Steel, pipe, roofing, fencing, hardware and irrigation and pumps products supplier Stewarts & Lloyds on August 11 handed over R330 000 it had raised through its Break the Cycle campaign to three women and children’s charities, at an event at the company’s head office in Johannesburg.

The amount raised was triple the company’s original goal of R110 000, enabling it to extend the donation to more than one charity.  

The campaign entailed seasoned cyclist Vicky Dockray, who hails from Ovakado, a supplier of products and décor for women, cycling the Madrid to Lisbon Road Bike Tour in the name of Stewarts & Lloyds, to raise funds for charities that tackle abuse against women and children.

The tour entailed cycling from Spain to Portugal over the course of nine days in July, spanning 1 100 km, and encompassing 18 000 m of climbing.

The recipient charities were the Frida Hartley Shelter (FHS) in Yeoville, Johannesburg; the National Shelter Movement (NSM) of South Africa; and the Nisaa Institute for Women's Development. The funds were shared equally between the three.

Originally, the FHS had been the only intended recipient but, as alluded to, the surplus funds raised enabled this to be extended to two more charities.

The FHS takes in homeless women and their children who have endured neglect, abuse, trauma and homelessness.

The NSM is an umbrella organisation of 96 shelters across South Africa – helping women and children escape abusive situations.

The Nisaa Institute is a community-based nongovernmental organisation that focuses on the prevention of gender violence and the empowerment of women.

Speaking at the handover, Dockray said that, with the FHS turning 100 years old this year, the campaign was proud to be able to assist it in continuing its work.

She also acclaimed that, owing to the donation, the Nisaa Institute would now be able to extend its services to provide shelter for families, as previously, it could not accommodate male children of women in need who were over 12 years old.

She also thanked attendees for their donations and noted that their support had assisted her in her quest to complete the tough tour.

She emphasised the need for people to continue to fight against women and children abuse, and to be vigilant for signs of this.