Plenty of fun activities to keep youngsters busy and safe

IT is halfway through the school holidays and Nelson Mandela Bay parents desperate to keep their little ones busy until schools reopen on Monday are spoiled for choice with a number of vacation programmes available to them this week.

On the cards are Easter-themed activities at the Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage libraries and fun events planned for children in gangplagued Helenvale to keep the young ones busy in a safe environment.

Helenvale residents are concerned with the safety of their children this holiday following the recent spate of gang violence – which saw 11 people, including five-year-old Luchen Pieterse, killed in the last three weeks.

Local community safety officer, Rina Potgieter, said everyone was trying their best to keep an eye on the children.

“Things are quiet after the prayer walk we had last week,” she said.

“We have taken a stance in trying to keep the children off the street and away from danger.” The Helenvale Programme Advisory Committee (PAC), of which Potgieter is a member, have therefore decided to run a number of holiday projects this week to occupy inquisitive minds in the area.

Today kicks off with a fun day, where children will be playing games, be taught arts and crafting and schooled on safety in the area.

PAC safety and development facilitator, Eldridge Jerry, says the aim of today is to make sure children are occupied in a safe environment.

The PAC will also host a youth rally tomorrow, where teenagers will showcase their talents at the newly built Helenvale Resource Centre.

Meanwhile, inquisitive minds in Uitenhage can make their way to the Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre in town for fun ways to learn maths and science this holiday.

The programme will run until Friday April 4 for Grades 1 to 9.

Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage libraries are treating children up to 13 years old with an Easter-themed holiday programme.