Bidvest Insurance builds new mountain bike and nature trail at LIV Village

Phillip Donnelly, Managing Director of Bidvest Insurance

Bidvest Insurance has embarked on a new partnership with long-term foster care provider LIV Village to build a new bike and nature trail on the LIV Village premises.

LIV Village is surrounded by lush, natural surroundings, where Bidvest Insurance and LIV will work together to create a new trail for the children of LIV and the surrounding community to enjoy through mountain biking, running or hiking.

The management team overseeing the project consists of Lucy Cooke, Marketing Manager at Bidvest Insurance, Dan Wicks, LIV Youth Pastoral, and Grant von Berg, LIV Head of Sport.

The LIV model is built around sustainability, but these sustainable initiatives require capital. Earlier this year, Managing Director of Bidvest Insurance Phillip Donnelly handed over a cheque of R1.4million to LIV Business CEO Lee Shutte. The interest-free loan went toward building a water purification unit to provide clean drinking water for the community and children of the surrounding Cottonlands community.

"As a company, we want to be fully immersed in this new partnership with LIV Village. Our Bidvest Insurance staff are passionate about these projects and have volunteered their time and energy to assist the community," says Donnelly. "Building a better future in South Africa is a cornerstone of the Bidvest philosophy," he adds.

Members of the local Cottonlands community have been hired to assist with clearing vegetation and building the trail. In doing so, the project is giving back to the local community through job creation. Earlier this year, Bidvest Insurance also donated R575 000 to the Owethu Cottonlands Clinic to assist with the overall running of the clinic, and to cover salaries and medication needed during Covid-19.

Over the next few months, Bidvest Insurance employees will volunteer to help complete phase 1 of the trail, with plans already underway for phase 2 to get started in the new year.

Bidvest Insurance encourages all corporates and schools to consider the new LIV Village bike and nature trail as a venue for their next mountain bike or trail running event. Keep an eye on Bidvest Insurance social media for more information and progress on this trail.