On the 28th September, Australia-based social enterprise Thankyou announced an invitation to P&G and Unilever – two of the world’s largest and most influential consumer goods companies – to make and distribute Thankyou products globally to help end extreme poverty. To convince these companies to take this bold move, Thankyou is asking people around the world to get involved and show the collective power of the many who believe in this change, through its campaign aptly named “No Small Plan.”  Thankyou offers consumer products – personal care and baby product ranges – for the sole purpose of funding life-changing projects.

Thankyou was created to close the gap between the 736 million people* living in extreme poverty around the world and the $63 trillion spent on consumer products each year**. After all the costs involved in getting great products to consumers are taken care of, every last cent that Thankyou makes goes toward ending extreme poverty. With this model, Thankyou seeks to flip consumerism…for good.

‘With $63 trillion spent on consumer goods each year while 736 million people are stuck in extreme poverty, we believe that business as usual is broken,” said Daniel Flynn, who founded Thankyou in 2008 along with Justine Flynn and Jarryd Burns. “But we also believe that we, together with people and a partnership with one of the two biggest companies in the world, can change this by funneling the dollars spent on consumer goods into helping end extreme poverty.”

Currently, Thankyou only sells its products in two of the world’s smallest countries – Australia and New Zealand – but with COVID-19 increasing both global poverty numbers and demand for personal care products such as hand sanitiser, the company feels that now is the time to expand, and quickly. If either P&G or Unilever choose to accept Thankyou’s invitation, together they could change the course of history and route millions of consumer dollars to ending extreme poverty.

For P&G and Unilever to say “I’m in” and work with Thankyou to flip the system, they need to see the collective impact of voices around the world rallying around one movement in the name of ending extreme poverty. To join Thankyou and show support, people can utilize their social media channels and follow these steps:

• Post a photo or share the campaign social title with the caption, “I’m in, are you?”
• Tag @proctergamble and @unilever
• Hashtag #thankyoutotheworld
• Share Thankyou’s video to help this spread even further

Thankyou has set virtual meetings with both P&G and Unilever to take place at the end of the campaign. On November 5, Thankyou will announce globally which partner is “in” on one of the largest digital billboards in the world, in New York City’s Times Square.

Thankyou’s launch campaign is titled “No Small Plan” because changing the course of history by redirecting millions of consumer dollars to go toward ending extreme poverty in this lifetime is, indeed, no small plan.

About Thankyou

Thankyou was founded in 2008 by a group of university students, and in only 12 years has grown into a movement of millions of people taking small steps to create big change. Thankyou’s highly engaged community successfully petitioned the two largest supermarkets in Australia to stock Thankyou products. Additionally, Thankyou’s supporters helped to reach a $1.2 million fundraising target to fund the organization’s future growth in New Zealand by rallying around “Chapter One,” Thankyou’s pay-what-you-want book.

To date, Thankyou has raised over AUD$17 million for impact partners serving the world’s poorest populations, helping over 857,000 people in need in 22 countries, including Australia. Their partners, which span over 14 organizations, address water, health, sanitation, economic development programs, maternal and child health programs in low-income communities. The sectors that Thankyou’s impact partners work across differ from partner to partner, but they all focus on tackling extreme poverty (people living on less than $1.90 a day.) Thankyou reaches as many impoverished communities as possible by giving to multiple partners who work across multiple sectors, all focused on tackling extreme poverty.

Thankyou is as committed to preserving the earth as it is to helping those living on it with its responsible business goals. For more information on Thankyou and its goals, visit its website,

at https://thankyou.co/.

The post No Small Plan to help eradicate poverty with a local twist appeared first on Durban News.

support of many individuals and the business community, this pandemic will make life extremely difficult

and even unbearable for many.

Interestingly at the beginning of this year, long before lockdown was even a word, Seeff launched their

Home2Home campaign – a unique social responsibility operation which provides an opportunity for

homeowners/any individuals to donate their unwanted, but working and usable goods for distribution to

people who would benefit from them.

