This youth month, Xylem Watermark, the social investment arm of global water solutions innovator Xylem, is proud to have supported a number of initiatives across the country.
On June 3rd, the Xylem team, Goals For Change, Manchester City Football Club, Clean C and GrowZA hosted a unique ‘plogging’ event to remove litter from Cape Town’s Strandfontein Beach. People of all ages joined in, beautifying the beachfront, and celebrating Manchester City FC’s recent Premier League Championship victory.
Plogging is an engaging modern activity that started in Sweden, combining jogging with collecting litter. Every day, thousands of people enjoy plogging, a multi-movement exercise that also enhances and beautifies local areas.
Crowds gathered in Strandfontein, Cape Town, to participate in a local plogging event and clean their beaches. They also joined beach football, reading circles for a new children’s book, Splash, and a trophy re-enactment of Manchester City FC’s seventh Premier League championship title.
“Plogging at Strandfontein was a fantastic opportunity to change the face of the beach by collecting litter, and we could enlighten people around water awareness,” says Chetan Mistry, Xylem Africa’s Strategy and Marketing Manager. “Everyone came together for a little time at the beach, hanging out with fellow football fans, and making the local community space cleaner and safer. We were excited to celebrate Man City’s historic win while also supporting the Strandfontein community, and to meet Splash, a locally-developed character who shows us ways to keep water safe and flowing. By changing behaviour through water awareness and education, and collaborating in these events, we can all help make communities better.”
The day delivered a fantastic event, and participants removed bags of trash from the beach with the support of Clean C, an NGO that focuses on revitalising beaches while creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for the nearby communities. The event also partnered with Goals for Change, a dynamic NGO offering sports programming coupled with life skills orientation and counselling for young people in the Strandfontein and Mitchells Plein region of Cape Town.
“We’re thrilled to be involved with the Strandfontein plogging event,” says Sergio van der Ross, Founder of Goals for Change. “Goals for Change has been working with the local community for years, helping young people set goals and realise their ambitions. The area is full of Premiere League football fans with a strong Man City FC support base. They had fun celebrating the team’s victory, cleaning the beach and participating in the other activities. Every little bit helps, whether it’s supporting someone to achieve their potential or removing litter from nature. Together we can make a real difference!”
The Strandfontein plogging event coincided with Manchester City FC winning the Premier League, beating Aston Villa in a nail-biting match that solidified Man City as one of football’s all-time great clubs. Manchester FC and Xylem frequently collaborate on projects that promote water sustainability, access and preservation, such as their joint Be A Water Hero campaign.
“It’s fantastic to have this alignment between Man City’s win and the Strandfontein plogging event,” says Craig Kensley, director of event organiser GrowZA. “We’ve made sure there is something for the whole family, combining a morning of light exercise with fun beach activities and igniting celebrations for Man City’s title win. It was a great success and we look forward to bringing more such events to the area.”
Water doesn’t simply emerge from a pipe. It relies on a healthy environment and engaged communities to remain safe and accessible to all. Plogging at Strandfontein helps open engagements and brings everyone closer together to protect their natural legacy and inheritance. Xylem would like to thank the Strandfontein community, as well as GrowZA, Goals For Change and CleanC, for making this event possible, and we look forward to the next party on the beach!
