Nantes athletic club participants gear up for unity race event on Heritage Day. Picture: Supplied.
Cape Town - With the goal of encouraging community health as a vehicle for change, the Nantes Athletics Club will hold a unity race through the streets of Athlone on Heritage Day in hopes of fostering the importance of culture in the local community.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle in the community, the race will run through the streets of Bridgetown and Silvertown, seeking to offer a chance to bring the streets alive in a safe setting on a day that has been identified as having a high crime rate.
Club spokesperson Nadia Gamieldien said that heritage, especially in the areas that the club operates in, has a great significance as it signifies the diverse cultures and tolerance and the fact that they can live together as a community.
“There are not many clubs that celebrate certain days of significance, and as a club, we jumped at the opportunity to celebrate and keep people active. After the pandemic, we had no sporting activities take place, so we felt it proper to term our event as the Unity Race to bring club runners and community participants together. This allows us as a club to bring people of different cultures together to celebrate our heritage by competing in our race.
“The race which goes through the streets of Bridgetown and Silvertown is an opportunity to make the streets alive in a safe environment on a day which by identification has a high crime rate. Our beneficiaries have numerous projects that are on their project lists for the financial year, but the lack of funding will remain a challenge. We intend to make a small difference and highlight their plight with our contributions,” said Gamieldien.
With the beneficiaries of the race being Christine Revell Children’s Home, which is a facility that provides care for babies and children who were referred by social workers, Taughieda Charles, who is a cancer survivor and a participant in the race, said that the race will not only foster unity but also give young people the help they need through the Mental Health care initiative provided by the Christine Revell Children’s Home.
“Poverty and drug addiction are issues within our community. Our youth are the future leaders, and we need to tell them that they have so much potential, but also that there are individuals and corporations prepared to help, such as our beneficiaries who provide Mental Health care, such as Friends of Valkenburg and the Children’s Home Christine Ravel. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to these organisations.
“For the love of running or simply for the sake of having fun, nothing beats doing something for a good cause, and since it’s a public holiday, I encourage everyone to participate and have a fantastic day with their friends and family. There will be some fantastic prizes to be won.
“I am a happy Muslim woman who proudly wears her hijab and shares my faith and culture with everyone I meet. This race does not discriminate; it is about bringing people from all walks of life together. You are welcome whether you are white, black, Indian, coloured, or Muslim! Our heritage is the cornerstone of who we are; we warmly remember our past and remember those who are no longer with us; it is a legacy, and this race embraces it,” said Charles.
The race will be taking place at Vanguard sports ground on the 24th of September 2022. The 10KM road race will start at 7am, the 10KM league walk at 7.10 am, and the 5KM fun run at 7.15 am.
Visit the Nantes Athletics club Facebook page for more information.
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