This campaign was created when it became very clear that homeowners and tenants often sell, buy or

discard many items when they declutter and clear out used clothes, home appliances, décor and other

items when relocating homes/premises. The Seeff Home2Home drive makes use of an ideal opportunity to redistribute unwanted or unused items to communities and homes across the country through various charities and community partners.

When Seeff North Coasts’ own agent Lara Hamilton Potts recently moved house she decided to put this

campaign into practice. Taking into account it was also Woman’s Month Lara contacted the “Woman on A

Mission” enterprise a NPC (Community Outreach & Upliftment) organization that has a shop in Sandra

Road Ballito and works tirelessly on many projects to improve the lives of those in need. Lara filled many

boxes with her items and she personally delivered them all to this laudable outlet.

Seeff North Coast has created several other strategic partnerships for redistribution of the articles to

various local communities and homes in need. Other partners include the North Coast Courier Orphan

Fund which does irreplaceable outreach work to assist many of our most vulnerable children and

communities. If anyone would like to contribute to this worthwhile Home2Home initiative, please contact

Seeff North Coast directly and we’ll let you know how to get involved and make a difference. Alongside the

existing collection points, Seeff North Coast is also providing additional Seeff Home2Home drop off boxes

at a variety of local supermarkets and locations to encourage the local community to purchase and make

available any dry or canned food goods as well as personal hygiene items such as soaps and hand

sanitizers.

With a dedicated CSI focus it is Seeff North Coast’s intention to continue providing support and mobilising

our clients and partners well into the future to ensure we continue to give back in a real way and safeguard

the viability and wellbeing of the community we are proud to be a part of.

For more information or to find out how you can help, please email ballito@seeff.com or contact Tim Johnson on 082 424 6202. 

The post Seeff Home2Home making a Difference appeared first on Durban News.

August 2020

In early May, Impi Concept Events launched Parkflix, a drive-in style entertainment solution to provide KZN fans with their fix of (socially-distanced) entertainment through a host of open-air movie screenings. As lockdown restrictions slowly start to ease, event organisers are thrilled to announce a partnership with Marriott Investment Managers and… an official start date:  Thursday the 13^th of August.

From the 13^th to the 30^th of August, fans can join in the outdoor entertainment from the safety and comfort of their own cars as a series of family favourite movies, blockbuster DVD hits and golden oldie movies are screened outdoors at Suncoast, Durban.

Up to 200 vehicles can be accommodated per show; with attendees arriving in their cars and tuning in via their FM radio sets. The concept ticks all the boxes in terms of safety, as entertainment is displayed on the 12m wide large screen and food is ordered and delivered on-site, giving attendees no reason to leave the car – other than to visit the bathroom.

“Suncoast is thrilled to be part of the team bringing back the drive-in concept to Durban,” says Suncoast Marketing Louise Howell. “In a time when everyone needs a little fun to lift the spirits, Parkflix provides the perfect opportunity to entertain the whole family and support local businesses while still adhering to the COVID safety regulations.“

SCHEDULE

Movie screenings will take place at 18h45 on Thursday through to Sunday, with an additional 14h00 screening on both Saturday and Sunday. Movies to be aired include Bad Boys For Life featuring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker, Shrek, Toy Story 4, Notting Hill and Black Panther. Show dates, times and screenings are all available on the Parkflix and Suncoast Facebook pages.

DAY	SCREENING	TIME
Thursday 13th Aug	Bad Boys For Life	18h45
Friday 14th Aug	Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker	18h45
Saturday 15th Aug	Shrek	15h00
	Notting Hill	18h45
Sunday 16th Aug	Toy Story 4	15h00
	Black Panther	18h45

COSTS

The cost per show is R220-00 per car of 2 people, with R50-00 per additional person.. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are available immediately via www.webtickets.co.za.

FOOD & BEVERAGES

No movie experience is complete without popcorn. As such, each car will receive one box of Marriott popcorn and one bottle of still aQuelle water. Attendees are welcome to bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks or they can purchase from the dedicated Suncoast food vendors who will deliver orders directly to cars.

“Marriott Investment Managers are really excited to be able to partner with Impi Concept Events again” says Sally Anderson, Head of Marketing at Marriott. “Having previously worked with them on the Marriott Ballito Beats music series on the North Coast of KZN, we share a common goal of bringing fun, family-centric entertainment to the people of Durban with an exciting new form of entertainment during these times.”

