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The Little Optimist collaborated with partners in the Netherlands and with Professor Pierre Goussard from Tygerberg Hospital to produce and distribute easy to read and understand Corona Virus Information Sheets. The brochures…
Thabane of Imizamo Yethu and Together Today has come to us to ask for help. On the 20 April, we launched our first food parcel project and we received so…
Please click here to be directed to the main newsletter by The Little Optimist Team Surfers rally to help coastal town residents Surfers and charities have joined forces to ensure…
What is it about these Bertish brothers? They spend half their lives trying to kill themselves and the other half saving the world. Or so it seems to us lesser…
You have surfed their waves, visited their town NOW THEY NEED YOUR HELP!
On Wednesday 11 March, The Little Optimist Trust held a fundraiser for Dustin Heinze, or Dusty as he is fondly known, at Atlantic Boat Club. Dusty works as a skipper…
On the 10th of March 2020 we officially opened The Little Optimist Sailing Academy. Kids from St Joseph’s Children’s Home took part in sailing therapy while sponsors and friends joined…
INSPIRATION | MOVIE | PIZZA | HOT CHOCOLATE The children at Maitland Cottage Orthopedic Hospital were treated to an evening filled with spoils and inspiration! Caleb Swanepoel, amputee, spoke…
WOW The Little Optimist outdid itself this year - please see the link to the Newsclip report below. An AVE of R1 521 955, 56 in media coverage for the…
Dear Bertish Brothers Thank you so much for your delightful donation of Christmas gifts. Your donation was greatly appreciated and what a treat for our patients who are so grateful and…
In April 2019, Umthawelanga Educare in Mfuleni was on the brink of closure because of health and safety concerns. But thanks to an intervention from The Little Optimist Trust, the…
To the Little Optimist Trust Team Huge thanks to Greg Bertish, who visited us at our Advertising Agency in Amsterdam in November this year. We will be making a nice…
https://youtu.be/h2e92VQZ2X0
Christmas will be a little more cheerful for the patients at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital after the annual Paddle 4 Presents event collected almost 300 toys that will be donated to…
Greg Bertish, founder and Ambassador of The Little Optimist Trust was honoured to receive the DAME Charity Award at the METS Trade Show in Amsterdam last week. The Trust is…
PR exceeds R4.5 million! The second edition of The Great Optimist Race had PR coverage to the value of R4 565 866, exceeding last year’s total by over R200 000.…
THATS WHAT WE DO! Thank you @metstrade @raiamsterdam and @dameawards Thank you @twooceansmarine @ullman_sails @italtilesa You have helped us make a difference! And for that we are eternally grateful! #amsterdam #capetown #southafrica #thelittleoptimist @optimists_extreme…
Once again – a huge thank you. It was amazing having you talk at our school. We are still looking at a way to get a donation towards your organisation…
At The Little Optimist Trust we are passionate about sailing therapy and our presence at The Cape Town International Boat Show was another opportunity for us to bring kids down…
Come and join us on the 28 November!
https://thelittleoptimisttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/The-Great-Optimist-Race-video.mp4
Pippa in conversation with Greg Bertish, a big wave surfer, a sailor, a lifesaver, and the founder of theLittle Optimist Trust and organiser of this race. Please listen below
Cape Town – Voice SA season 2 winner Craig Lucas will swop his microphone for a boat when he sails an Optimist (children’s dinghy) in the Great Optimist Race at…
Shark-attack survivor Caleb Swanepoel showed disability is no match for determination when he claimed the Great Optimist Race winner title for the second year in a row at the V&A…
Cape Town – Shark attack survivor Caleb Swanepoel showed disability is no match for determination when he claimed the Great Optimist Race winner title for the second year in a…
Joining Pippa on the yellow couch is Josie Borain, a woman who’s enjoyed success on both sides of the camera, initially as South Africa’s first international supermodel, then later as…
A special group of children experienced the joy of sailing, learned a few life lessons, and got a dose of inspiration at the Zeekoevlei Yacht Club on Saturday 6 April.…
CapeTalk's Pippa Hudson is one of the celebrities taking part in this year's Great Optimist Race in Cape Town. Dozens of celebrities and medical survivors will be taking to the…
Youngsters took part in a sailing therapy day held at Zeekoevlei Yacht Club. Sailing experts were on hand to show them the ropes. Children who participated hailed from various homes…
Children from a variety of Cape Town charity groups experienced the joy of sailing for the first time at the Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club this weekend. Reach for a Dream,…
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the opportunity you have given to our St Joseph’s Home boys last Saturday. Your team skills and sense of humour have…
FREE movie night at The V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre Friday 04 OCTOBER 2019 18h30pm
Please click image or here for tickets
Dear Greg, Here is a small review/reference: Thankyou Greg for visiting our school and inspiring the children. The children were immediately captivated with your warmth and gentle way. Your passion…
Well done Optimist Sailing SA team keep up the good work! Well done Sean Kavanagh who came in 4th place – we are so proud. Follow the link toe todays…
We are getting ready and ship shape for #thegreatoptimistrace 2019. Huge prep and boat fixing and beautifying being done by our amazing experts @johnhishin @drumbeatphotography @capetownsportphotography Zeekoe Vlei Yacht ClubMassive thanks guys. …
Dear Greg In the speed at which life passes us by, its fleeting moments that matter. Your presentation brought life in all its humility, strength, weakness and resilience and our…
Thank you so much for the books! The children enjoyed the time spent with Greg and JP on Monday and we started distributing the other books to our reading clubs…
Storytelling is what we do .... thank you. Surfer and sailor, Greg Bertish wrote a children's book "The Little Optimist" about a little believer (a dinghy) with a big and…
Kholeka Hanise is a passionate teacher and caregiver who started the Umthawelanga Educare in 2002 to educate and empower the children in her pocket of Mfuleni, Khayelitsha. The school has…
Hi Greg,Just had OHS to stick in an artificial aortic valve…. I found your website and I love your attitude so I was wondering if you could give me some…
The NSRI base in Kommetjie hosted the Little Optimist for a fantastic movie night and fundraiser on Aug 1st 2019. The community came out in full force to see the…
Good Morning Cara I trust that this mail finds you well. My son Daniel Bekker is completely blown away by Greg's story (he visited Kendridge earlier this week) my son…
Dear Little Optimist Team Anisha and her family are overwhelmed by the generosity of the HIIT fitness gym team. They send their grateful thanks. This is a fantastic donation and…
As I read this beautiful illustrated book I had goosebumps as I followed the journey and challenges of the little Optimist. Our children will be enthralled by this creative book…
23 July 2019 Dear Greg On behalf of Topolino Pre-Primary at Pikkieland I would like to extend a special word of thanks for the book you so kindly donated to…
A BIG thank you to HIIT Fitness for joining forces with The Little Optimist Trust for their birthday month. Why don’t you challenge your company or suppliers to do something…
Dutch exhibition group METSTRADE has chosen Cape Town charity campaigner Greg Bertish and his team at the Little Optimist Trust as the 2019 recipient of the DAME global charity award.…
Published on March 26th, 2019 by Lea Maxwell, thriveglobal.comWhen I signed up for sailing school at the age of 43, I had never been on a sailboat. I agreed to do…
“Little Dewayne Pieters’s face lit up as the shinny medal was placed around his neck.” The Harfield Harriers runners and the little Optimist team visited the Maitland Orthopaedic Hospital on…