Victoria persuades dad into sparkling gift |15 January 2011

Giving in to his daughter’s wish, Gilles Duthil, the director of VGD Holdings – a local firm that imports Candia brand milk from Mauritius – agreed to hand over 10 boxes a month to Noella Gonthier, chief executive of the Children’s Homes Foundation.

“Victoria developed an interest in the work of the Children’s Homes Foundation after learning that money collected from the Twinkle Twinkle ticket sales went to help orphanages in Seychelles – a fact that surprised her,” said Mr Duthil.

He explained that his daughter then asked him to make the gesture to help less fortunate children.

While handing a symbolic bottle of milk to Mrs Gonthier, Victoria said she wanted the President’s Village children to benefit from the milk, as she has done.

As well as children living at the Port Glaud village, its manager Jules Hoareau was also present at the handover ceremony on Thursday.

Mr Duthil said the milk will be delivered monthly to Port Glaud for a year, although he is willing to extend the gift, worth R2,000 at each delivery, beyond that time.