“In an economic downturn, this partnership is a key investment for KZN’s entertainment industry,” says Stu Berry, Director at Impi Concept Events. “Marriott’s investment will not only provide a wonderful opportunity for the people of KZN to be entertained but will stimulate the industry’s supply chain through the injection of cash flow into the technical, security, ticketing and operational companies that would be required to run these events.”

REGULATIONS

No alcohol, cigarettes or firearms are allowed on site; and no picnic spots are to be set up outside of cars. Stringent social distancing regulations will be adhered to at all times. Patrons will be required to wear their masks when making their way to the ablutions.

Limited VIP and general access tickets are available at www.webtickets.co.za. For personal enquiries around the potential booking of the Parkflix venue and setup for private functions, please email info@splashyfen.co.za.

The post READY, SET, DRIVE-IN & ENJOY appeared first on Durban News.

Netcare Kingsway Hospital moves swiftly in the wake of COVID-19 infection

Wednesday 15 April 2020, Netcare today confirmed that its KZN regional team and the hospital management at Netcare Kingsway Hospital have responded swiftly to managing the COVID-19 exposure at the hospital, and have temporarily closed the hospital for new admissions.

According to Craig Murphy, regional director of Netcare, the origin of the exposure has been traced to a patient who was admitted to hospital via the emergency department on 4 April 2020 with a suspected stroke. Upon admission, the patient was risk assessed and screened for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure as per the Netcare protocol, which is aligned to the NICD guidelines. The patient did not exhibit any signs of the virus and on questioning his family, no symptoms or exposure risks were reported.  

“During his hospitalisation, the patient was visited by his general practitioner on the evening of 7 April who mentioned to the treating specialist that he had recently treated him for flu like symptom on 1 April. The treating specialist requested a COVID-19 test as a precautionary measure even though the patient was still asymptomatic. At the same time, the patient was placed in isolation as a person under investigation (PUI). The test results of the patient came back on 8 April confirming that the patient had a COVID-19 infection.

An abundance of caution to contain the spread of the infection

“In addition to closing the hospital for new admissions until further notice, we have taken several other measures” says Murphy. 

“We embarked on an extensive programme of contact tracing so as to identify all nurses, doctors, paramedics, support staff and contract service providers in the hospital who may have had contact with the patient in question. Healthcare and other workers who have been exposed to the patient were asked to home-quarantine and self-monitor. Most of the identified contacts have been tested for COVID-19, the remainder of the exposed persons will be tested in the next few days. All potentially exposed patients have also been tested.”  

“All of these individuals – those working in the hospital as well as patients – who have undergone COVID-19 laboratory testing are regarded as persons under investigation (PUIs) and have been placed in isolation to contain the possible spread of the virus. All of our staff, as well as our patients, have been offered counselling and this support will be ongoing.

“The emergency department was closed for outpatients as of 14 April and emergency medical service providers were notified to divert emergencies to other emergency departments.

“The hospital management also promptly communicated the exposure to the doctors practising at the hospital and requested that they cancel consultations and conduct telemedicine or telephonic consultations where possible, or defer their consultations to a later date, in order to restrict access to the hospital. 

“Management have taken the decision to close the radiology department at the hospital for any investigations of persons who are not admitted to the hospital until further notice.

“Netcare has employed the services of two independent infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists to assist in investigating this incident at Netcare Kingsway Hospital. 

“A systematic deep cleaning and decontamination process was started immediately, including the deployment of an ultraviolet disinfecting robot which has proved highly effective in destroying viruses, bacteria and fungal spores in healthcare facilities. This process is expected to continue over the next days.   

“We understand that these precautionary measures will cause concern and inconvenience to the community, especially those with family members or friends being cared for in the hospital, as well as our staff members, doctors and other persons working at our hospital and their families. However, we believe these measures are absolutely necessary to safeguard all patients and persons working at Netcare Kingsway Hospital. The management team are contacting the family members of patients who have been admitted to Kingsway to explain the situation to them.

