Trees and bikes for a better world
We thought it was high time we updated you on some of the giving back that we do. It’s so important to look after our people and our planet, and we’d like to share some news about the amazing work our partners do to make a big difference.
BOS Sport keeps people moving
BOS donates 10c for every bottle of BOS Sport and BOS Sport Pro that is sold, and this money goes directly to Qhubeka, the global NGO that moves people forward with bicycles.
Bicycles transform lives. There are children who walk kilometres to school whose lives are improved significantly by having a bicycle for getting to school and back, and people running community programmes are able to reach and help so many more people with the bicycles they receive. Bicycles are earned through a range of programmes, or donated to projects making a difference in their communities.
With the COVID-19 pandemic creating an extra burden on needy communities, a number of bicycles have been deployed to provide transport for those running feeding schemes and caring for the sick and elderly.
BOS has provided 20 bicycles to the programme so far. But the donation is not just a bike. The great thing about what Qhubeka does is that the bicycle donation includes a helmet for safety, a lock and pump, as well as spares and multi-tools. The recipients are trained in basic maintenance so the bike can be well looked after and last as long as possible. In some communities Qhubeka trains a mechanic, creating employment for that person and ensuring that the bikes are cared for.
We love that our small contribution has had a big impact.
Planting trees, improving biodiversity
Since 2010 BOS has supported the environmental organisation Greenpop in its reforestation work. BOS purchases and plants a tree through the organisation for every 2000 units of BOS Ice Tea sold. Nearly 30 000 trees have been planted so far and we feel proud that our contribution will help Greenpop reach their ambitious goal of planting 50 000 trees by 2025.
Greenpop works to restore ecosystems through reforestation and urban greening. Trees are planted at schools and community centres, and in reforestation projects like Platbos Forest Reserve near Gansbaai in the Western Cape, which is where most of the BOS trees have been planted.
Platbos was Greenpop’s first forest restoration partner in 2011 and is Africa’s southernmost indigenous forest, with trees as old as a thousand years. With the help of Greenpop’s annual tree-planting festivals where hundreds of volunteers plant thousands of trees, the reforestation was completed in 2017 and has been expanded to neighbouring land adjoining the Reserve. Over 73 000 trees were planted at this site alone.
We are chuffed that we have played a small role in making all this happen.
