Deputy mayor hands over school shoes

Mitchell's Plain pupils were inspired to take their marks, get set and go for their goals when deputy mayor Eddie Andrews made a donation of school shoes last week.

- FOUZIA VAN DER FORT

Mr Andrews delivered 1 373 pairs of school shoes to 20 Mitchell's Plain organisations, educares, primary and high schools at Westridge civic centre on Thursday May 15.

He is close to reaching his goal to give 42 200 pairs of school shoes to pupils in his Soles for Souls campaign, since completing the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on October 20 last year.

Mr Andrews, a former Portland resident and former Springbok rugby player, reflected on growing up in Mitchell's Plain and the work he had to put in to reach his goals.

Every Tuesday and Thursday he would get to the office at 5.30am and go for a run as part of his training; starting with 10km and building up mileage to be fit for the marathon; arriving back at the office by 8am.

Mr Andrews thought back to his youth.

"Thirty years ago I was running at Hazeldene sports field. I had just matriculated. I was running in a pair of jeans that I cut. My parents did not have money for a shorts. I had aspirations then to play professional sport and rugby was my code," he said.