COVID-19 cases at the hospital

“The National Department of Health is the authority that officially announces information on COVID-19 cases, and we are thus not in a position to provide specific information on the exposure at the hospital. We are working closely with the KZN Department of Health (KZN DoH) with regard to the situation at Netcare Kingsway Hospital. We will provide more specific details after meeting with the KZN DoH”, confirmed Murphy.  

“All persons whose test results are still awaited are regarded as PUIs and are either in self-isolation or are being accommodated in isolation by Netcare until such time as their test results are known, after which a decision will be made regarding staff members as to their return to work or continued self-isolation.

“PUIs and confirmed COVID-19 patients in Netcare hospitals are separately isolated and cared for either in isolation rooms or isolation cubicles, with doctors and nurses wearing appropriate personal protective equipment specific to the risk associated with each individual each case, and following Netcare’s protocols to prevent the spread of the infection to other patients and others working in the hospital. 

Challenges of COVID-19

Commenting on the development, Dr Anchen Laubscher, group medical director of Netcare said that two of the greatest challenges associated with COVID-19 are that those infected do not always show or have any of the symptoms, and the fact that the virus is highly infectious, notwithstanding the absence of any symptoms.

“Even in the presence of extensive and effective infection prevention measures, such as those in place within Netcare hospitals, any workplace or gathering of people poses a potential risk for infection. Unfortunately, it has been shown that COVID-19 can be transmitted by carriers before they show symptoms that can be screened for, and where one person is contagious, the virus can very quickly spread to others. 

“For this reason, Netcare took the decision a number of weeks ago of suspending visiting and public entry to its hospitals except in specific exceptional circumstances and closed its in-hospital pharmacies’ retail services to the public as well as its coffee shops. Daily screening of all persons entering our premises is also continuing, and where indicated, testing is then done,” notes Dr Laubscher.

No cost spared to keep patients and healthcare workers safe

According to Dr Laubscher, Netcare is sparing no effort or cost to keep every person in its care, as well as staff and doctors, as safe as possible.

“Netcare has already spent R150 million to enhance the readiness of its ICU and high care facilities, including purchasing additional ventilators, and we are also deploying more ultraviolet disinfection robots and specialised air filters to ensure appropriate disinfection measures,” she notes.   

She adds that Netcare has so far also spent R300 million on additional, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to supplement its stocks for staff and healthcare colleagues to ensure their safety while they work in the front line combatting the pandemic.  

“Staff members and doctors at Kingsway Hospital, and those at all other Netcare facilities, have all been provided with appropriate PPE on an ongoing basis. Our PPE policy includes a directive on the wearing of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic which is, in fact, more conservative in that it provides greater protection than the current recommendations and guidelines of two highly respected health organisations, namely the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). 

“We wish to reiterate again that no Netcare facility has ever expected of a staff member to work without appropriate PPE as that would be contrary to our values. Importantly, we have re-trained over 20 518 healthcare workers, other staff members and doctors on the appropriate and correct use of PPE, and compliance in this regard is being closely and continuously monitored,” concludes Dr Laubscher.

The post Netcare reacts to COVID exposure at Kingsway Hospital appeared first on Durban News.

“However, I want to highlight that the payment holidays are not without consequence. In these uncertain times, we must understand what economic interventions such as payment holidays entail and how they are going to unfold so that we may be prepared and prevent unnecessary future economic strain in the post-pandemic world”, Hanno Bekker founding director of The Financial and Legal Research Group says.

We know by now that the Covid-19 virus will have a substantial impact on our economy as we see lockdown periods extended, many of us are wondering what our obligations and responsibilities are.

Bekker says, “To make it through this pandemic and to prevent total economic collapse, regular South African consumers must continue to make their payments to businesses. SME’s are the heart of our economy and employ millions of South Africans who still need salaries.”

As of the 1^st of April 2020, till the 30^th of June 2020, the payment holiday will suspend your legal obligation to meet your full monthly bank repayment. However, it does not stop the loan from incurring interest or bank charges.

In other words, you are still expected to pay the fees and interest incurred on your loan for these three months, after the lockdown is over.

