My Virtual Challenge Western Cape & Namibia 2022 by Free Radical Media

HOW IT

MY LIFESTYLE

MY 02 04 08 10

Message from SPAR Ladies Living Limitless in 2021 Virtual Challenge Info Virtual Challenge FAQs

MY CHALLENGE 14 18 22 26 36

Rising Petals Sheltering from GBV Map Your Route for Challenge Day Catching Up with Our Ambassadors Raising Rhinos

40 42 46 50 56

What is Plogging? Steaming Coffee Culture The Rise of Farm-to-Table A Treat to Rise Find the Perfect Fit

MY PACE 60 62

Challenge Day Must Haves The Power of Recovery

Rise Up Message from SPAR

IRise – Celebrating self-love and self-acceptance as a women is a powerful tool. I praise the strength of all women who have had to climb their own mountain and came down as warrior queens! Women are resilient and confidently wear many beautiful labels – mom, daughter, sister, caregiver, employee, boss, worker and single parent. #IRise is the daily mantra for millions of women across the world, and whenever we stumble or fall, we rise, and we keep rising! Through self-esteem and confidence nothing gets a women down. I am WOMAN, what is your super power? Grappling with the reality of failure is real, but knowing you are empowered to choose to rise is more powerful. You rise in life when the storms of every day blow all around you, just be still in the moment and survive to be a warrior woman one more day! Carry love and light in your heart wherever you go, and excite and delight the one’s around you, so we can all RISE together. Sunshine or rain, happiness or pain, I will rise!

I’ll rise up And I’ll do it a thousand times again And I’ll rise up, high like the waves I’ll rise up in spite of the ache I’ll rise up And I’ll do it a thousand times again Rise up by Andra Day

Elsabe Felix-van Zyl

Advertising, Sponsorship and Events Manager – SPAR Western Cape & Namibia 2

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Living Limitless 4

in 2021

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Our #Live Limitless ladies went all out for last year’s SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge. Here is a flashback to some of the spectacular moments of 2021 that were captured throughout the Western Cape as our limitless ladies embraced the Virtual Challenge for the second year. 2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Thank you to the wonderful ladies who planned their routes and loyally supported us so that we could reach out to hundreds of girls and offer them hope. Let us rise together to even greater heights in 2022 as we step out of our doors and into our neighbourhoods!

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

HOW IT What is a virtual challenge?

A virtual challenge is a fitness goal that tasks you to run, jog or walk your own race, at your own pace. Anyone of any ability can participate and it can be completed at any location.

YOUR OWN ROUTE

SEPTEMBER 2022

06h00 to 18h00

Enter online at www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za

2022 Theme

The last two years have provided many challenges and obstacles, and we have all had to adjust and adapt. Many have been left depleted – financially, emotionally and psychologically. Last year the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge encouraged you to push past your boundaries and live beyond the limits you set for yourself and others impose on you. This year we are challenging you to rise, like a phoenix from the ashes – reborn, re-energised, refreshed and refilled. Rise above the challenges, struggles and obstacles that block your path, find your wings and fly. #IRise

Create your own Virtual Challenge number

Generate your Certificate

Visit www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za for more information.

1. 2. 3.

Visit www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za Download the challenge number PDF. Insert your own challenge number or just your name. Pin to your t-shirt when you do your virtual challenge.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Good news! This year you will once again be able to generate a certificate to show that you have participated in the 2022 SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge.

PUBLISHER Free Radical Media info@freeradicalmedia.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Kim Smit editor@freeradicalmedia.co.za

Calling all athletes

DESIGN & LAYOUT Aneska Meintjes +27 82 851 1441 aneska@freeradicalmedia.co.za IMAGES © iStockphoto.com, 123RF, Official SPAR Photographer: Reg Caldecott AMBASSADOR PHOTO SHOOT: Styling: Follicle On the Move Makeup: Follicle On the Move Photography: Willem Botha

Para-Olympics Ambassador – Anrune Weyers Anruné Weyers is a South African paraathlete with a left congenital arm amputation, competing in the T47 disability class. She took up Paral-Olympic athletics professionally in 2010. Anruné strives to run with God and praise him for her journey in athletics and life. Her childhood was plagued by bullying, but she sees running as the gift she has been given which enables her to rise above all the challenges she faces. When she runs her heart warms, she gets goosebumps and she smiles. From the time she was a young girl she has continued to strive to put in the hard work and shape her gift of running. She has competed in 5 IPC World Championships, and 3 Para-Olympic games – London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 in 2021 . Each World Championship and Para-Olympic games holds memories that will last a lifetime, however her last ParaOlympic games was truly a memorable one. Anruné won the 400m T47 in Tokyo despite contracting COVID-19 a few weeks before the games. She has proven that it is possible to rise above her challenges with the right mindset and belief in herself. She has learned that we need to be real with our challenges in the world so that we can celebrate together and rise above whatever we are faced with. Win or lose, she praises God. Her disability has opened many doors and she has embraced each of these opportunities with hard work, passion, determination, self-discipline and belief. She is proud to partner with the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge this year and is calling all athletes and ladies to join her on 3 September and rise to the challenge!

ADVERTISING SALES info@freeradicalmedia.co.za

@SPARVirtualChallenge Remember to share your virtual challenge experience by posting on social media and using the official hashtags!

CONTRIBUTORS Elsabe van Zyl, Kim Smit, Anruné Weyers, Michelle Gildenhuys Adams, Helen Nicholson, Anne Taylor, Superbalist, ISAP, Annette Oelofse, Boland Veteran Cricket Club, Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, The Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture My Virtual Challenge Magazine is published annually by Free Radical Media. My Virtual Challenge is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without the written consent of the publisher. Unless specified, all rights are reserved in material accepted for publication. All letters and other unsolicited submissions (manuscripts, art, photographs and other materials) will be considered for publication unless clearly labeled ’not for publication’. All letters may be subject to editing. My Virtual Challenge is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions. Free Radical Media reserves the right to reject any advertising at our discretion without explanation. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Free Radical Media, SPAR or their clients. Information has been included in good faith by the publisher and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions. No material (articles or photographs) in this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific written permission from Free Medical Media. No liability is accepted by Free Radical Media, the publisher, SPAR nor the authors for any information contained herein. Neither My Virtual Challenge magazine, SPAR nor its publisher is responsible for damage or harm, of whatever description, resulting from persons undertaking any activity or health advice featured in My Virtual Challenge magazine. Submissions of articles and photographs for publication are welcomed, but the publisher, while exercising all reasonable care, cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.

www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za

What is in my Virtual Challenge pack? T-shirt

Medal

My Virtual Challenge magazine Western Cape & Namibia Edition

face buff

Drawstring Bag Is the proud publisher of this publication

Need to Know Challenge Info

From what to do, what to consider and all you need to know, it’s all here.

01: Why a Virtual Challenge in 2022? For many years, the SPAR Women’s Challenge events have brought women from all walks of life together to make a positive difference in our communities. While loads of fun was had on the roads, these events were so much more than just women’s races. Over the years, millions have been donated to various charity organisations that work to uplift women and children across the country. The events have also become a point of camaraderie and an occasion to look forward to every year! When the pandemic-related restrictions prevented physical events from taking place, we knew that the spirit of the SPAR Women’s Challenge needed to continue, but in a different form. As the name suggests, we love a good challenge, 10

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

and this is how the Virtual Challenge was born. Through the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge we can continue to unite women and stand together to make a real difference. This year, for every entry, a pack of sanitary pads will be donated to help keep a girl in school. What’s more, through sharing the stories of the many extraordinary women in our country, we aim to inspire all South Africans to rise above their challenges #IRise

02: Is the 2022 SPAR Grand Prix Series cancelled? Supporting the professional running community and the many amazing women in it, is very close to SPAR’s heart. The SPAR Grand Prix Series will be taking place this year as six invitation-only races.

