They shopped with purpose for carpets from the discounted summer 2015 range while bidding in the thrilling auction of six exquisite Persian & Oriental carpets.

The glamorous event provided food for thought as its purpose was to raise funds to assist vulnerable families affected by the devastating Kya Sands fire, which destroyed some 1200 homes and left over 2000 people homeless in 2014. “We wanted to give back to a worthy cause and what better way than to help families who lost everything in the fire. The community of Kya Sands is close to our heart as the people who live there are our neighbours,” said Javad Shokouhbin, co-owner of Heriz Gallery.

The charity auction was the culmination in the first of what is to become a series of #HerizHero charity campaigns. For this one, Heriz Gallery customers and the Fourways community were encouraged to donate their used carpets to the Kya Sands fire victims. “Our campaign inspired people to donate their used carpets which they brought into our store. Our in-house maintenance team then got to work cleaning and repairing the donated carpets, after which they looked as good as new,” commented Majid Saffari, co-owner of Heriz Gallery.

Shokouhbin and Saffari identified a charity organisation called Judah Africa Community Development, a registered NGO operating in Kya Sands, and began working with them to donate the revamped carpets to vulnerable families in the area.

Together with the Heriz customers, Heriz Gallery also contributed generously to the collection of donated rugs and to date they have 30 – totaling over R100 000 in value - to hand over to families in Kya Sands. “These carpets will directly impact the warmth of the informal houses in Kya Sands this winter and provide better insulation against the fiercely cold Johannesburg nights,” states Carla-Lee Kamp CEO of Judah Africa. “To have a carpet under-foot will make a big difference to older people, child-headed families and patients with lowered immune systems. The Heriz guys have found a simple and effective way to positively impact our charity and community.”   

“Most of the time we get to experience our carpets in upmarket homes so it has been a heartwarming and humbling experience for us to witness the comfort these beautiful carpets have brought to people living in such desolate conditions,” stated Shokouhbin.

And now plans are already afoot for the second online installation in the #HerizHero campaign. The first episode featured an animated video about Heriz the unwitting hero and his magic carpet, who together help rescue three little kids and their community from the big bad pyromaniac wolf. The second animation deals with a young girl and a magic bean which will be coming to the online platform soon, on YouTube and Facebook.
 
For more information on Heriz Gallery, visit www.herizgallery.co.za.