Essentially, a payment holiday is a show of good faith from the bank saying that for the next three months they will not act against you for not paying.

As an SME you must meet the following criteria to qualify for a payment holiday:

• Your business must be based in South Africa
• The annual turnover of your business must be less than 20 million rand
• Your accounts and tax must be paid up to date including payments for March
• Your business must be in good standing with the bank
• The payment holiday does not include payments on which your business has already fallen behind.

“We strongly recommend to all SME’s who can afford it to avoid making use of the payment holidays. The long-term effect of paying interest on the increased amount after the three-month holiday can have a severe impact on your business’ future cash-flow. If there is no alternative, then you should use it, but be aware of the implications.

Businesses can mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19 by taking their business digital wherever possible and maintain contact with their customer base. Rerouting all communication to cell phone lines, video-conferencing and email and transitioning into the e-commerce space can aid in stabilising some of a business’ income and allow entrepreneurs to continue to do business to a certain extent” Bekker concludes.

In instances where business owners decide that they are not going to pay their employees or suppliers, the Financial and Legal Research Group are available to advise you at no cost and when needed – they can act on your behalf as far as possible as the courts are also directly impacted by the lockdown.

Contact Financial and Legal Research Group at info@flrg.co.za – their team will contact you for a free telephonic consultation.

The post Payment Holidays Explained For SMEs appeared first on Durban News.

Aon put together a list of home projects you can undertake to keep you busy and at the same time, will ensure that your insurance cover is in top shape for any unforeseen event:

• Update your asset register – It’s the perfect time to do a thorough audit of all your assets at home and ensure that they are appropriately insured.  Have you accumulated new electronics, clothes, computers, furniture, jewellery and other assets?  Use the time at home to make sure your home inventory list is accurate and that new items are included under your cover.
• Avoid under-insurance – Thanks to the rise in living costs, your home and motor vehicles could be significantly under-insured in the event of a major catastrophe. Make sure that your buildings, home contents and vehicles are insured for their replacement value and not the resale value, especially under your buildings cover.  Your updated asset register will be invaluable in ensuring you are covered for the correct values and items.
• Do essential maintenance – check your roof for wear and tear and replace any broken tiles or weathered waterproofing.  Check your taps, fittings and plumbing for signs of wear and tear and repair what you can.  Make a note of any work that needs to be done by a repair company after the lockdown.  Paint, clean out, spruce up and remove all the clutter.
• Keep gutters clear – As we enter the autumn season, keep your inlet/outlet pipes of any drains and gutters clear of leaves and debris.  Also address any waterproofing issues by repairing damaged flashings on the roof.
• Are your renewable energy solutions covered? – The increasing focus on green technology means that many households have solar geysers and solar PV panels installed.  Check whether these items are included under your homeowners’ insurance cover and increase the sum insured on your policy to account for the additional value they add to your property.
• Power Surge – Load shedding remains a reality so check your policy to ensure that your appliances are covered and for any requirements on your policy for power surge protection – remember that this will need to be installed on your distribution board by a qualified electrician, so put this on your to-do list for when things are back to normal if not done already.
• Fire hazards – Minimise your home’s risk of fire by cleaning out the clutter and rid your home of unnecessary flammable materials such as dry garden debris, empty boxes, paper, chemicals and leftover paint.  Check whether your insurance policy has any clauses related to fire extinguishers or smoke detectors and make sure you have them in place, for your own safety.
• Give your car a once-over – Check wiper blades and tyres for wear and tear and that the tread is still in good shape.  Make a note of any items that need replacing or repair to schedule for later.
• Working from home – With many people working from home, you may need to consider business cover in order to address possible risks you may face in your home office environment.  Ensure that your business assets such as laptops, cell phones and other work-related equipment are insured under your commercial policy.  Bear in mind that business related public liability cover is not covered under your personal policy.  Discuss appropriate business insurance options with your broker, as soon as possible.
• Be vigilant – keep an eye out for loiterers or unfamiliar people scanning the area and be aware of official government activities, so that you are not foiled by would-be criminals posing as officials.  If anything seems out of place, notify your armed response to investigate.
• Security – Check with your security company how they will conduct their operations during this time, so that you are familiar with the process in the event of an emergency.

