I arrived (complete with 2 children accompanying my ex husband) in this beautiful country of ours March 1980 and went to live up in the then Transvaal on Kloof Gold Mine. Wow what a change from the Liverpool where I was born and other than spending a few holidays “abroad” in Europe I hadn’t really left the UK.
There began my love affair with South Africa which has never diminished.
I have had a varied and exciting life here in S.A. except for a few years (beginning in 2000) back in England where I took my teaching diploma.
In 2004 I returned to S.A. with my husband Dave, we went to live in St. Lucia, set up as Business Consultants and I joined some voluntary organisations and even became the treasurer for St. Lucia Rate Payers Association.
We then moved over to Mooi River buying an old run down small holding on the Giants Castle Rd. and began a B&B / Self-catering facility. I was recruited to Rotary by a good friend of mine and got the bug.
Rotary really appealed to me. I have always been community minded and was able to put any talents and experience I possessed to good use. I was introduced to ESIPHEPHELWENI ORPHANAGE by local Bruntville residents. They were worried about the children in care (rightly so) and begged me to help.
To cut a long story short, I contacted the head office Meals on Wheels Durban who asked me to relocate the children. They took the Matron, to court, paid off the “helpers’ and gave me R250, 000.00 to refurbish the property. We now have a wonderful Community Centre the LIGHTHOUSE, which is focused on empowerment and growing slowly.
It is a NGO run by an independent board affiliated to MOWCS.
Dave and I left the Rotary Club of Mooi River when it relocated to Nottingham Rd. We were asked to and did join the Rotary Club of Estcourt.
We have now relocated in semi-retirement to Howick; I am still chairperson of the Lighthouse and Dave is treasurer.
We are restarting our business consultancy and I have been recruited as full time fundraiser for the Lighthouse.