Terugploeg’s headquarters working

The packaging, processing and distribution facility for Terugploeg is in the final stages of construction, and it is envisaged that the headquarters will be fully operational from November 2021.

The Terugploeg initiative originated during the lockdown period when Lood Bester and his friend Herman Marx from Vibro distributed food to needy communities on an informal basis. The project quickly gained momentum when a number of farmers became involved and delivered loads of food. These tons of food were distributed informally with the help of Vibro’s transport network, but it was realised that there was an enormous need, and a sustainable project had to be launched. Atterbury Trust was approached, and Terugploeg is currently being managed under the banner of the Atterbury Trust.

According to Zahn Hulme, executive trustee of Atterbury Trust, more than 125 tons of food has been distributed to old-age homes, schools and orphanages in and around Pretoria since the start of the project. This is the equivalent of approximately 503 000 meals. “Transparency and accountability are important to people, and the Atterbury Trust has been depended on since 1998 as an organisation that effectively manages projects to give back. We work with organisations and make sure that they are properly managed and that the help reaches the right people.”

The Terugploeg Building was erected on eight hectares of land in the east of Pretoria – on the N4, close to the Rayton off-ramp – made available by Faan and Dirk van der Walt, the founders of WeBuyCars.

Besides the food processing and cold storage facility, a vegetable and fruit garden is planned, as well as a clothes bank. Co-founder of Terugploeg, Lood Bester, says that a number of employment initiatives are planned on the site – the meat will be processed, braai wood will be cut, packaged and sold. “All these functions require hands: to care for the gardens, to process the food, to sort, wash and iron the clothes we get in, to pack the loads of wood in braai packs … By means of this we want to create jobs for the people from the communities we serve,” he says excitedly.

It is also intended to set up a lecture hall in the building, in which courses and talks can be presented to inspire school children and adults with practical advice and training so that they can improve their own circumstances.

The official opening of the new Terugploeg facility is planned for January 2022.

The Terugploeg Building will be completed by the end of October 2021, and donations in the form of rolling doors, fences, cold rooms, furniture, air conditioners, kitchen equipment and meat processing machinery, etc., is required to make the building fully operational.

Cash donations are also welcome.

All donations qualify for an 18A tax certificate issued by Atterbury Trust to make it tax-deductible.

If you can help, or want to know more about Terugploeg, contact Lood Bester on 082 925 1118 or Jani Doms on 076 313 7212 or email them at lood@terugploeg.co.za or jani@atterbury.co.za.

Account: Atterbury Trust

Nedbank: 1497004187

Branch code: 149745

Organisations helped: 44

Food donated: 125 tons

Meals served: 503 000

WeBuyCars

Vibro Bricks and Paving

Boela Bruwer Boerdery

Meletse Breeders

Fontis Ontwikkelaars

Morgan Group

Rossgro boerdery

CPJ Erasmus Boerdery

Mahela Boerdery

Miami Canners

ZZ2

GoGo Groep

Tiaan Kruger Boerdery

Eskort

Silverton Sign-A-Rama

Van Huyssteens Prokureurs

Velile Tinto & Associates

GROOTfm 90.5

Tusk Mieliemeel

LFC Mieliemeel

Afrikaans Hoër Seunsskool

Izak van Zyl

Marius Roothman

Easy Greens

Butler Foods

Solar Technik

SpyCCTV

LEDWorx

AA Electrical

DND Building & Civils

Universal Kitchens

D&E Reinforcing

Bankfontein Boerdery

Matla QS

DG Consulting

ELR

Palin & Smit Architects

Atterbury Property

Countryline

Life Landscape

FSG

Thabakolo

Controlled Irrigation

Daniel Rebel Landscape Architects

King Price

Various individuals

We also thank J.C. van der Linde Venter for their help and effort with the building project.

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