Speak to your expert Aon broker today to make sure your insurance policies are up to date, while addressing some issues around the home that may affect your insurance covers.  Aon remains fully operational during the lockdown and our colleagues will be available to assist you with any queries, claims, policy updates and renewals during this time.  Use the time at home to get to those essential maintenance issues and insurance cover into top shape.

The post A very different Easter Holiday for South Africa appeared first on Durban News.

The chatbot can be accessed 24/7, for free, on Facebook Messenger.

By Joanne van der Walt, Director, Sage Foundation

South Africa went into a 21-day lockdown period on 27 March, in a drastic attempt to curb the spread of the devastating COVID-19.

Although necessary, the lockdown leaves thousands of vulnerable women and children stuck at home with abusive partners and caregivers. This is concerning, because South Africa has the world’s highest femicide rate.

Behind closed doors

In his address to the nation last week, Police Minister Bheki Cele acknowledged that domestic and gender-based violence could increase during this period. It’s one reason why the government banned alcohol sales during the shutdown and strengthened the capacity of the courts and the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Units to deal with matters relating to domestic violence.

Alcohol is a primary trigger for violent episodes and while the ban on alcohol sales is a welcome move, many people stockpiled enough to last the shutdown. And victims of abuse say their partners were more likely to lash out after they’d been drinking.

While alcohol itself doesn’t cause domestic violence, it can aggravate already tense situations, like job losses and financial concerns as a result of the lockdown, or tensions between family members who don’t get along. In fact, Soul City-commissioned research found that, when people spend more time at home, opportunities for domestic situations increase.

This raises other questions: Will alcohol-addicted abusers become even more aggressive and unstable when the alcohol runs out and withdrawal kicks in? Will they drink more than usual with an abundance of alcohol in the house? These are frightening situations for victims.

Help at your fingertips

Minister Cele promised swift action against gender-based violence during the shutdown, and the government’s abuse hotline should be victims’ first choice for getting help.

But sometimes they can’t get away from their abusers, who might also block access to safety and support. What’s more, some victims feel uncomfortable talking to another person about their experience, due to embarrassment, social and cultural taboos, and shame.

There is another option.

rAInbow is a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to chat with users and provide accurate information on domestic violence. Whether someone is worried about what’s happening in their own life or looking for information for someone else, rAInbow can help you understand the signs of abuse and how to get help.

Developed by AI for Good, in partnership with the Soul City Institute for Social Justice and Sage Foundation, rAInbow can be accessed 24/7 via Facebook Messenger – anonymously and safely.

It doesn’t intend to be human or to replace the human touch, but to help users validate their experiences and navigate the next steps. Co-built with survivors, it has an empathetic, friendly persona, and victims who have been shamed into silence or have no one to turn to, find comfort in opening up without the fear of being judged.

During the lockdown, people might feel more vulnerable or threatened, and incidents are likely to increase due to stress and confinement. Anyone can speak to rAInbow, at any time. It won’t ask for personal information and anything that’s shared remains strictly confidential.

To chat to rAInbow, all you need is a device connected to the internet

1. Type ‘chat2bo’ or ‘Hi Rainbow’ on Facebook Messenger, or follow this link, to start a new conversation: http://m.me/chat2bo
2. You can also visit www.hirainbow.org for more information, and click ‘Start talking’ to chat
3. Explore the interactive sections including stories, quizzes, resources and definitions to learn about abuse, what to do in such a situation, and how to get help.

With rAInbow, we can reach more victims and make them aware that abuse is not their fault, they are not alone, and there are people who want to help.

Report abuse to the government’s hotline: 0800 150 150. Here is the COVID-19 support page: https://www.hirainbow.org/covid-19

The post What if ‘home’ is not a safe place to be during lockdown? appeared first on Durban News.

Cast and organisers are understandably dismayed at the situation but are cognizant of the importance of adhering to all advice given by the Department of Home Affairs.

Tickets will remain valid for the new dates which will be announced as soon as possible. All ticket holders will be contacted by Computicket. Organisers ask that all ticket holders remain patient as the current situation may cause some slight delays to this process.