03: When will the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge 2022 take place?

The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge 2022 will take place on Saturday 3 September 2022. By entering, you can walk any distance you like, in your own neighbourhood any time between 6h00 and 18h00 on the day, subject to government lockdown regulations of course.

04: Can I enter the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge if I do not live in South Africa or Namibia?

Absolutely, we would love for you to participate virtually in the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge even if you reside outside of South Africa and Namibia. Due to geographic constraints, we are not able to ship

Virtual Challenge packs outside of South Africa and Namibia. However, you are still welcome to enter and be rest assured that your entry fee will be donated to our charity cause.

05: Will I get a medal?

Definitely. Everyone who participates in the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge deserves a medal. These will be included in your Virtual Challenge pack. Once you have completed your Virtual Challenge on 3 September please wear it with pride, knowing that you have made a difference!

06: Will I be able to train and race the Virtual Challenge with my running club? We would love to say yes, and under normal circumstances, yes! However, life in the pandemic is far from normal, so best is to check and comply with the current COVID-19 related hygiene, physical and social distancing regulations at all times and plan accordingly.

07: Will I be able to run, jog or walk in a group?

The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge is designed to bring women from all walks of life together and we do believe in “the more, the merrier!”. However, the

number of people that may walk or run together is determined by COVID-19 related government regulations. So, please check these before you get your group together to ensure that all is legal at all times.

08: Will there be route support and water points?

Because the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge is exactly that, a virtual challenge, the area in which you walk is totally up to you and so is every aspect of your Virtual Challenge preparation. Why not encourage friends or family in your area to support you with a water point outside their door? We’ll leave it to you to be creative. The other option of course, is to carry your water and snacks with you.

09: How will the virtual challenge be timed?

It’s your Virtual Challenge at your pace, so yes, you will be required to record your own time, if this is important to you. You can create a certificate of participation for yourself once you have completed the Challenge. Simply go to https://sparvirtualchallenge.co.za to generate the certificate. It’s as easy as that!

10: How can I add my voice to the virtual challenge community on the day?

We would love for you to share your experience on Virtual Challenge Day by posting photos and videos on social media with the hashtags #IRise and #SPARVirtualChallenge. You can share these before you start, on your way or even afterwards. Please be sure to tag the Virtual Challenge pages on social media so that we can experience your positive vibes and assist where needed. If you are running with your phone and stopping for pictures along the way, please be careful as crime is a reality in South Africa. Always be sure to take photos in safe locations. We encourage you to be vigilant and aware of your 2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

surroundings for your own safety. There will be a live feed running on our social media pages from 10h00–14h00, where we will be sharing some of what is posted on social media and the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge excitement around the country. Do tune in!

11: Will a virtual challenge pack be included in the entry fee?

Certainly! Your entry fee includes your cool Virtual Challenge drawstring bag with your beautiful T-shirt, a gorgeous matching buff, your copy of the Virtual Challenge magazine and your treasured medal. Remember that, for every entry, SPAR will donate a pack of sanitary pads to help keep a girl in school. Your entry supports this effort!

12: Where can collect my challenge pack?

Challenge packs can be collected from your selected SPAR store, or Sportsmans Warehouse store (only in the Western Cape). Please be sure to check the website www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za when you enter, for details regarding collection and/or delivery options in your area. If you have any queries, feel free to contact the National Customer Care or SPAR Customer Care on 0860 313 141. Alternatively, here are people that can assist in your region: WESTERN CAPE & NAMIBIA: Melanie Jooste: melanie.jooste@spar.co.za Mazeeda Kamish: mazeeda.kamish@spar.co.za Megan Brickles: megan.brickles@spar.co.za Kyke Harker: kyle.harker@spar.co.za Tel: +27 (0) 21 690 0000 SOUTH RAND (GREATER JOHANNESBURG, VAAL TRIANGLE, NORTH WEST, FREE STATE AND NORTHERN CAPE): Cornel Steyn: cornel.steyn@spar.co.za 12

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Tel: +27 (0) 11 821 4238 NORTH RAND (TSHWANE AND LIMPOPO): Sophia Matlou: sophia.matlou@spar.co.za Tel: +27 (0) 11 203 5303 EASTERN CAPE: Laura Dorothy: laura.dorothy@spar.co.za Tel: +27 (0) 41 404 5387 KWA-ZULU NATAL: Michelle Botes: kzn@spar.run Tel:+27 (0) 87 330 0001 LOWVELD: Bella Mogane: bella.mogane@spar.co.za Sakhile Ndlovu: sakhile.ndlovu@spar.co.za Tel: +27 (0)13 753 6930

Challenge website at www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za. Enter your name, print out the pdf and pin it to your outfit on the day. This way, people will see that you are running / walking South Africa’s most beautiful Virtual Challenge.

17: How will different lockdown rules impact the virtual challenge?

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that things can change anytime. We are of course beholden to the laws of the country. Please be sure to keep a lookout for any changes that may affect your participation on Virtual Challenge Day. While we have big ambitions, we need to keep within the law at all times.

13: Can I run the virtual challenge on treadmill?

Because the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge is virtual, you may absolutely run on a treadmill, if that is what you prefer.

14: When do online entries close?

Entries close on 13 August 2022. We do recommend that you enter earlier rather than later as entries are limited to 60 000 participants nationally.

15: Can I enter the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge at a SPAR store? Entries are available online at www. sparvirtualchallenge.co.za. In the Western Cape, only in-store payment options are offered. Check out the website for a list of SPAR stores offering in-store entries in other regions.

Remember to use the hashtag

16: Will I get a race number?

Because this is not a traditional race, and it is a Virtual Challenge, official race numbers are not part of the package. However, if you would like one you can generate your own number on the Virtual

Share your Virtual Challenge experience by posting on social media and using the official hashtags!

MY CHALLENGE

With so much happening in the world, women and young girls are the most vulnerable group in the world, especially in South Africa and Namibia. Education is the cornerstone for economic and social well-being, yet an estimated 3 in 10 girls miss school every month due to not having access to basic sanitary products. Sanitary towels mean dignity for young girls and the 2021 SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge in partnership with the Petal Project took up the challenge to give back self-respect and personal privacy to young women by donating packs of sanitary pads in rural areas and townships across the country.

RISING Petals 14

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

hanks to all the amazing women who entered the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge in 2021, SPAR Western Cape was able to donate 42 000 Petals Pads to the Caring4Girls programme. SPAR initially connected with Ilze Bothma, a working mother hailing from Gordon’s Bay, who along with four other amazing women, including Prof. Thuli Madonsela, summited Kilimanjaro on the 10th annual Trek4Mandela. Their climb was to raise awareness for the Caring4Girls programme who distributes sanitary pads to keep girls in school. Trek4Mandela is an annual expedition to summit Africa’s highest peak on Mandela Day, 18 July to honour Nelson Mandela’s living legacy. It was established in 2012 after founder, Richard Mabaso, overheard a conversation between his mom and niece about menstruation. Realising a fear and lack of understanding existed, even within his own family. Richard was inspired to do something and the Caring4Girls programme was born. The Trek4Mandela expedition brings together inspired individuals from corporate and public backgrounds to assist in raising

funds and creating awareness for the Caring4Girls programme. By entering the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge, which will be held on 3 September 2022, you will once again help SPAR to donate sanitary pads, helping provide menstrual hygiene and demystifying harmful myths. SPAR will donate sanitary pads collected in lieu of Western Cape entries to Running4Pads and the Boland Veteran Cricket Club, which has a development programme for girls participating in the sport. SPAR Namibia will be partnering with Imago Dei Welfare and Poverty Relief Association to support local Namibian communities in need.

