R.I.P Madiba 1918 - 2013

A great man has passed. His legacy lives on in the hearts of all peace-loving people. 

Franschhoek residents and visitors are invited to sign a book of remembrance in the
Franschhoek Town Hall.

Caution, flying houses!

Wind damage to a shack

While some of us wake up every day in winter adoring the snow capping our mountains, others find it very hard to rather cope with the winter weather.

The past three weeks’ weather has not pleased the residents of Franschhoek’s informal settlement. The cold, wet and windy conditions have left many people roofless – one of them is an unemployed parent of two - Nomthandazo Mtlikithi. Nomthandazo saw her two-roomed shack blown away by the gale winds. She feels that such conditions are a threat to the residents’ health and safety, especially the safety of their young ones.

Others affected are the residents of Zwelitsha, which is the informal settlement closest to the mountains. These community members built their shelters on a piece of land that was once a dam. The rains are now starting to fill the old dam and many are at risk of drowning.

Franschhoek’s squatter community keeps increasing, with almost no land available for housing development.  Against this background risky situations such as the above will predictably increase if no steps are taken.

Athi Ndita

THE DANDELION INITIATIVE

THE DANDELION INITIATIVE is a newly registered NPO or charity.  Registered NPO Number: 114-242

This project has been endorsed by the RED CROSS WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.

 

The Dandelion Initiative is a non-profit organisation that aims to offer quality psychosocial care and support for children and adolescents with any chronic or terminal illnesses and disabilities.  
The enthusiastic and experienced role-players are experts at psychosocial support and caregiving.
Through the cultivation of positive, empowered or relaxed attitudes and perceptions, patients learn to reclaim their identities and embrace mental wellbeing.
 

The Work We Do

THE DANDELION INITIATIVE offers child-friendly, sympathetic practices to promote healing and wellbeing, as well as to encourage the release of trauma and the development of coping mechanisms, self-esteem, self-expression and confidence through:

            • Trauma counselling and support
            • Stress Inoculation training
            • Play and narrative therapy
            • Solution-focused brief therapy
            • Therapy through art & music
            • Mindfulness stress reduction

Pediatric health care is offered to children and families in the hospital to cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, and disability:

            • Psychological preparation for tests, surgeries, and other medical procedures

            • Pain management

            • Support during medical procedures

            • Therapeutic medical play

Marguerite Black initiated this project and is the Executive Director.  The project is based at the Red Cross Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa where she is a clinical counsellor in the Renal Unit and Diabetic Clinic within the hospital.
Marguerite is in a wheelchair because she has Friedreich's Ataxia, a condition of the nervous system, yet she has been doing this work for a long time on a voluntary basis.
This service is in the growth stage and it is of paramount importance to obtain funding to provide for costs and running expenses. 
The Red Cross Hospital has asked the charity to seek external funding.  Doctors have expressed that the need for this service is huge, but there is at present no source of funding.

Marguerite is trained in the Beginners and Advanced courses of Play and Gestalt therapy, has four years' experience as a volunteer at the Red Cross Children's Hospital, is completing her PhD at UCT and has a Masters degree in Therapeutic Narrative.
She has also written an autobiography "The Dandelion Diary: The Tricky Art of Walking" outlining her experiences since contracting Friedreich's Ataxia as a child.

We would greatly appreciate any assistance with funding for this worthy project, either once-off or as a small monthly contribution. Every bit helps.

Bank details are: 
The Dandelion Diary Disability Fund
Standard Bank, Claremont
Account number: 275358747
Branch code: 025109.

Account type: Savings account

International donations: SWIFT NUMBER: SBZAZAJJ (tax benefits are applicable).

 

Contact :   Christopher Browne, Fundraising coordinator     Email:  chrisb@cybersmart.co.za

 

THE DANDELION INITIATIVE is also registered as a WOOLWORTHS MYSCHOOL/ MY PLANET charity. Please support this charity on your Woolworths card.

