A FAMILY Spring Walk, hosted by Paarl Hospice, will take place on Saturday.

The 11 km walk will start at the Paarl Rugby Club at 08:00.

The route follows Market Street to Langenhoven Road, then via through Klein Drakenstein South to Paarl Golf Club and the Arboretum back.

Entry forms can be collected from the Hospice office on Patriot Square (municipal clinic building) mornings only. Race numbers will be available at the starting point from 06:30 on the morning of the walk. Late entries (R20) will be accepted until 07:30.

All entrants who finish receive a certificate, badge and cooldrink. The first three home win cash prizes, but there are also 50 lucky draws at the finish at 10:30. For enquiries, phone the office until 13:00 872-4060 or Tommy Goliath 082-439-5855 after hours.

THE Western Cape Minister for Social Services and Poverty Alleviation, Marius Fransman, announced a series of interventions by his Department to address food security during a visit to Mbekweni on International Food Security Day last week.

These announcements coincide with shocking findings presented by the Univeristy of the Western Cape from their research into levels of chronic poverty, hunger and unemployment in the Province, especially linked to agriculture dependent communities.

Said Fransman: "The hunger of our people for food, jobs and hope is shocking to see. Children, women and men in isolated communities living lives so desperate that even survival is a luxury.

"If we fail these fellow citizens human beings, then our democracy fails. No constitution, no laws and no society can neglect its poor without paying a moral and political price."

Fransman explained that his department has four main strategies to address this crisis situation:

* Nutritional supplementation, developing food gardens

* An off-season strategy to enskill workers during periods of no work

* A farm-based livelihood strategy for deep rural areas encouraging subsistence farming and supporting land reform

* Job creation through poverty and food security interventions.

"These programmes are being implemented currently and with a sense of urgency. We have developed a poverty map of the Province and our focus is on areas of the greatest need.

"I call on all the people of our Province to join hands to make sure that none of us should go hungry."

Among the projects announced was R1 million for the Impendulo Poverty Relief pilot project in Drakenstein. This project reached 7 058 families with over half a million meals in the six months to September.

Any organisations, businesses or individuals willing or able to support the Department, and those in need, should call the toll free helpline on 0800 220 250.

DIE Rusoord ouetehuis in die Paarl hou Saterdag van 09:30 basaar by die tehuis in Devinestraat.

Kom skud die sak vir die koeke, terte, poeding, kleinkoekies, brood en beskuit.

Soos gewoonlik is daar ook weer groente, plaaswors, handwerk, blomme en plante. Mense kan ook hoenderpasteie koop om weg te neem, of hoendersosaties, boereworsrolle en snoek-etes.