Boland Veteran Cricket Club

The Boland Veterans Cricket Association (BVCA), supports the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge by encouraging entry and distributing sanitary pads to girls in need through their girls’ development programme. The BVCA aligns itself with the SPAR ethos of family, passion and entrepreneurship. In an attempt to “up the ante” in the development of girls’ cricket, they feel

strongly that it is a human right for girls not to have to miss out on equal opportunity because of period poverty. Under the auspices of BVCA they have programmes where they are able to distribute sanitary pads to girls in need.

Running4Pads

About 2 million girls between the ages of 12 and 18 years still cannot afford sanitary pads. This issue hinders learning amongst the youth in disadvantaged communities, and contributes towards absenteeism as well as drop-out rates. Addressing this barrier to learning, four women, runners themselves, decided they needed to do something and came together to start Running4Pads. Running4Pads aims to secure and donate sanitary pads, tampons and toiletries. Since 2018, the runners have participated in various running events in Cape Town, as a way of creating awareness around this social ill. They call upon individuals and companies to help them in touching more needy lives through this humanitarian act. They see themselves as not merely running for

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

themselves, but running in the shoes of a needy girl-child. Running4Pads consists of a team of 17 individuals, voluntarily associated with the project. Each offers various skills, from social media, to organising events or collections, to running or cycling. The team’s goal is to ensure that they can help as many girls as possible by restoring their dignity and keeping them in school. They also try and raise as much awareness about this social issue as possible and hope that they can make a difference. COVID-19, and the resultant cancellation of events, put a major spoke in their efforts. An event like the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge adds impetus to their efforts in a time where so much still remains uncertain in the arena of live events.

Imago Dei Welfare and Poverty Relief Association

Imago Dei has been in existence for the past 14 years and acts as a bridge between the community of means and the community of needs by mobilising resources from the community of means and channelling it to the community of needs in a well governed, responsible and transparent manner. Imago Dei are unique in comparison with other welfare organisations in that they not only deliver a service to corporates by handling their corporate social responsibility, but also ensure that the relevant help is given to the needy community projects of Namibia. With dignity, equality and compassion as guiding principles, teamwork can make a difference, not only for those who receive but also for those who dare to give and care. Imago Dei chooses to be part of the solution for social problems by connecting people and communities through the investment of time, skills and funds. The number of projects that rely on the support of Imago Dei has increased substantially over the years. Over the past 10 years Imago Dei has registered 150 projects on its database which are categorised as either Basic Needs, Psychological Interventions, Vulnerable Groups, Education & Training, 16

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

or Job Creation. These projects get no government funding, so they are dependent on community support, the work of community organisations, and the financial and operational support of Imago Dei. We have especially experienced a sharp increase in the need for support in the wake of COVID-19 and its aftereffects. It is an honour for Imago Dei to partner with the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge in order to impact local communities. Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation. They bring life into the world and share the core value of caring for others. We need to acknowledge them for who they are, to appreciate all the sacrifices they make and protect them. Thank you to all the brands that stand; support and promote women and their power through their business. In 2022, the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge will not only help to break through these challenges, but also call upon women to rise above them.

MY CHALLENGE

Sheltering from

GBV T

heir aim is to empower survivors holistically through a myriad of programmes including residential, psychosocial support, economic development, substance abuse, early childhood development, legal assistance, child protection, advocacy and education programmes. Over the past 23 years they have assisted 240 000 women and children survivors of GBV. Although the war being waged on the bodies of South African women continues unabated much has changed in the world since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Saartjie Baartman Centre have had to adapt their services to ensure that they continue to offer 18

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

holistic services that speak to the needs of survivors, whilst also addressing the challenges occasioned by the pandemic.

Some of THE new initiatives include: Home-schooling centre

Survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) enter the shelter at SBC together with their children. The Centre can accommodate 120 women and children and are almost always full. Women who approach SBC for assistance mostly flee their circumstances without much preparation. They often flee for their lives. The children are often

The Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children (SBCWC) opened in 1999 in response to the high rates of violence against women and children on the Cape Flats near Cape Town. They developed an innovative one-stop centre offering essential, cost-free services for women and children survivors of gender-based violence.

ripped out of their existing schools in order to come to the shelter. Naturally, this disruption has an adverse effect on the children, as does having to fit into a new school, whilst also adapting to a new home environment. Traditionally, children at SBC would be placed in schools in the surrounding area, however, school placement can also expose shelter children to the risk of the perpetrator attempting to gain access to them at school. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a home-schooling programme was introduced at the Centre. The programme is run by one of the Centre’s ex-clients, a qualified teacher, and classes are held in our state-of-the-art

MY CHALLENGE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

media centre. Individual attention has resulted in many benefits to the children, including improved academic performance, increased concentration, and improved emotional wellbeing. An overwhelming majority of the children have indicated that they do not wish to return to formal schooling. The home-schooling programme has the added advantage that the curriculum can be continued online once the family exits SBC thus ensuring continuity of education.

also used as an opportunity to counsel, advise and “check in” with our clients.

Food garden

In a further effort to address food insecurity, the SBC has established a food garden programme. • The food garden programme teaches survivors and their children how to grow their own food – a lifelong skill that can be used anywhere and which ensures they have access to basic and nutritious food, no matter their circumstances. • The act of gardening is not only therapeutic, and does not only bolster psychological healing, but also assists in interrupting the intergenerational cycle of abuse for our children clients as the learning of new skills has been proven to boost self-esteem. • Survivors and their children gardening together also strengthens parental bonds.

Food parcel distribution

Unemployment and poverty are drivers of GBV in South Africa. One of the most devastating consequences of the national COVID-19 lockdown has been an increase in poverty and unemployment. In one of the most unequal societies in the world this has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions. One survey estimates that the “food stressed” in South Africa has doubled from 2019 to approximately 30 million people. It is clear that if measures are not adopted to deal with poverty and distribute food in South Africa soon, many will be malnourished and ultimately, they will starve. Gender-based violence rates will moreover increase. Since March 2020 the Centre has assisted survivors exiting the Centre with food parcels for four months. This frees the survivor up from considering issues related to basic survival, to rather utilise their energy to gain employment and ensure their and their children’s further development. The parcel drop offs are 20

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

THE TRAUMA CENTRE AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

Although leading a centre of this size and complexity is often challenging, it is always rewarding. SBC, however, would not be able to render the services they do without the support of their partners that are as passionate as they are about addressing GBV. SBC wishes to thank everyone at SPAR Western Cape and Namibia for their ongoing support. Everyone at the Centre is filled with gratitude for their generosity, heart and commitment to eradicating gender-based violence. Without SPAR’s continuing contributions SBC would not be able to assist the most vulnerable members of our society. We truly are “better together” when we work in partnership to support survivors of GBV.

The Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture is a non-profit organisation that was founded in 1993 to provide support to victims of apartheid in the early 1990s. Today most of our clients are victims of genderbased violence. We do therapeutic individual and group counselling in Delft, Manenberg Bishop Lavis, Langa, Bonteheuwel, Belhar, Kraaifontein, and Belville in the Cape Town area. Furthermore, we train Trauma Support Workers in the Western Cape. We also do violence prevention by advocating for better services for our clients and using drama in order to raise awareness and change attitudes on gender. If you are a victim of GBV, you can report this to your nearest police station. You can open a case and get a protection order application form. Then you must take the form to your nearest magistrate court to be issued a protection order. If you live in the above areas, contact our WhatsApp line on 066 307 2073 or Maguerite on 021 465 7373. In South Africa you can contact the national GBV hotline 0800 150 150 or GBV command centre at 0800 428 428 or use the “please call me” facility: *120*7867# /SMS 31531

MY CHALLENGE

Map your

Route for Challenge Day Our ambassadors from the Western Cape and Namibia have come together to share their tips and suggestions for planning your route for this year’s SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge. They are sharing their personal tricks for making the most of your run/walk on Challenge Day as well as suggesting some of their favourite routes to run/walk to help you rise to the challenge.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

SOME PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR ROUTE FOR THIS YEAR’S SPAR WOMEN’S VIRTUAL CHALLENGE: Our ambassadors’ top tip is for you to look for a safe place to map out your route. Parks, open fields and safe common routes are always a good option, but they also caution that it is not a good idea to run alone and to only run when it is safe to do so. Why not get a group of friends or family to run with you, so that you can smash those personal best times together – the more the merrier! Our ambassadors agree that it doesn’t matter whether you walk/run in the rural part of the country where you can enjoy the sounds of nature or you run/walk to the beat of the busy urban streets, as long as you rise up and join the Challenge.

