Sport

R500k raised for Mitchell’s Plain schools cricket programme

fuad Esack|Published

JP21 founder, JP Duminy, at Saturday’s10th anniversary gala dinner, at Century City. Picture Fuad Esack

Friends and supporters of the JP21 Foundation, former cricketers, education officials, coaches, businesses and showbiz personalities, gathered at Century City Conference Centre at the weekend for the foundation’s 10th anniversary gala dinner.

Established in 2015, by former Cape Cobras and Protea batsman, JP Duminy, following a stellar cricketing career, the programme involves more than 30 primary schools in its daily activities.

While cricket may be a summer code, the foundation’s work is an all-year affair that includes running a school’s league and various life- and ball-skill programmes.

JP Duminy's JP21 Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary with a R500k windfall raised at Saturday’s gala dinner Picture Fuad Esack

“If you look at the characteristics and the essence of the game of cricket, it teaches you selflessness, it teaches you the ability to work as a team, understands what it means to be there for someone else, how do you work in a partnership. It’s about building character,” said Duminy in an interview captured in a mini documentary screened at the gala dinner.

“If you think about the game of cricket, you fail more than you succeed. I think that teaches us great lessons in life. So we’re using this game of cricket as a vehicle to educate them in a way that can teach them life skills,” he said.

Joe Barber duo, David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen, bringing their brand of humour to Saturday’s JP21 Foundation gala dinner at Century City. Picture: Fuad Esack
Host Ryan O’Connor making a call to action like an umpire during a cricket match, urging those in attendance at Saturday’s JP21 Foundation gala dinner, to dig deep into their pockets to help sustain the foundation’s schools programme for another year. Picture: Fuad Esack

Hosted by radio personality Ryan O’Connor, Saturday’s gala dinner included an appearance by David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen of Joe Barber fame who, in typical Boeta Joe and Boeta Gamat fashion, helped to tickle the funny bones and loosen the money belts, in an evening that saw the organisation raise 500k to sustain the programme for another year.

JP21 Foundation programme manager, Jamaine Cloete, expressing his gratitude to the foundation’s supporters for helping the organisation sustain its programmes, at Saturday’s gala dinner at Century City Picture: Fuad Esack
Host Ryan OConnor and JP21 founder JP Duminy share a light moment at Saturday’s gala dinner. Picture: Fuad Esack