My friend Lara Potgieter (that's her on the left. Actually she’s my friend-from-university’s daughter, but still) has got involved in the Miss Earth competition.

Anything with a “Miss” in front of it makes me nervous, but she’s a sensible and very smart girl, so I was intrigued.

Turns out the programme – though it doesn’t get away from the competitive good-looks thing –really has a powerful educational message: it aims to empower (beautiful) young South African women with the knowledge and platform to create a sustainable difference in our plight to combat the destruction of our natural heritage.

So I went to a couple of fundraisers in the past weeks: a dinner (we ate sustainable fish); a fashion show (my young friend Joel, 8, came along and learned all about Leopard Toads and their fight for survival in urban areas in mating season, and so we all have to go and save them one of these nights). I heard about planting trees, planting food gardens, painting schools. There was a lot less lipgloss than hard work, and I was, basically, thrilled.

I’d urge you to pop along to their Facebook page.