Some additional tips: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Make sure you stay hydrated. Choose the optimal route for you. Make sure that the route is safe. Run/walk with a partner or group to help keep you motivated. Use apps like STRAVA and MapMyRun to help you find local routes. Be safe and have FUN!

In the Western Cape, Anruné Weyers and Michelle Gildenhuys Adams have some beautiful suggestions for Challenge Day routes. For a brisk run through the hustle and bustle of Durbanville, Anruné likes to start her route at the Glengarry Shopping Centre, and run a circuit past the Vredekloof SPAR, Eversdale Primary, NG Stellenberg Church and Stellenberg High School, finishing off with the hill back to Glengarry Shopping Centre and a Vida Café post-run coffee.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

HELALIA JOHANNES WINS FIRST SPAR GRAND PRIX RACE OF 2022 Michelle on the other hand prefers her run to be a bit more scenic and suggests the Root44 Market Run as a perfect run with beautiful views, and at 5km, it’s a perfect route. Another of Michelle’s favourite places to run with her kids is along the Sea Point Promenade where they can ride along on their bikes. The ocean views always bring her such calm and serenity.

A great suggestion for our Namibian ladies is Benhard’s Mountain Trail at the Mount D’Urban Campsite in the Karas Region. This trail takes about 90 to 120 minutes to complete and requires good walking or trail running shoes. Take along some water, sunhat, wear sunscreen and some food if you are walking the trail. There are some challenging steep ascending and descending sections, yet the trail provides some great views as it loops and traverses up and around the middle point of Mount D’Urban. Follow the painted rocks in either direction. Wherever you choose to walk or run this Challenge Day, be it in nature, on the roads in your neighbourhood or the treadmill in your living room, remember to look fabulous and take as many pictures as possible! Make it cute, make it lovely and most importantly rise up for the most glamourous Virtual Challenge in South Africa! See you all on the roads and trails on 3 September!

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

The 2019 SPAR Grand Prix winner, Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) recorded a world best as she sprinted to victory in the SPAR Women’s 10km race in 31.53 minutes at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha in 2022’s first SPAR Grand Prix race. She became the first woman in the world over 40 to run 10kms in under 32 minutes. The 2021 SPAR Grand Prix winner, Ethiopian Tadu Nare (Nedbank), was second in 32.11 followed closely by teammate and fellow Ethiopian, 19-year-old Selam Gebre in 32.23 minutes. Tayla Kavanagh of Murray & Roberts was the first South African home, in 32.33. It was a very fast race, with the first 11 runners all finishing in under 34 minutes. Johannes and Nare ran side by side for the first eight kilometres, where 41-year-old Johannes broke away. Johannes, who missed the 2021 SPAR Grand Prix series because of international commitments and injury, said she was not surprised at her time, because everything had gone according to plan. “I was running at the pace I planned to run,” she said. “Age is just a number. As long as my body responds the way I want it to, I will run fast.” Nare, who won every SPAR race last year, said she was happy to have Johannes back in the series. “It is very important to run against someone who is better than you,” she said. “I used to keep up with her for four kilometres – now I can keep up with her for eight. She pushes me to run faster and so I develop as a runner.” Nare, who had to travel between Addis Ababa and South Africa between all the SPAR races last year, said she would be going back to Ethiopia, but she was happy that this year, there was time to recover between the races.

MY CHALLENGE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

Catching Up with... SPAR Western Cape and Namibia have the privilege of partnering with three truly spectacular ladies for this year’s SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge. Michelle, Anruné and Donnalee share their stories of the journey they have each taken in their quest to rise above. These remarkable women have all overcome their own struggles and set a shining example for those who are fighting their own private battles every day.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

We Chat to...

Michelle Gildenhuys Adams

WHO IS MICHELLE? I am a wife and a mom to four sons, a business woman, entrepreneur and content creator. I am a big sister, a daughter and a friend.

05 03 PLEASE SHARE WITH US A CHALLENGING TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU CHOSE TO RISE ABOVE?

02 04 TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY AND HOW YOU CAME TO PARTNER WITH THE SPAR WOMEN’S VIRTUAL CHALLENGE IN 2022?

I was approached to partner with the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge and I am thrilled because I love what the event stands for. I am very familiar with the previous races and the great amount of good that this initiative does helping young women and teaching others how to get involved and help. I have worked with SPAR on other occasions and I really appreciate the ethical way in which operate. 28

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

As a teenager I suffered from anorexia and this was a time in my life that shaped me. After a near-death experience in a foreign country at the age of 19, I decided that I am worth more than the opinions of others.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RISE AND WHERE DID YOU DRAW STRENGTH AND MOTIVATION FROM? My strength came from my family and a massive shift in my mindset. I was working in an industry where everything is based on how you look, so I started to focus on becoming a better person, doing more to help others and accepting that I am more than how I look.

DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR OUR LOVELY LADIES WHO WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE SPAR WOMEN’S VIRTUAL CHALLENGE THIS YEAR? My message to all the women that will be participating in this year’s SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge, is thank you. Thank you for taking to the streets and bringing awareness. I hope you remember just how incredibly valuable you are. May you rise above all the obstacles in your path and may your kindness lead you to greater heights.

ANY FINAL WORDS? Sometimes you just need to remember that you have the power to rise above it all. Your past mistakes do not define you, the opinions of others do not shape you, and there is no single title that is worthy of you. You can be a woman of many wonders and you are capable of doing many things. Once you rise above the storm, you are sure to find the sunshine.

MY CHALLENGE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

We Chat to...

Anruné Weyers

03 01 02

TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO THE PARA-OLYMPICS?

WHO IS ANRUNÉ?

Along my path to the Para-Olympics and my journey growing up with a disability, I have come to believe that knowing who and what you are is truly important. When life is tough and you are faced with obstacles, you need to be truthful to who and what you are. I am someone who is spontaneous and loves being around people, I am energetic and love learning new things and listening to people. I love spending time with my family and friends, and celebrating with them. My favourite thing to do is to run – to explore the road. I experience God in a different way when I run and I truly believe that my gift of running has blessed me with so much of who I am today. I enjoy teaching and a passion of mine is teaching kids. One of my core beliefs is to make a difference in the world – on and off the track – with the story of overcoming my disability and starting to love who and what I am. I really want to inspire kids around the world.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

I have been blessed to participate in three Para-Olympic games and use the gift God has given me, but this last one was definitely a highlight of my career. Just before the games I tested positive for COVID-19 despite my best efforts to stay healthy. Thankfully, with the support of an amazing group of friends and family, my coach and the unwavering goodness of God, I was able to make the journey to Tokyo. My motto for the games was to “embrace and be in the moment” and that is exactly what I did for all the races – me and God together – the 100m, 200m and 400m. It was not an easy road to get there, but I am grateful that God healed me and for all the people who supported me – all the doctors, all the people praying, my family, my friends, everyone who was there for me in the difficult time leading up to the games. I remember before I ran the final for the 400m, I just prayed for an empty mind. I didn’t want the worldly accolades of a gold medal and a world record, but I wanted to run with an empty mind and trust in God that we could do this together. Now when I look at my 400m I am in awe of what God has done, from start to finish. It is not about the medal, it’s about the joy, fulfillment, contentment and incredible gratitude for what God has done and how He has used me.

