Recently Grade Four learners from Erasmia Primary School School, who are participating in the Woolworths ‘Making The Difference Educational Programme Targeting Grade Four Learners’, visited the Menlyn Woolworths Store. This visit formed part of the experiential component of the programme. During the store visits learners are exposed to the full retails process, from ordering and receiving to merchandising and selling. They are shown how the store functions on a day-to-day basis. Educators accompanying the learners focus on identifying product labels and encouraging learners to study nutritional ingredients of the various food products. Clothing also plays an important part in each store visit, with learners being encouraged to build a wardrobe within a given budget and focussing on quality, materials and usefulness. To show off their creative skills learners are invited to dress mannequins in the latest fashions. “Many learners who visit the stores have never had the opportunity to find out how a store is run behind the scenes and what is involved in running a business,” says Pieter Twine, Woolworths General Manager: Making The Difference educational programmes. “Most importantly these visits are an extension of the curriculum and learners have the opportunity to apply what they have been taught in class. The ‘Making The Difference Educational Programme Targeting Grade Four Learners’ focuses on nutrition, health and physical wellbeing and each store visit reflects these focus points.” Since the inception of the Woolworths ‘Making The Difference Educational Programme Targeting Grade Four Learners’ in 2006, 2,671 store visits have taken place across Pretoria. Nationally, the programme has undertaken more than 15,200 store visits and has coordinated 14,301 Woolworths suppliers’ farm or factory visits, 5,345 distribution centre visits and more than 17,296 parent talks in the Western Cape. ENDS Notes to the Editor ‘Making The Difference Educational Programme Targeting Grade Four Learners’ – an innovative educational initiative •‘Making The Difference Educational Programme Targeting Grade Four Learners’ focuses on sharing Woolworths’ extensive knowledge around good food and nutrition. •The programme is designed for Grade Four learners and targets their educators and parents. •Each participating school receives a teacher’s resource pack with nine learning modules covering health, nutrition, the importance of physical activity, water education, sustainability and permaculture. •In addition to the resource packs, there is an experiential learning component to complement the ‘Making The Difference Educational Programme Targeting Grade Four Learners. This component includes outings for the learners to Woolworths stores and suppliers, and incorporates the Woolworths Trust EduPlant 2008 programme. •For parents there is a series of 45 parent talks aimed at offering assistance and advice on their children’s health, nutrition and physical well-being. MySchool Programme – Shop and raise money for Schools •The MySchool programme encourages supporters to raise funds for schools. •Consumers throughout the country who carry MySchool and Woolworths World of Difference cards can earn additional funds for their chosen schools by simply swiping their card at the tills each time they buy at any Woolworths store in South Africa. •Woolworths World of Difference card holders are automatically invited to participate in MySchool. •Cardholders can support any school of their choice and do not have to have children at school in order to participate. •Woolworths through the MySchool programme to date has contributed more than R50 million to participating schools. •In October 2007 MyPlanet / MyVillage was introduced, this an extension of the MySchool programme, enabling customers to raise funds for selected charities & environmental organisations. •As an added bonus Woolworths World of Difference card holders are entered into a monthly lucky draw via each item that they have purchased. The monthly winner receives R10 000-00 credit on their World of Difference card and another R10 000-00 for their nominated school. •All South Africans are encouraged to participate in the MySchool programme by getting a brochure from the nearest Woolworths outlet or contacting MySchool on 0860-100 445.