The elderly community of Fairleigh and Siyahlala-la get together every Wednesday.

Feeling lost, neglected and forgotten, the elderly of Fairleigh and Siyahlala-la now have a new lease of life thanks to two locals Cole Davids and Aunty Joslyn Hendricks who are the founders of this group.

Initiative restores dignity and connection

Aunty Joslyn was shocked to see how many elderly residents in their communities had been left isolated, with nowhere to go, little to do, and no regular activities to keep them busy.

Cole Davids and Aunty Joslyn Hendricks together with the rest of the SiyaFair organisers,initiative restores dignity and connection.

Motivated to make a difference, they launched the weekly SiyaFair Initiative at the Fairleigh Community Hall.

“Our elders never leave their homes, so we decided to start this community initiative just to get them out and about for a change, and they seem to love it,” said Aunty Joslyn. “We were pleasantly surprised by how dedicated they are. Unless someone is really sick, they never miss a Wednesday.”

The initiative began on July 2, 2025, with only a handful of members. Since then, it has grown to nearly 100 participants who attend weekly to see what activities are planned.

Events include exercise sessions, sporting activities, dances, board games and their favourite, Bingo mornings.

Alongside the activities, Aunty Joslyn Hendricks and Bethal Louw also provide snacks and home-cooked meals, and they celebrate each member’s birthday to ensure that everyone feels valued and appreciated.

“Our elderly do not get much attention, so we are here to make sure they feel loved, seen, wanted and celebrated,” said Aunty Joslyn. “We have become a family that supports one another through difficult times.”

“We currently have one very special sponsor, Cole Davids, who now lives in Australia and assists us financially.

For more information or to get involved, contact Aunty Joslyn Hendricks on 0631825081 or Stephney Van Der Plank on 0613573317

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