The Honest Jonny | BLOG

TAG Foundation

Time for Honest Jonny to be a little bit more serious today,  The Tag Foundation Fundraiser has become an annual occurrence here at TAG.  Boy have we come a long way!  We always wanted to create something that could give back to people who were in our community & due to unforeseen circumstance really needed help.  So we are having our third bash on Thursday.  Sponsors have been great and we have many fabulous prizes to auction, raffle & give away.

Charity really is a tough thing, in year one we donated money to a very special little girl Luca who to this day continues in her battle against the odds but is such a little bundle of energy.  We are delighted that with the generosity of friends we were able to help her young parents out in a time of need.  In our first year we also for the first time put 4 boys through a year of boarding and school fees at one of the best schools in the country – we have done this ever since.  This year see our first young man Lonwabo, matriculate.  Our three other beneficiaries continue to do well & thrive in the competitive yet nurturing environment that they find themselves in.

A highlight for me daily is being able to share dinner with my family around a table, imagine having a child who is dependent on feeding tubes and where this is potentially never a possibility.  Last year we helped two young families send their boys to an Austrian Clinic that specialises in getting these children to eat normally.  I can’t begin to tell you how grateful the recipients were & how well they are doing today. Again we were able to make a difference when it counted thanks to the generosity of our friends, colleagues & clients.

This year we will be spending time finding out just which children have had life changing surgery at the World Class Walter Sisulu Pediatric Unit.  Having spent a week in the ward seeing what goes on it really is a remarkable facility.  It is heart wrenching to see these little babies with tubes everywhere and little or no visitors as their families simply cannot afford to be there.  This year we would like to contribute to allowing some of these parents to travel to see their loved ones & know that the expense saved on travel will afford them the opportunity to nourish & care for their children in a better way.

So three years down the line we have learnt a lot, but if asked if I would never do it any differently.  The answer quite simply is no!  Seeing the joy of the beneficiaries has been a privilege, helping where it is needed a blessing and knowing that we have changed the lives of over 10 families for ever truly is the best feeling ever.  We will continue to raise cash in the name of fun & pay it out where it is absolutely necessary.  To my team I say thank you & to all the supporters of the TAG Foundation I say come & see for yourselves the difference that you are all making in the lives of all the beneficiaries.

For more on the foundation visit the webpage and also see our Facebook profile which will be updated on a regular basis.