, are unheard of. Added to the afore the ongoing commitment of Linton Park, we at Rhinos-Without-Borders and the AndBeyond Group have not experienced this anywhere else in our country and we are indeed very greatful for the enormity and impact of this joint iniative.”
One Rand per bottle for Saving Rhinos
Le Roux explained that the estate’s donation was made possible by the sales of the Linton Park ’Rhino’ wine range during the 2018 financial year - highlighting their excellent and affordable Rhino Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays.
Consequently R140 000 was accumulated by putting aside one rand per bottle sold for the rhino preservation fund. “Except for the growing sales of our Rhino range in international markets, the South African public also increasingly supported us by buying and also enjoying our Rhino wines at our Uncork Eatery on the estate. Furthermore, the media helped us in raising public awareness and the trade assisted us where possible with listings and distribution. We wish to thank them all for making this donation possible”, he concluded.
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