GEORGE NEWS - Hoekwil Primary School has again proved it has a big heart, by donating more than 800 litres of bottled water for Oudtshoorn communities in need.

When the Cape Town NPO Water Warriors recently appealed to George school headmasters for donations of water for Oudtshoorn, it didn't realise this little school was the first to respond.

The call went out and within a week, bottles of water started to arrive at the school.

"Water Warriors' Pieter du Plessis told the headmasters at a recent meeting that Oudtshoorn farmers are in dire need," explains Hoekwil Primary School principal, Flippie Grobbelaar.

"They're losing their ostriches and their cattle, and are barely coping as a result of the water crisis gripping that region at the moment.

"This really struck a chord with me, and I brought the message back to our school where we asked Hoekwil families to help us to help them."

He says learners donated 810 litres of water, while Body Fuel Express, a sponsor of Hoekwil Primary School's recent golf day, pledged its support too, donating a further 52 litres.

This brought the total amount to 862 litres.

"We are so grateful to the Hoekwil Primary School community for this donation," says Du Plessis.

"Most of our donations come from people in the Western Cape, because these people know what it is like to not have any water."

Grobbelaar says the school used the opportunity to explain to learners the importance of both conserving water and helping communities in need when called to do so.

Back, from left are Frans Venter of Kell Aluminium, who assisted with the transport of the water; Hoekwil Primary School sports coach, André Goosen; Water Warriors' Pieter du Plessis and Hoekwil Primary School principal, Flippie Grobbelaar, with some of the learners who donated water.

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