RamsayMedia grows green

The Greenpop team of Lauren O'Donnell, Jeremy Hewitt and Misha Teasdale receive the keys to a brand new Daihatsu Gran Max bakkie to help their tree-planting efforts from Cornel Marais (sales manager, Daihatsu: Somerset West), and RamsayMedia’s Kyle Koch (CAR photojournalist) and Sandy Immelman (head of CSI).

The Greenpop team took delivery of a colourfully branded Daihatsu Gran Max sponsored by Daihatsu for transporting trees to "under-greened" schools, crèches and community centres. The sponsorship was made possible when RamsayMedia offered the motoring manufacturer advertising space to the value of the vehicle in its two motoring titles, CAR and Leisure Wheels.

RamsayMedia has made the environment one of its key corporate social responsibility initiatives and Greenpop is one of the organisations it supports.

"As media owners, greening the environment is important to us. We are proud to have been part of such a wonderful initiative - thank you to Daihatsu for join us in this, and to Greenpop for their boundless enthusiasm," said Sandy Immelman, who heads up RamsayMedia's CSI portfolio. "We are sure that many communities will enjoy the benefits."

Greenpop has planted more than 6500 trees in and around the Cape Flats since it was established 10 months ago - all the while relying on loan vehicles. Recognising a cause allied to their own environmental interests, Daihatsu was happy to join hands with RamsayMedia to help make the sponsorship possible.

"We decided to join the "treevolution" with Greenprop and RamsayMedia in an effort to keep making SA green," said Nicholas Campbell, Daihatsu SA's marketing manager. "We believe in the project and we anticipate the Gran Max will become Greenpop's best friend, helping them to continue their excellent work in making communities a greener place to live. We are thrilled to be a part of this project."

To mark the occasion, Greenpop planted a tree at the Helderberg branch of Daihatsu.

Receiving the keys to the new vehicle, Greenpop's director, Misha Teasdale, said. "To date, Greenpop's motto has been, 'we run on passion and horsepower' - the gift of this bakkie will definitely add more horsepower to our planting!"

The 1.5 litre Gran Max bakkie, valued at more than R124 000, has a 1 ton load ability, power steering, three-way drop sides and ABS brakes.