PLEASE SHARE WITH US A CHALLENGING TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU CHOSE TO RISE ABOVE?

As a child I was bullied for being different, for having a “little hand”, and freckles and curly hair and fair skin. There were many challenges growing up and kids used their words to taunt me. My family supported me through this and I always felt normal because they gave me so many opportunities and experiences that made me believe that I could do anything. But I needed to make the choice – would I let my disability define me or would I rise above it? I chose to not let my disability hinder me or tell me that I am not capable. I chose to trust that there is a reason that God made me this way. It was difficult getting to this point and that is where running helped me to rise above my challenges. Running was the place where I gained selfconfidence, where God was with me, where my heart skipped a beat, where I got goosebumps and a big smile on my face knowing that I was doing something that I truly love. I made the choice to rise above. When I run it is with incredible gratitude that I am healthy and can run. I will always run for those who can’t, those whose lives and challenges are different from mine.

MY CHALLENGE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RISE AND WHERE DID YOU DRAW STRENGTH AND MOTIVATION FROM? The core of me rising above is God. Every scripture and experience that God has given me, motivates me and gives me strength. There will be difficult times but I try to remember to just breathe and spend time with God. Listening to and sharing past stories of hope motivates and inspires me. I think that is why it is so important to surround myself with people that uplift me and believe in me, people that make me laugh, because they play a big role in keeping me motivated and giving me the strength to become a better version of myself.

06 05 DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR OUR LOVELY LADIES WHO WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE SPAR WOMEN’S VIRTUAL CHALLENGE THIS YEAR?

Get your community together – if you’re going to walk or cycle or run do it together, because it is going to be an incredible day. Have a coffee together and share what is going on in your lives, share stories and laugh together, be there for one another. #IRise is really about being there, sharing your story and rising above your challenges. I hope to see many pictures and stories on social media of how we are all rising and lifting each other up, because sometimes we all need a mom, sister, friend to be there for us.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

ANY FINAL WORDS?

Be honest with yourself, with what you are going through. Things do not always have to go well, you do not always need to post the pretty pictures, it is also okay to share the challenges and difficult times. Look in the mirror and tell yourself that you love yourself. It all starts with loving who and what you are, and how God created you. God will open your eyes to see the beauty He created in you and in other people.

MY CHALLENGE

We Chat to...

Donnalee Roberts

01 WHO IS DONNALEE?

I am a mother and a wife, who is so in love with her husband and children. I am a dreamer and a creator, and a very, very hard worker. I believe that there is no such thing as a dream that is too big, it just depends on how hard you are willing to work to turn that dream into a reality. I am an absolute eternal optimist. I am also a writer, an actress, an entrepreneur, a producer – wearing multiple hats professionally. My husband and I own a production company called 17 Films and we are entrepreneurs with our own clothing brand, The Romantic Collective.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY IN FILMMAKING? I am a writer, producer and actress who is a passionate storyteller. All I have ever wanted to do is make films and tell stories for the big screen. I can remember being five years old and knowing that I wanted to tell stories for the rest of my life. Film as a medium of storytelling is such a beautiful way to move people and we love taking people on epic visual adventures. We try to write in such a way that there is symbolism and deeper meaning within our stories and our projects.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

Whenever I have difficulty in my life, I think of her and see how she has chosen to not let situations or circumstances define who she is as a woman. She just rises.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO RISE AND WHERE DO YOU DRAW STRENGTH AND MOTIVATION FROM?

My mother is my greatest inspiration. In her lifetime she has been diagnosed with two different cancers and she has overcome! Her entire approach to life and how she deals with situations is the definition of rising above and not allowing what happens to you in your life to keep you from rising. The way my mom has always led by example – the way she loves and cares for other people and sows into their lives, has come back in so many blessing in her own life. She is the reason why I choose to rise above the obstacles in my life. Whenever I have difficulty in my life, I think of her and see how she has chosen to not let situations or circumstances define who she is as a woman. She just rises. She inspires me to choose to be positive, to choose to keep on dreaming, and to choose to keep on speaking life into my life and the lives of others.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR OUR LOVELY LADIES WHO WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE SPAR WOMEN’S VIRTUAL CHALLENGE THIS YEAR?

You can’t always choose what happens to you in life, or your circumstances, but you can choose to make the best of it. You can choose positivity and to rise up out of your circumstances and to learn from your experiences. When you choose to see the beauty in the smallest of things, in every moment, and in those around you, we can rise together. Choose to call out the gold in others, to see the amazingness in them, to see what they might not see in themselves, and celebrate and encourage them.

ANY FINAL WORDS?

#IRise means that we rise. Be brave enough to stand up for what you believe in, to stand up for others, to not allow society and circumstances to define you. When you share, support, connect and celebrate others, you create a space for everyone to flourish, for everyone to reach their full potential, for everyone to rise!

MY CHALLENGE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

Milk is… life. When a baby is born into this world, milk will nurture it with the exact nutritional requirements that it needs to survive, to grow, to live until it is ready to stand on its own feet. If you stand on two feet or more, does not really matter, the same principle applies to all mammals. Milk provides everything: nutrition and comfort, closeness, warmth – connectedness to at least one other living being that has taken on the responsibility of caring for you when you yourself, are still vulnerable. This is your mother. And as long as she provides what you need, she does not even have to be of the same species. She could have four legs, or only two. The connection is the milk.

Raising

Rhinos 36

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY CHALLENGE

hen Annette Oelofse receives a rhino orphan from somewhere in Namibia, mostly because the rhino mother has been killed by poachers, her very first task is to get the babies to drink. This can be an exhausting task for Annette, as little rhino babies can already weigh three times her own weight and already boast a little horn at the tips of their noses. Sometimes, the babies come to the orphanage severely undernourished, dehydrated, wounded, sick and disturbed. But the moment that the little ones taste the goodness of SPAR non-fat milk, enriched with only a little glucose, half the battle is won. After the first bottle, trust is gained, an unbreakable bond is formed – a connection is made. Every rhino baby, even if it has survived endless, senseless trauma, can heal with the help of Annette’s knowledgeable mothering skills, her comforting rhino whisper, and the goodness of milk. The power of milk, of the correctly adjusted, non-fat SPAR milk, and the willpower of a surrogate mother such as Annette, has already saved the lives of countless little rhino babies at Annette’s rhino orphanage. Currently, Annette is raising a total of five rhinos at her orphanage. This is a record number of rhinos at the orphanage at one time. As poaching relentlessly increases, so do the number of babies that reach Annette’s doorstep. Today there are Cato, Kamshona, who are the oldest in the group and who have already been weaned, and their little sister Malaika who still receives two bottles per day. These three roam a bigger area, and Malaika only leaves her older companions when she hears the purring of Annette’s jeep approaching to bring her daily 38

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

portion of ten litres of non-fat SPAR milk. Annette feeds her from her jeep and avoids too much contact with her massive but cuddly older brothers, who amicably rub their heavy bodies against Annette’s vehicle, which is missing a gear shift and showing much wear and tear from many rhino encounters. Cato and Kamshona are enormous, strong, healthy and always in good spirits. They, among others who have already been released back into the wild, are the living proof of what good milk can do. Each rhino receives a total of about 9,000 litres of SPAR non-fat milk during their stay at the orphanage until they are weaned at around 18 months. In a smaller area resides rhino girl, Mwezi and boy, Kalakwa. Mwezi means ‘full moon’, named after the night that she came to Annette’s orphanage. All rhinos are special to Annette in their own way, but Mwezi is particularly trusting,

good-natured and gentle. Annette feeds both of them five times a day, in portions of five litres, which requires endless determination and time, and at least an entire pallet of non-fat SPAR milk per month. Both of them enjoy a good belly rub from Annette before they slowly move off again. They are in the best of hands. One day they will be released back into the wild at Okanjati Game Reserve, Mount Etjo Safari Lodge, to hopefully contribute to conserving their own endangered species. Nossie, the first black rhino that Annette raised about 25 years ago, is a success story of its own. To date, Nossie has produced a total of 10 calves, all of which have helped to keep their species alive. There are only around 5,000 black rhinos and probably less than 16,000 white rhinos alive today. It is a battle. But with the help of Annette and her team, and the goodness of nonfat SPAR milk, much can be achieved!

