Mutual & Federal warms up Johannesburg

From left to right: Dave Russell, Manager Quality Control- Johannesburg Motor Claims Processing Hub, Middle: Carmen Pretorius, House Manager- Door of House Children's Mission, Right: Monica Coetzee, Technical Training Consultant- Johannesburg Motor Claims Processing Hub.

Sedick Isaacs, Executive General Manager for Claims at Mutual & Federal

 Johannesburg’s frosty winter will now feel a lot warmer to some of those less fortunate, thanks to Mutual & Federal, a member of the Old Mutual Group, and its Motor Claims Hub. On 12 and 13 July a total of 80 blankets, which had been donated by Mutual & Federal staff, along with two cheques for R5000 each, were handed over to The Salvation Army and Doors of Hope.

“What makes this blanket drive truly special,” says Sedick Isaacs, the Executive General Manager for Claims at Mutual & Federal, “is that it was initiated by a staff member, Dave Russell, who was particularly struck by the large number of homeless people he witnessed sleeping under thin plastic sheets in sub-zero temperatures.” Deciding to take action, Russell and the Motor Claims Hub team appealed to Mutual & Federal staff for donations of blankets for the two worthy charities.

“It seems fitting that Mutual & Federal, which is in the business of protecting people’s assets, would feel the need to also be giving protection of a very different kind to the disadvantaged in our communities,” maintains Isaacs. In order to encourage staff to donate blankets, the Motor Claims Hub used the trailer from their recently launched Mobile Claims Service Unit to assist in the collection. “It is this generosity and the capacity to work towards resolutions which we so value in our staff,” asserts Isaacs. In addition, the Mutual & Federal Executive lent further support to the drive by agreeing to give R5000 to each cause.

A total of 60 blankets were donated to the Salvation Army, assisting the organisation with its current blanket drive for the homeless and destitute. Doors of Hope in Berea, which cares for abandoned children, were given fifteen baby blankets and five blankets for their international volunteers. Representatives from the Motor Claims Hub– Johan Welthagen, Monica Coetzee and Dave Russell – were there to hand over the blankets and a R5000 cheque to each charity on behalf of Mutual & Federal.

“It is remarkable that a small but dedicated effort by a few individuals can truly make the difference between someone surviving the winter or not,” notes Isaacs. “Mutual & Federal is proud to have helped ensure that the next few chilly months are made much more bearable for some of Joburg's homeless and abandoned citizens.”

Mutual & Federal is one of the leading short-term insurers in southern Africa.