Well well well, we’ve done it again! We now have 18 Abbeyfield Homes in the Western Cape. Our newest edition is a lovely six bedroom house in Macassar.
The Macassar Local Society was first established in 2003 and since then the committed members have been tirelessly working to raise funds to buy their first Abbeyfield house. We’re incredibly proud of the way they’ve managed their savings. It was on the 10th September 2010 when their long awaited dream was finally realised and they put in an offer to purchase a house for six social pensioners who otherwise wouldn’t have had a place to stay and now can be cared for and accommodated in a dignified way. With the help of Abbeyfield SA Head Office, renovation work started on the house in Dec and should be complete by the second week of March 2011. Well done Macassar! View photo gallery
On Friday, 13th December the Masons hosted a Xmas lunch, at the Lodge de Goode Hoop in Town, for all the residents of Burchell House, Ted’s House and Andy’s House. Quadriplegic residents from Desmain House in Plumstead were also invited. About 65 guests attended the lunch which was a 3 course meal with mince pies, crackers, and Xmas hats, balloons the lot! All residents were treated with a Xmas gift too. Thank you to the Masons for your ongoing care and generosity. View photo gallery.
Our project coordinator Nonceba Mkangeli piled our Ethembeni residents into a taxi on the 11th December 2011 and headed to the Waterfront for an afternoon out to celebrate the end of year and the start of the Xmas festive period. For most, this was their first trip to the Waterfront and what an experience it was. The ladies enjoyed some window shopping before settling down to a delicious 3 course meal at the Spur. After lunch the ladies went to Woolworths and were each given the opportunity to choose a Xmas gift. They all agreed that a new towel each would be wonderful. The exhausted ladies headed back home late afternoon after a thrilling whirlwind adventure out at the Waterfront. View photo gallery.
This year Michelle and Henriette from Head Office packed Xmas boxes full with yummy goodies to eat, for each of our Abbeyfield residents. Just a little gift to say Merry Christmas, thank you for being you and we hope you enjoy your holidays.
Residents were thrilled to bits with their delicious treats.
A resident in our Mercia Goliath House in Atlantis, Mr Fish decided this year to pick up a new hobby and it involved green fingers and an empty backyard. He has planted veggies and herbs and has made a rather dull and sandy garden come alive with bright green colours. Saving money by eating off the land -we could all learn a thing or to from you! He’s extremely proud of his accomplishment and so he should be. At 84 Mr Fish is a shining example of what’s possible. This is what we call active ageing! Keep up the good work! View photo gallery.
On the 10th November 2010 residents and committee members of Abbeyfield Walkerville were invited to attend a High Tea hosted by the Mayor of Walkerville. Residents were treated to snacks and drinks and each of them received a Christmas gift from the Mayor himself. It was a fun day out for all, filled with live music, dancing, fun and laughter.
The Glenwood Local Society have for some time now been struggling to raise funds to renovate their outside room so that they could welcome one more resident to their already happy family of 5. Knowing how difficult it is to raise funds nowadays, Abbeyfield SA stepped in to make sure that we didn’t continue to have a spare room standing empty and assisted the Glenwood Society to get some renovations done.
Thanks to the efficient organisation skills of Carryn our Development Officer in KZN, the room renovations were completed within three weeks and we were delighted to welcome a new resident, Mrs. Carmelita Lourens to the newly renovated bright and airy outside room in the garden at Victor Daitz. We wish you a long and happy stay with us. View photo gallery.
On the 2nd September 2010 the Wyndover Committee held their 21st annual Abbeyfield Bridge Drive in the St. Thomas Hall in Rondebosch. Raffle prizes included: a donated leg of lamb, beautiful Roses, African Violets and tasty wine. After a couple of hours hard at play, guests were invited to enjoy tea and lovely home-made snacks provided for by the committee members. Our residents from Wyndover came to help with the washing up after the event. Well done on yet another successful annual fundraiser. View photo gallery.
Every year on Women’s Day (9th Aug), Maize Fisher, the Chairlady of our Milwood House Committee, gets a number of different businesses to sponsor a lunch for older persons at the Milnerton Gold Club. This year ladies from Milwood House attended the lunch which consisted of a delicious 3 course meal overlooking the beautiful rolling greens of the golf course. A humanitarian award is also handed out at the lunch to a person who is selected as having made a valuable and worthwhile contribution to their community.
Our AGM this year was held in the Kei Room at the River Club in Observatory, Cape Town. For a miserable chilly night we were pleasantly surprised by a good turnout of people. We had residents join us from Sutherland House, Andy’s House and Bethany Lodge. We also welcomed committee members from Rondebosch, Milnerton, Sea Point, Ocean View, Paarl and from our new Local Society Macassar. Walkerville committee members, Penny and Kay, were also able to attend which we were thrilled about. View photo gallery.
This years Wellness Day fell on a Friday. What a fun-filled morning of manicures, pedicures and massages. Residents and committee members spent time relaxing and chatting while getting their blood pressure taken. They were treated once again to some Nia dancing followed by Mr. Harry Curtis singing golden oldies from back in the day. Two of our more courageous residents also got up and sang a song or two which was just too precious for words. Lots of fun and laughter had by all. Thank you to our Development Officer Michelle for organising such a successful morning.View photo gallery.
A generous Pastor from the Atlantis community thought it would be a lovely idea to hold a Wellness Day for the elderly residents of our Abbeyfield Home, Mercia Goliath. What a wonderful, generous idea indeed. On the 29th May, residents can look forward to a morning of relaxation and pampering. You all deserve it, well done!
An anonymous Abbeyfield supporter very generously donated lovely colourful fleece blankets to the very excited residents of Ethembeni in Gugulethu, just in time to keep the winter chill away. We are enormously grateful, thank you.
The 1st May this year marked the 14th Birthday of the Tour De Walkerville. It is an annual event, a pub crawl, but in aid of charity. It is a walk, ride, run, by whatever means on a specific route between the pubs. People use bicycles, animals, quad bikes, whatever they can find. The distance covered is about 11km with raffle draws and prizes at each pub on the way. You would usually spend about 45 minutes at each pub – just enough time to grab one or two drinks - and then move on to the next.
The charities have to register before the event to go into the draw. At the end the money is totalled and distributed to the registered charities equally. This year Abbeyfield Walkerville will receive R1350.00 for participating. There is also a draw for the first, second and third prize winners: R8000, R5000 and R3000 respectively. This draw will take place on Sat, 22nd May at the Showground’s in Walkerville, so we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for Abbeyfield!
On the 28th April, Mr. Michael Koopman, a member of the Ocean View Local Society, was awarded the Mayor’s medal for his contribution to community development and social services in Ocean View for the past 32 years. Congratulations Michael, we’re so proud of you.
On Thursday, 1st April, we welcomed Mr and Mrs Kidani from Abbeyfield Japan to Cape Town. We spent the morning showing off our beautiful Abbeyfield homes; needless to say they were impressed. They loved chatting to our residents and finding out just how special it really is living in an Abbeyfield Home.
On the 1st March we attended the opening of a beautiful 8 bedroom home called Andy’s House in Bothasig, Cape Town. We congratulate the Masonic Abbeyfield Society on their 3rd Abbeyfield Home. We can all learn a great deal from their commitment and hard work in making this dream, of helping the elderly, a reality. We welcome the new residents of Andy’s House into the broader Abbeyfield family and wish you all a very fulfilled and happy time there.