MY CHALLENGE

Talk about it! Intelligence Against Poaching (ISAP) was founded in 2015 at the all-time high of rhino poaching in Namibia. The idea was to create a public platform where reports and information from the public could be fed to authorities which would allow them to take action. With Namibia having the biggest black rhino custodianship in the world it became critical to win the hearts and minds of the public. Great headway was made establishing these links through social media, lots of information started to flow and information was passed on about the poaching of rhino and other species. ISAP also has a training facility 140km from Windhoek, on a 10-thousand-hectare Game Reserve. This is where organisations host Environmental Education Programmes as well as training of Anti-Poaching Units, and Educational Team Building. Junior Ranger programmes, Bird Ringing as well as Research on Hornbills, Fire Fighting training and other environmental training, are all done here. Due to deforestation, we have created a Camelthorn Nursery where we have successfully reared over 9,000 trees which we give away to the public for replanting. At this stage we have also been asked to help with the aftercare of rhino orphans. We approached Annette Oelofse to assist as she is probably the person with the most experience with rhino orphans in Africa. One of the biggest costs in caring for these orphans is the milk which these youngsters consume per day, which led to our partnership with SPAR. The impact that SPAR has had for ISAP is huge. Their assistance and sponsorship of 9,000 litres of milk at a value of nearly Nam$80,000.00 has been the biggest sponsorship directly linked to rhino orphan assistance. We thank SPAR for the difference that they have made.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

What in the world is

‘plogging’ and why in the world should you even know?

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

If you are a latecomer to the term ‘plogging’, sit up and take note. This is the running craze literally sweeping the streets from Sweden through Thailand to London and now, South Africa. It’s helping save the planet in the process. In this new ecofriendly running trend, ‘ploggers’ clean up litter on the run.

MY LIFESTYLE

e all know that running is a healthy pursuit – though sometimes when we’re not in the mood, we try to convince ourselves otherwise. Though, when in the mood we proudly shout about it whenever we can. It is not only good for our bodies (our carbs and calves), but now, thanks to ‘plogging’, it’s proving to be good for the planet too.

Where does ‘plogging’ originate from?

Plogging is a portmanteau of ‘jogging’ and the Swedish word ‘plocka’ (meaning ‘to pick up’). Most of us are familiar with Brangelina, bromance and chillaxing, and now we have plogging, an aerobically taxing and rubbishcollecting activity that benefits not only us, but the Earth as well, and it’s popping up all over the globe. This movement was started in Sweden by trail runner Erik Ahlström, a Swede who encouraged litter collection while jogging. In Sweden environmentally conscious runners have taken to collecting plastic litter during their runs. Founded by Ahlström, Stockholm-based group, ‘Plogga’ aims to use the city’s runners as a force for good. His team of ploggers pull on their disposable gloves, grab a bin bag, and scan the streets for litter along their routes. Once the bag is full it’s deposited into an appropriate recycling bin, cutting down on the amount of plastic making its way into the ocean.

How can you get involved?

Try to find a plogging group near you and join them. Alternatively, arrange your own plogging challenge. Simply get a group of runners together, get some bin bags and protective gloves, and set out on a run, picking up rubbish as you go. The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge is an ideal place to start! If it’s not only about the planet, but also a little bit about ‘what’s in it for me?’, just think about the core work you’ll sneak in bending down again and again to grab that stray plastic bottle!

There are a number of reasons why plogging may be even more beneficial than just doing the exercises.

1. It introduces additional movements to your exercise that could burn more calories. 2. Plogging adds an extra purpose to your daily workout. After all you are contributing to a really good cause. 3. Those that plogg regularly say it makes them feel even better because it amplifies the endorphin-powered ‘runner’s high’ that many experience with jogging. 4. It keeps you motivated mentally to do five more minutes, that extra mile, or those extra steps on your Fitbit, just so you can get those extra pieces of trash.

Some Tips

• You must have a positive attitude toward trying something new and a willingness to get a bit dirty. • Many ploggers like to carry their own reusable bags, hand sanitiser and backpacks to help make the cleanup a bit easier and cleaner. Maybe you can find bags to carry the trash you find in the same areas you are plogging – a double win! • The whole point of plogging is to stay in motion, so you won’t be able to pick up every single piece of trash along the way. A plogging buddy can help collect the pieces you miss.

Talk about it! Post about it on social media using the hashtag #plogging to make it even more fun, share ideas, and encourage others to do the same. If you type plogging into Instagram, you’ll see more than 60,000 photos of runners all over the planet taking part. Remember, it does not really matter where you are plogging because 90% of ocean plastic comes from land-based sources and simply getting this litter out of the environment can help keep it out of the ocean. Plogging can be done while walking, cycling, or hiking as well. Basically, it just means combining exercise with picking up trash and we think it’s great! Rise up on your route in your neighbourhood this year, help the environment and keep fit and healthy on Challenge Day.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

Steaming Coffee Culture The fresh aroma of your favourite blend of java has become an early-morning must-have for many South Africans. The surprising popularity of Cape Town’s coffee culture is slowly creeping up to take the #1 spot from Rooibos tea as Cape Town’s favourite hot beverage.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

offee is popular in its diversity, and in its almost constant evolution from a plain black java to a flat white or a hazelnut-flavoured espresso. Add milk, add sugar, add flavour or cream. It is as individual as the people that drink it, and this has played no small role in the 15year evolution from a nation of instant coffee drinkers to a nation of discerning appreciators of a fine cup of java. With more and more people being trained to make great coffee, more consumers are able to differentiate between a good cuppa and an average one, a distinction of taste which will

be instrumental in taking the culture to another dimension. There’s something special about strolling into a coffee shop to enjoy your favourite beverage while reading the paper or chatting with fellow java lovers. So it’s no surprise that South Africa has experienced a resurgence in recent years as its coffee culture finds a growing audience. Coffee has become a big growth market in South Africa as the country shifts its preference from tea to java. As consumers become more familiar with what makes a good cup of coffee, the

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

will continue to see some of the better independent coffee shops setting up their own in-house coffee roasters. A combination of the theatrics, smell and guaranteed freshness is definitely a draw for the more discerning coffee customers. In short, the speciality coffee trend is constantly rising to greater heights. Cape Town has the largest number of independent roasters in South Africa and is becoming widely recognised as the coffee capital of Africa. With such growth, it’s only apt to ask: is this coffee-drinking culture here to stay? It certainly seems so.

demand for good beans has surpassed the demand for instant coffee. In this shift we’ve seen the rise of a number of great coffee shops in and around Cape Town. We are seeing a change in the local coffee culture - people are becoming more discerning and aware when it comes to drinking coffee. More coffee drinkers have bean-grinders at home and not only coffee-making machines, which illustrates the growing shift away from drinking instant coffee in South Africa. As a country, we are in many respects still an “English colony” of tea drinkers and the widespread consumption of premium coffee is still new.

Bean Tree

A Coffee Manifesto

Manual coffee-making methods are becoming an increasingly popular option for home enthusiasts and coffee shop baristas alike. We are also likely to see more grinding of beans on demand, as well as a steady increase in the demand for Fair Trade and organic coffee, even though it will still take up only a fraction of the market. Finally, in all likelihood we 44

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

We fling good feelings around like confetti because customers don’t come to us just to enjoy a great cup of coffee. They come to us hoping to make their everyday better. It is our mission to make sure that everyone who visits a Bean Tree leaves feeling better than when they arrived. WE ARE THE DAY MAKERS.

