A very successful fundraising tea was held on Saturday 11 February at the NG Kerk, in aid of Somerset Place.

They would like to thank all the ladies for their wonderfully decorated tables, cakes and just generally going all out and supporting this event.

There was a prize for the best dressed lady (Mrs A Thomas) and the 10 ladies at the winning table, (hostess Mrs Y le Roux).

A huge thanks also goes to “Lorraine and Friends” who gave freely of their time to provide the superb music, and to the NG Kerk for the free use of their hall for this event. Thank you all once again and see you next  year

Norma

In the space of a month over the Christmas break, Somerset Place Society lost two outstanding founder management committee members and stalwarts of the society, Helen Berrington and Chris Stone.

It was Helen, in the 1980s who pushed for a Retirement Home here in Grahamstown – and how she pushed and prodded and spent hundreds of hours working on this project which was very close to her heart. A great amount of money had to be raised before any work could commence on building, but Helen persevered year after year. A close friend of hers said that apart from money pouring in, she was proud to
announce that she had also been promised five cows to auction off towards the fund-raising.

The culmination of all this effort and hectic activity is what you see here at Somerset Place Society – beautiful buildings and grounds and, to crown it all, at the top of the hill, The Helen Berrington Frail Care Centre – Helen’s greatest achievement.

What a tower of strength she was. Chris was the society’s legal advisor on the committee. Chris, the unsung hero, quietly working, away from all the limelight, doing sterling work. His thoroughness and great attention to detail was well known. He was an upstanding member of the community, an extremely busy man – and yet he always had time to attend the countless committee meetings through the years. He was a founding member of the society and hardly missed a meeting over 25 years. Apart from his continual legal support over the years, Chris also involved himself with the planning, financial and social wellbeing
of Somerset Place and his input and sound advice will be sorely missed.

His clear and unwavering support was always given with humility and modesty, as well as an unrivalled sense of humour.

A truly fine man.

Somerset Place Society

Save the rooster!

The total onslaught against the early morning call of the rooster is outrageous. I inherited my chickens from my late father. I love my chickens and they are a constant reminder of him. Yes, the rooster crows in the morning, but it is far less intrusive than the continuous barking of dogs and passing trucks. My chicken family live in the “Hilton” of chicken coops; clean, secure, and pose no human threat. We are all truly  happy! My chickens provide the household with organic eggs year-round and organic fertiliser for the vegetable garden. I suspect that when Armageddon comes (as early as this December…) that the  complainant, “Chicken Soup”, will be the first one knocking on my door when supplies run out. Be warned that I shall guard my eggs and vegetables with my life!

By the way, in my case I have only one rooster friend, perhaps such a self-imposed limitation by other chicken lovers may be the answer for the complainant. If we take “Chicken Soup”'s argument to its logical conclusion, then we shall be forced to round up all the Ha-di-das, the continuously barking, yapping dogs, and of course the noisy students together with their ghetto blasters and ship them out of town to a competing “noise farm” alongside the N2 highway. The last rooster “Chicken Soup” forced out of town to this farm died of loneliness – shame on you – and you show no compassion or love for such a heart-broken bird and its owners, banished to its death. Quite frankly, I think the municipality has enough on their hands than to worry about some “fowl affair” as suggested, notwithstanding continuously recurring potholes in which a dozen roosters could happily and safely reside, right under our very noses!

Raunchy Rooster

One factor we should consider when tackling the education system in our country is that learning begins at home. The learning of a child is a collective effort, in which everyone plays his part in the upbringing of a child. The education system has its limits. We should acknowledge that, and our society should also take part, instead of continuing to attack the education departments for its faults.

A child starts his lessons at home, and they end at home. Therefore, our community should also take initiative, by working together with our education department in producing a quality curriculum that will help our suffering children. The finger should not be pointing in one direction only, but also ask yourself: What have I done to add value in the life of my child and my neighbours?

In African culture, it was the responsibility of every adult in the community to take charge of the future of every child in the tribe. Any adult person had the right to teach or correct a young person, irrespective of his or her parents. Bringing up a child was a joint effort, among the community.

It is time our parents and school governing bodies worked together in formulating effective and efficient working methods, to improve the quality of our education system – not for us, but for our children’s sake.

Sizwe Mda