Christmas wishes from Ann Harding Cheshire Homes

As 2014 comes to a close, the Ann Harding Cheshire Home would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters, friends, donors, volunteers, staff and residents for making the year special.

As with any year in an NGO, we had our challenges, not least of which is funding. Thank you to all those who kept us going throughout the year financially, and to the entire community for supporting our charity shop, which assists in keeping the home going.

Many exciting projects got off the ground this year, our vegetable tunnel was finally completed, and our first crops planted in May 2014. Residents are enjoying the fresh vegetables daily, and excess vegetables are sold in our charity shop.

Our long-awaited Snoezelen room was completed … Snoezelen room? …. This is a multi-sensory environment designed as a space for people to relax and de-stress. The room is particularly beneficial to many of our residents, and a few staff members have been known to slip in there from time to time.

We are enjoying the full-time services of an occupational therapist who is visiting us as a volunteer from Australia for two years. This has had a profound benefits for our residents, and we are threatening to kidnap her to keep her here permanently.

Our palisade fence surrounding the property received a much-needed facelift, thanks to a group of boys from St Stithians College, as well as Prominent Paints.

Work has started on making our swimming pool a tool for occupational therapy as well as recreation. This includes heating the pool and installing the correct railings.

Going into 2015, the needs do not diminish. Our wish list is as follows :

• Committed volunteers to work in the charity shop on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays – commitment is one or two mornings per week.
• Dedicated volunteers to assist in the home, particularly with arts and crafts on a Monday, as well as arranging fundraising events for the home.
• Funding to complete renovation work started on the home – tiling and painting – full funding proposal is available on request.
• 1 000 Donors prepared to sign a debit order for R100 per month – this would assist the home with costs that are not covered by other means such as vehicle maintenance, home maintenance and caregivers.
• Arts and crafts materials (list available from jackie@cheshirehomes.org.za)
• Christmas gifts for our residents (all adults)

If you are able to assist in any of these areas, please contact Jackie on 011 792 3510 or email jackie@cheshirehomes.org.za

The home is a registered non-profit organisation, and has PBO status, meaning we are able to provide tax certificates for donations made.

We wish all of you a very Happy Christmas and a safe holiday season. We hope that 2015 will be a year of abundance in all areas of life.