Abbeyfield South Africa
The Abbeyfield Society of South Africa is currently the only "developing country" member of Abbeyfield International. By the end of March 2010 there were 17 Local Societies and 20 houses established, accommodating altogether 151 residents. 17 of our homes are situated in Cape Town (where Abbeyfield was first established in 1987) and surrounding Western Province country towns.
Our very first home opened in Claremont, Cape Town, in March 1987. Wyndover Manor is a 100-year-old mansion which was beautifully restored by Mr. Peter Templeton, who introduced the Abbeyfield concept to South Africa in 1986.
Our first truly African Abbeyfield house, Ethembeni (Place of Hope) was opened in October 2009. The purpose-built house is now home to 10 very happy elderly pensioners from the urban poor community of Gugulethu. Our next big project is to have a rural Abbeyfield home situated in the farm-working region of the Western Cape. From the more affluent suburbs to the poorest urban and rural communities, you too can have an Abbeyfield Home!
There are two homes in the Gauteng province, both in the farming community of Walkerville, south of Johannesburg. Our house in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) was opened in the Durban suburb of Glenwood in June 2002. We recently appointed a new Development Officer for the KZN region and she's working hard at publicising the Abbeyfield housing concept and establishing volunteer driven local societies. Our plan is to soon have a regional office in the Gauteng province as well.
The National office (based in Cape Town) continues to assist its affiliates to raise capital needed for house purchase, renovations and additions. We have done well but we can and should be doing a lot more in expanding the organisation and reaching out to a growing number of lonely (and homeless) elderly people who we believe can continue to be valued members of society.
South African Abbeyfield homes differ from those in the rest of the world in that they do not have live-in house-keepers and therefore accommodate only self-supporting older people who are able to shop and cook for themselves.
Our vision for the future is one where older people's rights are protected and their dignity is respected. It is a future where their well-being, safety and security are promoted and safe-guarded and where emphasis is shifted from institutional care to community-based care and participation in community life for as long as possible.
We aim to have 23 houses open by December 2011.
For further information contact:
Zoë Paul
Abbeyfield Society of South Africa
PO Box 13252
7705 Mowbray
Republic of South Africa
Tel/ Fax: (27) 21 689 3252
e-mail: abbeyfld@netactive.co.za
web: www.abbeyfield.co.za
| 
