Message from the Founder
As we reflect on another impactful year at Wheel Well, I am filled with gratitude for the support, generosity, and collaboration that have made our initiatives a success. Together, we are saving lives, creating awareness, and fostering a culture of safety for children on our roads.

Car Seats for Kids Campaign
The cornerstone of our work, Car Seats for Kids, continues to grow in reach and impact.

Activations: 11 events hosted this year, 9 with Supa Quick and 2 with Bakwena, who also makes a monthly contribution to us ensuring the viability of our incredibly special campaign.

• Car Seats Handed Out:
  • 336 seats distributed at Supa Quick activations.
  • 553 seats distributed in the year to date, with a projected total of 643 by year-end (including December events).
  • Since 2012, a cumulative total of 11,649 car seats have been handed out.
• Car Seat Donations:
  • 863 used car seats donated by the public.
  • 100 new car seats donated by Supa Quick and 46 by Bakwena.
  • Safeway: 45 new car seats
• Collection drives:
  • Ongoing through Supa Quick: 524 car seats
  • Be Quick to Click: 165
  • Peg Perego South Africa: 3 new infant seats and 16 car seats collected through participating BP garages.

A special thanks goes to Triple Orange, our sponsor for cleaning products. Their gel and laundry detergent makes sure that the car seats cleaned by us are fresh and free of lurgies.

We are deeply grateful to Renault for sponsoring a branded Triber Express that allows us to do collections and be at our activations.

A special mention goes to Skynet, whose dedicated support has been pivotal to the success of this campaign. As part of their Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative, Skynet collects all the donated car seats from Supa Quick dealerships and ensures they are delivered to Wheel Well. This essential service has streamlined our operations and allowed us to get car seats into the hands of families who need them most. We are deeply grateful for their generosity and efficiency.

These collective efforts have significantly contributed to reducing child road fatalities and increasing awareness of the importance of proper child restraint use.

Halo Beanie Campaign
Our Halo Beanies initiative continues to brighten young lives and increase visibility for child pedestrians.

We have 2 components to this campaign: ready-made beanies with reflective tape sewn on and the handmade beanies with reflective yarn incorporated.

1. Heartfelt Thanks to Our Sponsors
   We extend our deepest gratitude to:

• Supa Quick and Dooya for their generous sponsorships of Halo Beanie Bags
• Suzuki South Africa for their sponsorship of 1000 ready made beanies to be handed out at schools of their choice.

2. Knitting Groups and Distribution Highlights
   The dedication and craftsmanship of our knitting groups were instrumental in the success of this year’s campaign:

• Sylvia and her crochet group in Alexandra crocheted 100 beanies that were distributed to hurricane victims in Tongaat.
• 200 beanies knitted by the ladies of St John’s Village were distributed to children in Kokstad.
• African Brain Child took custody of 2 beanie packs and they were knitted by the International Women’s Club, Cape Town Chapter. They were so enthusiastic that they bought more wool and reflective yarn to knit extra beanies! These Halo Beanies have been distributed at Red Cross Hospital during weekly rounds as well as to Yabonga in Khayelitsha.
• The Rotary Club of Meyerton and Henley-on-Klip’s knitting groups contributed 200 beanies, which were handed out at local primary schools.
• The incredible efforts of SAVF Elderly Care Facilities resulted in 1,155 reflective beanies, distributed to children across Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.
  • SAVF Children and Youth Care Centers (CYCCs) received 250 beanies, and Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDs) received 75 beanies, ensuring children in rural areas benefited directly from the campaign.
  • Additional outreach involved 8 schools (4 primary and 4 high schools) in four provinces, with 50 beanies donated per school.
  • 75 halo Beanies will be handed out at a Back-to-School event early next year.
  • Special recognition goes to SAVF for their impactful outreach in Mpumalanga, where 430 beanies were distributed to a school community grieving the loss of children who tragically died walking home. This effort was accompanied by post-traumatic counselling for students, teachers, and parents.

3. Empowering Through Craft
   This initiative gave elderly participants the opportunity to “knit for a cause,” fostering a sense of contribution and community. The effort also sparked healthy competition among SAVF facilities to knit beyond the initial wool allocation, demonstrating their dedication and creativity.

The Halo Beanie Project continues to reflect the essence of Wheel Well’s mission: to safeguard children’s lives and empower communities. We look forward to expanding this life-saving initiative in 2025.

School Talks on Safety and Life Skills
This year, we conducted 19 school talks at secondary schools, focusing on practical and life-changing topics such as:

• Vehicle safety inspections.
• Demonstrations of safety equipment to manage emergencies, including reflective vests, warning triangles, and fire extinguishers.
• Tyre safety basics to prevent collisions.
• The Rotary Four-Way Test as a tool to guide ethical decision-making and navigate life’s challenges.

A special thank you to Bridgestone South Africa for their incredible support and invaluable insights in making this project a success. Their partnership has allowed us to reach and empower young drivers with the knowledge to stay safe and confident on the road.

Be Quick to Click Campaign
This year saw the continued success of our Be Quick to Click campaign during October, an educational initiative by African Brain Child, that empowers parents with knowledge about child restraints and Traumatic Brain Injury prevention. Supa Quick sponsored 100 brand new car seats that were handed out at Supa Quick Constantia. Our deep thanks to our generous sponsor, Supa Quick for their enthusiastic support of this campaign. Thanks also goes to African Brain Child for all their hard work in raising awareness on Traumatic Brain Injury affecting children in South Africa. This has become a powerful collaboration in raising awareness and educating parents on the basics of safe car seat usage. The car seat collection drive that forms part of this campaign resulted in 165 car seats donated.

Celebrating the Wheel Well Team
None of our achievements this year would have been possible without the extraordinary contributions of the Wheel Well team:

• Theresa, our car seat expert, has been an invaluable resource, generously sharing her extensive knowledge with parents.
• Ivan, our talented graphic artist, ensured our materials were visually engaging and impactful.
• Nick from NADM Design, who crafted our cohesive and informative website, provided a window into what Wheel Well stands for.
• Our board members: Yolandi Grundeling, Charmaine van Wyk, Pertunia Sibanyoni. Miles Benfield and Marilyn Rukande for their ongoing support and inspiration.

The team’s dedication to creating a reservoir of car seat knowledge and curating an impactful social media presence has been instrumental in our success.

Recognition
Our founder Peggie Mars is deeply honoured to have been recognized with a Paul Harris Fellowship by Rotary International a testament to our dedication to community service.

Looking Ahead
As we close the year, our resolve to protect children on South African roads remains stronger than ever. In 2025, we aim to extend our programs further, introduce new innovations, and engage even more partners and donors in our mission.

Thank you to everyone who has walked this journey with us—your belief in our cause is what drives us forward. Together, we are making roads safer, one child at a time.

With gratitude,
Peggie Mars
Founder, Wheel Well