Showtime Australia thanks their fans for their support and understanding at this time. They are aiming to reschedule the tour in the future and will confirm new tour dates as soon as possible once the safety concerns regarding COVID-19 have abated. Producers recommend that all fans refer to the show’s website or Facebook page for further updates and announcements.

Website: queenitsakindamagic.com
Facebook page: QueenItsaKindaMagic

The post Queen: It’s A Kinda Magic Performances Postponed Due to COVID-19 appeared first on Durban News.

At times like these, we really need to appeal to everyone to display patience and understanding around the fact that this is nobody’s fault.  It’s an unprecedented situation that we all find ourselves in, one that we will more than likely only ever see or experience once in our lifetime.  And so it is a time where we cannot be selfish as a community or as organisers, as much as we would all like to be at Splashy Fen farm come the 9^th April.

As a festival we essentially have two options available to us, the first and most obvious one is cancelling Splashy Fen 2020. Cancelling seems to be the norm for many events to date, with little to no refunds being offered to fans due to a legal term called Force Majeure, essentially an act of god beyond anyone’s control.  In such instances, a zero refund policy is being applied, which is our standard policy as well, however, this does not sit well with us as a festival due to the nature of what we are all being faced with.

While cancelling be an easier route for many, we need to be considerate of the far-reaching effects that a cancellation offers. Consider the artists and musicians who lose all income and ability to work during these times. Consider the toilet janitor, cleaning crew, food vendors, staff and service providers whose income has just disappeared. All these suppliers have essentially had their businesses temporarily closed, as have we. These are the same people who have brought you the fan so much joy and happiness over the last few years at Splashy Fen. This issue is greater and deeper than we can all imagine.

Having said that, we have prided ourselves as a festival on ethical behaviour, and a community that has the ability to support each other and pull together during testing times. We feel it is our duty as Splashy Fen to ensure that we continue in some way or form, to ensure that our service providers, artists, janitors, staff, cleaning crew and of course our fans have confidence in our ability to deal with adversity. Let’s us together make sure that in a time of uncertainty and negativity, we concentrate on creating positive energy and kindness in our lives.

Based on extensive discussions today, we are pleased to announce that Splashy Fen 2020 will not be cancelled. Instead, all our staff, sponsors, stakeholders and service providers have pulled together to show what a real community can do and we have managed to arrange a postponement of Splashy Fen 2020.  The 2020 festival will now take place from Wednesday 23^rd September through until Sunday 27^th September, with early camping available on Tuesday 22^nd September. This new date will be during the school holidays, with Thursday (24^th September) being a public holiday (Heritage Day). All tickets bought for Splashy Fen 2020 (Easter dates) will be valid for the new September dates.

As a festival, we are absorbing a large cost due to the postponement and all we can do is appeal to our fans to support our new date in September and to embrace these necessary changes.  We promise to deliver the same amazing, value for money experience to you our fan.

Should fans be unable to attend the new date, Splashy will offer a 75% refund accordingly, in line with our refund policy.

In closing…….More than ever, we as the public have a massive burden of responsibility to slow this virus down. More than ever, we will need to show kindness to each other. More than ever we will need to be unselfish and be a part of the solution and actively deal with this. As a festival, we assure you that we have considered every option available to us, and we will continue to pour the same amount of love, passion and energy into this new September date.  We really appeal to you all to support this postponement and we look forward to seeing you all in September for a special staging of Splashy Fen 2020.

Thanks for your time.

Stu & Fuzz

The post NEW DATES FOR 2020 SPLASHY FEN MUSIC FESTIVAL appeared first on Durban News.

In addition, the multitude of national events in the décor, design and lifestyle calendar that are planned for the latter part of the year do not favour another consumer and trade show for the industry before 2021. In the interim, digital platforms are being explored to support and connect our partners during these unprecedented times. 

Exhibitors and Buyers are being contacted directly and we ask them to be patient with us as we do that. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by COVID-19 and we thank all our customers and partners for their support.

The post Decorex Durban Postponed due to COVID-19 appeared first on Durban News.