MY LIFESTYLE

The Rise of

Farm-to-Table Farm-to-table dining has become increasingly popular in recent years as more and more people are opting for healthier, more organic and ultimately, more sustainable options. But what is this movement, how did it start and does it really have any practical benefits for the everyday woman on the street?

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

he simplest definition of farm-to-table is food that moves directly from fields to kitchens, be it in restaurants or homes. It isn’t supplied through traditional means such as wholesale or retail vendors. The phrase, farm-to-table, can refer to food sourced locally from small or large operations. It can also be applied to vegetables and meats sourced through farmers markets and community agricultural projects. In general, farmto-table means that the food on your plate was purchased directly from the grower. 2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

So, how did the movement start?

In the beginning, farmers and surrounding towns were connected by the simple basics of supply and demand. Veggies, milk, eggs and meats were typically available from a farmer just down the road or in your own back garden. As cities grew, populations shifted to urban landscapes. The distance between growers and markets naturally increased. By the early 1900s, food was routinely shipped from farms to market by train and truck. It was during this time that the concept of farm-totable began to take shape. The idea was to re-establish direct distribution between growers and consumers. In recent years, people have become more aware of what they are consuming, is it safe? Is it fresh? There has also been a greater mindfulness about supporting local businesses. With these trends we have seen a rise in families opting to buy local produce directly from farmers or growing their own fresh produce in their gardens. There has also been a rise in people who are willing to spend more money to eat in restaurants that work with this strategy in mind. A proper introduction to the farmto-table movement can be traced back to 1960’s-70’s America and a chef by the name of Alice Waters who was the first to use local produce in her restaurant Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California. She is believed to have made a significant contribution in kickstarting the movement which soon led to the start of organic farming in America and later, Europe. Now the movement is taking root on South Africa’s shores. 48

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Why is the farm-totable movement so important?

The farm-to-table concept, once considered just a trend, is now recognised as an important working component of agricultural sustainability. The production involved in farm-to-table operations helps maintain environmental protections that preserve fertile fields and clean water sources. Farm-to-table also plays a role in economic and community sustainability. It strengthens connections between growers, the foodservice industry and consumers. From farmers and restaurant staff to home chefs, we’re all part of a process that promotes best growing practices and results in a healthier food supply.

MY LIFESTYLE

What are the benefits?

While sustainability stands as one of the biggest farm-to-table benefits, there are other advantages as well. Small restaurants, commercial kitchens and even at-home chefs can reap these benefits, and more, from this rising trend: • Reliable sources for fresh, quality produce and proteins • Greater variety and flexibility for designing healthy menus • Access to seasonal items for planning specialty dishes

• Reduced carbon footprint, especially in farm-to-table transportation Farm-to-table dining offers the unique perspective of knowing exactly what you are eating and when it was harvested. Whether you frequent restaurants in your area that source their produce directly from local farmers, visit local farmers’ markets or grow your own veggie garden at home, you are helping to support the environment and local agriculture with the added benefit of boosting your own health and wellbeing.

MY LIFESTYLE

aTreat

to Rise Fuelling our bodies to rise above is essential but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy every morsel we eat. Try these scrumptious recipe suggestions for breakfast, tea time or when your sweet tooth takes over!

Smoked salmon breakfast stack 10 MINs

Easy tea scones 10 MINs

10-12 mins

15 mins MAKES 12

SERVES 4 Ingredients

1 x 500 g box SPAR potato hash browns (bake in the oven as per the instructions on the box) 1 x 250 g tub SPAR cream cheese 250 g SPAR Norwegian smoked salmon 4 soft-poached eggs SPAR Freshline avocado slices Cracked black pepper, to taste Fresh lemon juice, to serve

Method

To make a breakfast stack, stack layers as follows: 1. A hash brown, cream cheese and a slice of salmon, and repeat the layer. 2. Place a medium soft-poached egg on top and finish with slices of fresh avo on the side, black pepper and a squirt of lemon juice. 50

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Ingredients

250 ml (1 cup) SPAR milk 30 ml (2 Tbsp) SPAR butter 1 SPAR egg 500 ml (2 cups) cake wheat flour 20 ml (4 tsp) baking powder Pinch of salt Strawberry jam, to serve Whipped cream, to serve

Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Heat the milk in a pot until lukewarm. Melt the butter in the milk and beat in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and scoop into a greased 12-hole muffin pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Serve with strawberry jam and cream.

MY LIFESTYLE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix the milk, egg and cream together. Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture. Mix lightly, but well. The dough must not be too runny. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add teaspoonful of the dough to the warm, deep oil. When the vetkoekies are halfway ready, they will turn over on their own. Serve warm with butter, mince, cheese, honey or syrup.

Easy muffins 10 MINs

Vetkoekies 10 MINs

15 mins

MAKES 12

30 mins

Ingredients MAKES 25 Ingredients

500 ml (2 cups) SPAR cake flour 2,5 ml (½ tsp) salt 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder 125 ml (½ cup) sugar 250 ml (1 cup) SPAR milk 1 SPAR egg 15 ml (1 Tbsp) thick cream Oil, for frying Butter, to serve Mince and cheese or honey or syrup, to serve 52

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

1 x 150 g SPAR yoghurt (any flavour) 2 x tubs SPAR white sugar 3 x tubs SPAR self-raising flour 2 large SPAR Freshline eggs 1 x tub of oil (any kind)

Method 1. 2. 3.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Mix together all the ingredients and spoon into a greased 12-hole muffin pan. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Note: 1 x small 150 g SPAR yoghurt = 1 tub

MY LIFESTYLE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

Easy flapjacks 10 MINs

20 mins

MAKES about 25 Ingredients

7-minute chocolate cake 15-20 MINs

7 mins

MAKES 1 cake Ingredients

250 ml (1 cup) cake flour 250 ml (1 cup) SPAR sugar 15 ml (1 Tbsp) baking powder 45 ml (3 Tbsp) cocoa powder Pinch of salt 125 ml (½ cup) oil 250 ml (1 cup) warm water 2 SPAR eggs, beaten 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence

Sauce

80 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 150 ml (3/5 cup) SPAR fresh cream Strawberries and berries, to decorate

Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt together. Add the oil, water, eggs and vanilla essence and mix well. Pour the mixture into a greased ring pan and microwave for 7 minutes on high. Leave it for 1 minute in the microwave. To make the sauce, add the chocolate pieces and the cream in a pot over low heat while stirring until the chocolate has melted. Take the cake out of the ring pan. Pour half of the chocolate sauce over the cake. Decorate with berries and the remaining chocolate sauce before serving.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

500 g self-raising flour 2 SPAR eggs 45 ml (3 Tbsp) SPAR sugar 250 ml (1 cup) SPAR Squillos chocolate spread with hazelnuts Butter, for frying

Method 1. 2. 3. 4.

Mix all the ingredients together to form a batter. In a pan, heat a little butter and add spoonfuls of the batter into the pan. Cook and turn over when bubbles form. Use SPAR Freshline strawberries or blueberries to garnish, or whichever seasonal fruits you prefer.

