The community volunteer group and NPO, Essentially Edenvale, hopes 2026 is a year of renewal, rejuvenation and community unity to improve Edenvale.

With several plans in the pipeline, the NPO hopes to continue improving the town, working with the municipality and stakeholders to breathe life into the community.

Essentially Edenvale directors Louis Antonopoulos, Lisa Atkins, and Michelle dos Santos call on residents and businesses to get involved in community projects.

“If community members want to see a change in Edenvale, they need to get involved and make a difference,” says Atkins.

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Antonopoulos, also on the JP Bezuidenhout Park Sports Ground Committee board, explains that a goal for the sports clubs is securing the sports grounds facilities.

“In recent years, the various sporting codes started working together and shared a common goal of preserving and protecting the sports grounds. All the sporting codes maintain and look after the grounds themselves,” says Antonopoulos.

He adds that because the grounds are free to access, smaller groups and individuals use them.

“We want more children to use the grounds, and the various sporting codes are happy to have them there,” says Atkins.

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“As a committee, we want the sports grounds to be used to their full potential, but there also needs to be respect for them,” says Antonopoulos.

Atkins notes that Essentially Edenvale was approached by a local running club to help create a running track at the sports grounds.

Last year, Essentially Edenvale, in collaboration with the Khanyisa Trust, launched the Vuka Hub, an initiative that aims to empower women through weekly sessions, which include skills training, mentorship, emotional wellness and income-generating opportunities.

Dos Santos explains that the hub still functions and has four women who stayed on with the programme.

“We are excited to grow and attract more members,” says Dos Santos.

ALSO READ: Essentially Edenvale hopes to see Horwood’s Farm grow

Dos Santos and Atkins highlight that in recent years, Essentially Edenvale started working with Child Welfare SA – Edenvale, the Gauteng Department of Social Development and the CoE to establish a safe house in town.

Dos Santos says there is a serious need in Edenvale for a haven to help women and children in need during times of crisis.

Atkins says Essentially Edenvale will continue its bottle-top collection project, which it started last year. The project, which benefits Tops for Tags for Wheelchairs, sees community members drop off plastic bottle tops, which can be exchanged for a wheelchair.

Atkins says 500kg of plastic bottle tops equate to one wheelchair.

Since the project started, Essentially Edenvale, with the community’s help, has donated one wheelchair.

There are collection points at Edenvale High School, Hurlyvale Primary School, Peter Pan Park, Horwoods Farm, Elma Park and Hebra Park.

“The little ones love it and find it exciting to put the bottle tops in the collection points,” says Atkins.

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Other projects in the works include establishing a permaculture nursery to grow plants for the community. The nursery will be created in an environmentally-friendly manner to ensure sustainability.

This year, Atkins says, Essentially Edenvale will collaborate with Better Edenvale to restore the Edenvale CBD taxi rank.

The project will be done in partnership with various city departments, and she hopes to see the entire block restored.

Lastly, Atkins says Essentially Edenvale started working with the Heritage Council, hoping to restore the Horwoods Farm Homestead.

“We are gathering information, but our hopes are to create a museum.”

For more information or to get involved, email lisa@essentiallyedenvale.co.za