Websites :
http://childrenshospitaltrust.org.za/
http://www.facebook.com/childrenshospitaltrust

TWEE KLAVIERUITVOERINGS / TWO PIANO RECITALS

Benjamin Fourie

performs works by / speel werke van

Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Arnold van Wyk & Ilse-Mari Lee

Friday/Vrydag 23 Augustus, 19:00

Gereformeerde Kerk, Bellville-Oos

(c/o Cherry- & Redwood Street, Bellair, Bellville)

Maandag/Monday 26 August, 19:00

Musikhaus Heuer, Stellenbosch

(Bird Street 71, Stellenbosch)

(ten bate van die Orrelfonds van die Gereformeerde Kerk Bellville-Oos /

in aid of the Organ Fund of the Reformed Church, Bellville East)

Tickets/Kaartjies:

Adults/Volwassenes: R90 - Seniors (>65): R60 - Students & children/Studente & kinders: R60

(EFT Payments: Gereformeerde Kerk Bellville-Oos, Absa, Branch/Takkode: 334910, Acc/Reknr: 1450 340 029)

Reservations/Besprekings:

Bellville: Bart van Milligen (082-857-9932 / bart@iburst.co.za)

Stellenbosch: Musikhaus Heuer (021-887-2938 / info@wheuer.co.za)

CDs for sale after concert @ R60

Laserskywe beskikbaar na afloop van uitvoering @ R60

Benjamin Fourie word teen die jaar 2000 deur die Amerikaanse Biografiese Instituut as ‘n “Outstanding Man of the 20^th Century” aan-gewys – een van 500 mense wêreldwyd wat op hierdie wyse vereer is.

As konsertpianis gee hy reeds vir bykans 30 jaar klavieruitvoerings, wat insluit talle optredes by kunstefeeste en ouditoriums in Suider-Afrika, asook by internasionale musiekgebeure, waaronder die Tweede Klavier Wêreldkonferensie, aangebied in Novi Sad, Serwië in 2010.

Hy stel ook drie laserskywe van klaviermusiek van Suid-Afrikaanse komponiste vry, wat gunstig deur kritici en musiekliefhebbers ontvang word.

Benjamin Fourie was designated as an “Outstanding Man of the 20th Century” by the American Biographical Institute towards the year 2000 – one of 500 people worldwide to have been honoured in this way.

As concert pianist he has given recitals for almost 30 years now, which include performances at arts festivals and auditoriums in Southern Africa, as well as internationally, including the Second World Piano Conference, held in Novi Sad, Serbia in 2010.

He also released three CD recordings of piano music by South African composers, to high acclaim of both critics and music lovers.

Pearl Valley drives expansion into driving range

Leading golf and lifestyle destination, Pearl Valley Golf Estates has upgraded its driving range, allowing for the largest and most impressive practice facility in the country.  

Currently heralded as one of the best ranges in South Africa, the upgrade stands to improve the already excellent offering of the Estate in which players and members enjoy an unsurpassed golfing experience.

To ensure consistently pristine conditions, and an extended area, the upgrade will not only double the area available to accommodate larger groups but will guarantee an optimal surface for practice throughout the year. Once completed the upgraded range will be approximately 5200m².

The extended range will be seeded with bentgrass, a creeping variety, ensuring a consistently outstanding playing surface. The new grass will also significantly minimise recovery and maintenance periods.

Designed by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus and opened in 2003, Pearl Valley Golf Estates was named Best New Golf Course of the Year in 2005, 3rd Best Golf Course in South Africa by Golf Digest in 2011, Best Conditioned Golf Course in Western Cape by Golf Digest 2012, and a Five Star Experience by Compleat Golfer. Furthermore, a Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Qualification and membership was recently awarded to the resident Golf Manager, Carl Krog.

FRINGE EVENTS AT THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL THE FRANSCHHOEK LITERARY FESTIVAL 17 - 19 MAY 2013

Festival goers to this year’s FLF will not only be entertained by the jam-packed FLF programme, but can also enjoy a number of fringe events taking place over the three days of the festival. 

Friday 17 May: David Walters and The Ceramics Gallery present

SGRAFFITO – WORDS ON POTS

Inspired by the FLF, SGRAFFITO (inscriptions or drawings scratched or printed onto pottery) will exhibit works from Sue Howard, Ralph Johnson, Susan Lomas, Yvonne Martin, Ineke Nicolle, Ella-Lou O’Meara, Linda Patterson, David Walters & Sarah Walters.  The gallery is open from 10am to 5pm.

