Gestetner hitches ride on Oryx to spread Christmas cheer

Gestetner, a leading provider of total document solutions, partnered with 17 Squadron Air Force base to bring festive cheer to 600 school children in Pretoria this week.

Hitching a ride on a modern day sleigh, Santa arrived with a state-of-the-art Oryx helicopter. Gestetner visited five special education schools to deliver a 6123CP copy printer and consumables that have been donated to each of them. The schools visited were the Transoranje Institute for Special Education, the Olievenhoutbosch Christian School, the President Kruger Orphange, the Louis Botha Orphanage and Jopie Fourie Primary.

"Times are tough with underprivileged institutions especially struggling to raise enough funds to support their day-to-day operations. When 17 Squadron approached us to become part of this festive drive, we welcomed the opportunity to make a difference," says Lesley-Anne Thornton, Marketing Communications Manager at Gestetner.

17 Squadron did its first festive season drive two years ago on the suggestion of a squadron member. Starting off on a much smaller scale, it initially drove to a few different schools before flying in an Oryx helicopter last year. This year, the initiative was even bigger with 17 Squadron reaching many more children than before.

Besides aiding the local community through this corporate social responsibility drive, 17 Squadron also exposes young people to the excitement of aviation. This indirectly supports the air force's own, separate Siyandiza programme, aimed at creating an interest in a career in the air force among young people.

"The visit went down very well and both the children and teachers were thrilled to see us. By growing this initiative to bring joy to even more children next year, we hope to also attract more quality recruits to the country's air force," says Captain Kyle Jonker of 17 Squadron.