MY LIFESTYLE

Find the

Perfect Who doesn’t love an online shopping spree? With hundreds of brands available at your fingertips 24/7 and the privilege of being able to shop from the comfort of your couch, the convenience of online shopping is truly unmatched. Not to mention the joy of unboxing something new that instantly brightens your day.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

the lines of quality, trend or price,” explains Grant Roy, Superbalist.com’s Head of Product. “With e-commerce – and with Superbalist.com in particular – we’ve added another layer: ‘good fit’. We want our customers to trust that what they buy from Superbalist is going to fit perfectly, which is why we launched Fit Finder.” To use Fit Finder, shoppers must simply answer a series of size-related questions – from your height and body shape to how you would prefer your clothing to fit. Fit Finder even asks which brands you regularly shop in order to analyse the sizing you enjoy. For example, if you love how clothing from MANGO fits your body, you’re more likely to enjoy a brand with similar sizing. Fit Finder then uses your data to suggest a size to suit your shape and preferences. With a greater guarantee that you’re ordering the right size, you’re less likely to need to return an item that doesn’t fit the way you want it to. Who wouldn’t love that! In preparation for the 2022 SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge, why not give Fit Finder a try and find some new sportswear that fits you just right? To make things even better, use code SPAR2022 to get R250 off your first Superbalist.com purchase. Valid until midnight 1 October, 2022.

hile online shopping has revolutionised the retail space, some online shoppers may find it challenging to find the right size. Between UK, US, and European sizing, the variety of sizes available to shop can leave shoppers a bit confused about what their actual size is. Beyond this, some brands run smaller than others, which means sizing is not always equal across brands. This isn’t an issue unique to online shopping - traditional brick-and-mortar stores feature the same size differentiations. However, when you can’t physically feel a product and try it on before purchasing, figuring out if it’s the right fit for you can be tough and lead to more returns. Luckily, Superbalist.com has solved this concern by becoming the first South African brand to launch Fit Finder. This advanced sizing technology, powered by Fit Analytics GmbH, helps make the process of online shopping easier and more accurate. Fit Finder is an intuitive size-guide tool that helps you make the right sizing choices when shopping online. Powered by advanced machine-learning algorithms, Fit Finder uses production size chart data and retail sale and return records to make informed fit predictions you can trust and feel confident in. “In traditional retail businesses, trust is often built along T’s & C’s The promo gives R250 off and is limited to 20 000 shoppers. SA-based customers only. Min spend R750. The promotion excludes products which aren’t shippable, and sale products. The promotion can be used a maximum of 1 times per user. This promotion can only be used if you’ve never placed an order on Superbalist.com before. The promotion is valid from midnight on 29/04/2022 until 23:59 on 01/10/2022.

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY LIFESTYLE

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY PACE

SPAR Sola

VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MUST HAVES

Stay protected!

r Trigge

l your l a f o t o h s p a n s k A quic r race must haves fo

Spray 25

Don’t forget to stay safe an

GO Energy Drink 500ml, RSP: R9.99

e Sn

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

Activ

9.9

SPAR

ars, ack B

R12

SPAR Germex Multi-purpose Spray 50ml, RSP: R19.99

Stay energised!

0ml, RSP:

! 2 2 0 2 r e b m e t 3 Sep have FUN!

RSP:

R9.99

MY PACE

a t e r 5 0 0 m l , R S P : R 6. l in g W

ark oured Sp

SPAR Flav

R Pump Water

Visit www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za Download the challenge number PDF. Insert your own challenge number or just your name. Pin to your t-shirt when you do your virtual challenge.

1. 2. 3.

R7.9

Remeber to print your Virtual Challenge number

750ml, R S P:

Don’t forget to stay hydrated!

SPA

Stay hydrated!

Remember to use the hashtag

Share your Virtual Challenge experience by posting on social media and using the official hashtags!

Pimp Your T-shirt Competition Add some sparkle! Be creative! Pimp your T-shirt and post a picture on the SPAR Facebook page of you rocking it on Challenge Day for a chance to win R2000 (or $2000 Nam) Have fun and let’s see how many ladies we can spot out and about on 3 September!

Stay fabulous! Stay fabulous with your #iRise Challenge t-shirt and buff. Why not pimp your t-shirt and stand a chance to win!

Please note that the prices shown IN this article reflect the recommended retail selling price (RSP) and that costs may differ regionally from retailer to retailer. All prices are inclusive of VAT. 2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY PACE

Helen is the founder of The Networking Company, and bestselling author of Mindfulness, how to stay sane in an insane world, now available in bookstores and online. Follow Helen on Instagram: @helennicholson92

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY PACE

The power of

recovery What we can learn from professional athletes By Helen Nicholson

My favourite meme over COVID was, “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” The last two years have given us a unique opportunity to press the reset button in our lives. We have all realised we have one life and we need to live it more intentionally and, looking after our health is not a luxury, but essential.

n our wellbeing journey we can learn profound performance lessons from the sporting world, which in many ways is the ultimate laboratory for studying high performance. All sports people have recovery built into their training schedules. I saw an interesting example of this when we first ran our leadership training programme at the HighPerformance Centre in Pretoria, where South African athletes train and prepare to compete internationally. 2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

MY PACE

they just keep going and wonder, when they’re still working on their laptops in bed, why they’re finding it so hard to sleep. I’m going to share my daily full stop recovery rituals with you in the hope that it will give you some new ideas or amplify your own. I have two full stops to mark the end of my day – the first is when I bath and change into my pyjamas (yes, I’m that girl in my pyjamas at 18:00), and the second is when I sit down on the couch with my husband, and we have a whiskey. We don’t have our phones with us and it’s our time to sit and catch up.

Weekly Recovery Rituals

Imagine your week as a paragraph in your recovery yearbook. What is your recovery ritual over the weekend? We were watching the swimming relay team train (and I have to confess it was a very pleasant “eye candy” experience). Many hours were spent on this – all in the name of research! When the swimmers are finished a training session in the “heat” pool they go down to the training pool to do ten to twenty lengths slowly, where they recover and bring down their heart rates. If they didn’t do this, their next swimming training session would be compromised, and their performance would suffer. I’d like to see your boss’s face if you said that you need a “recovery” period between October and December, as you think you need an “off season”. You’re lucky if you get 21 days’ leave in a year. Recovery is not something that is recognised or appreciated in the business world. Yet in many ways we are the ultimate corporate athletes, as our demands are even more intense than professional athletes. We are also expected to perform the whole year round with very few “off” seasons, and our decisions have a more profound impact as they affect many people’s economic wellbeing. The pressure is extremely high, so we need to approach and prioritise recovery as an essential part of our resilience toolkit, just as athletes do. 64

2022 • MY VIRTUAL CHALLENGE MAGAZINE

The quality of your recovery determines the quality of your performance. I believe we are still holding onto outdated paradigms where we associate holidays with recovery. We need to get more creative and intentional with our recovery.

I love words and writing, so I’d like you to imagine recovery as a yearbook. Your days are sentences. Your weeks are paragraphs. Your months are chapters. Your year is a book.

Daily Recovery Rituals

If your day is a sentence, what is your full stop at the end of your day? Your full stop is an activity that signals you’ve stopped working for the day. Just as meetings have hard stops when you have to jump onto another meeting, what is your hard stop at the end of your day? I’ve realised many people don’t even have commas in place to mark the end of their workday –

I would strongly suggest that you declare either Saturday or Sunday a sabbath, which is dedicated to your stress relief and recovery. It has no religious connotations, but we can take powerful lessons from the religions which do advocate sabbaths. I attended a presentation by Adrian Gore, CEO and founder of Discovery, and asked him how he managed his energy and resilience. He responded saying he turns his phone off on a Friday night and switches it back on, on Saturday night. He is a religious Jewish man, so he practices a sabbath as part of his faith. He said that after his digital sabbath, he can feel the power start to flood back into his body on Saturday evening, as if he’s powered up his laptop after it has been on charge all night! Ideally your sabbath should include a digital detox where you switch off your devices. We are so connected, especially to our phones, that even leaving our phone in a drawer for thirty minutes feels like someone has cut off a limb. Our devices don’t support recovery, as every ping on our phone creates an adrenaline spike. Start small, by leaving your phone in another room or in your car for an hour, until you’ve built up some digital detox time. The more you intentionally disconnect, the more you’ll enjoy it.