Saturday, 18 May: Noseweek editor Martin Welz will chair four extraordinary activist-experts talking about news stories that every South African ought to know (more) about – but government would rather you didn't.  Featured speakers: Richard Young on the arms deal, David Klatzow on criminal prosecutions, Shaheen Moolla on the destruction of South Africa’s ocean fish stocks and Mariette Liefferink on the rising flood of acid mine drainage and radioactive fallout.

    “Live news” sessions and showings of documentaries will take place at the Protea Hotel Franschhoek on Saturday, May 18, between 10am and 3pm.

Check the Noseweek website at www.noseweek.co.za for more details.

 Friday 17 to Sunday 19 May: See the FLF programme for 5 classical music concerts by Music Revival

including the FREE Concert Voices for Africa in the NG Church on Saturday at 6pm,

starring Beverley Chiat, new talent from the Anzwi Omzansi competition and the local Simunye Choir.

Sunday 19 May: Students from the Waterfront Theatre College will present a collection of original, literary inspired performances, based on 5 literary plot types: the quest, voyage and return, rebirth, overcoming the monster and rags to riches, on the streets of Franschhoek. The short street theatre performances will entertain festival goers as they move from one event to the other.  

Find out more at www.flf.co.za.

For any enquiries or further information on the festival, authors or events please contact Claire Richards at publicity@flf.co.za or on 082 044 6446

Top young talent for Tour de Boland

It will be the clash of the future champions when international star Nolan Hoffman leads the invitational Boland ASG junior team against a strong World Cycling Centre Africa (WCCA) contingent at the Bestmed Tour de Boland from Tuesday.

Nolan Hoffman

The Franschhoek-based sprinter, who returned from the UCI World Track Championships at the end of February, will mentor the five youngsters from Wellington during the four-day tour, which is presented by ASG.

They are Marc Kerr, Timo Cooper, Wian-David Slabbert, George King and Corne Helberg. Barbados’s top junior rider Jesse Kelly will join them as a special guest.

“I’m looking for a win and at the same time to help the young riders,” said Hoffman, who usually rides in the colours of Tasol-GT.

“We have a lot of talent in SA. The only way to improve as a rider is in races and we need the longer tours to become internationally competitive.”

The four-time Paarl Boxing Day 25-mile winner said the Boland event was perfectly timed to test his legs ahead of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour the following week.

His squad will face off against three WCCA teams, featuring six members of the MTN-Qhubeka feeder team, including JC Nel (South Africa), Getachew Yohans (Ethiopia) and Till Drobisch (Namibia).

The MTN-Qhubeka development outfit is looking strong following their victory in the team time-trial event at the national road championships this past weekend.

According to WCCA director JP van Zyl, Nel and Drobisch were expected to lead the charge in the individual (stage one) and team time-trial (stage two), while Calvin Benecke and Emile Jacobs were the strongest hopefuls for the road race (stage three) and criterium (stage four).

“The tour is well balanced in its challenges and is one of our major goal races,” said Van Zyl. “It can be viewed as a talent identification tour, where we will see who will become the big names of the near future.”

The former Olympian said the purpose of the Potchefstroom-based centre was to develop African talent and prepare young riders to race internationally at a professional level.

“There aren’t many tours in South Africa, or Africa for that matter. Road racing needs more competitive events and it is our duty to support those that make the opportunities available. We are proud and honoured to be competing.”

Van Zyl said the tour had all the elements to become a major event on the international calendar including beautiful scenery, good weather and mountainous terrain to promote challenging racing.

The daily stages start and finish at the Allée Bleue wine estate, which is equidistant from Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl.

The event wraps up on Friday with a 40km fun ride through the winelands, which includes a complimentary pancake and coffee stop in Franschhoek. All finishers will receive a stemmed Allée Bleue glass filled with the wine of their choice.

For more information, visit www.bolandcycling.co.za. Find the event on Facebook or follow @TourdeBoland for updates.