BERYL WATKISS: MHA’s SIXTH CENTENARIAN!!
27 October 2024
On 27 October 2024 our beloved resident Beryl Watkiss celebrated her 100th birthday, and her family arranged a tea party in her honour.
Beryl spent many years in a cottage in Wesley Gardens, she then moved to an apartment in Bob Zeiss Bedsitters, and in recent years she has lived peacefully and safely in CP Bradfield Frail Care. In earlier times she was a very talented artist, and two of her lovely paintings hang in the Reception area of MHA’s Head Office.
Testimony to her age, and to who she was, is that Beryl served in the Royal Navy in WWII. She was a member of the team that had the difficult task of decrypting messages sent by the German armed forces on their Enigma code machines. By eventually cracking the coded messages sent to U-boats, the Royal Navy was able to contribute significantly to the ending of the war. Beryl was sworn to absolute secrecy about what she actually did while in uniform.; even her family were kept totally in the dark, until the war was over.
To make Beryl’s 100th birthday celebrations even more special, she received a signed letter from the King and Queen in recognition of this wonderful milestone.
The entire MHA Family joins in celebrating Beryl’s “100 not out” score!
A GREAT TREE HAS FALLEN: AUDREY MARAIS
October 2024
Audrey Marais, born on 9 May 1929, sadly passed away on 30 September 2024. Audrey was one of the pioneer residents to move into Aldersgate, and she lived there until she decided that it was time for her to move to Bob Zeiss Bedsitters, and eventually to CP Bradfield Frail Care.
Audrey lived a richly blessed and colourful life, with a large and loving family and countless friends. She dedicated a huge amount of time, energy and talent to MHA life too; she was involved in getting our first Frail Care unit in Westbourne Road up and running, and she threw herself into making the fledgling Aldersgate village the cohesive and supportive community it became. It is said that dynamite comes in small packages; Audrey was a living testimony to that!
She dedicated so much of her full life to the service of others, and she was also the creator of the “Aldersgate Song”, which is often sung in that community to the tune of “Edelweiss” from the film “The Sound of Music”. These are the lyrics she wrote, and they are a lovely reminder of how she lived her life there, and generally:
Aldersgate, Aldersgate
A village of loving and caring
In autumn years
Through smiles and tears
Always giving and sharing
Flower gardens of every hue
Spreading joy around us
Aldersgate, Aldersgate
May God’s blessings surround us
May you rest in eternal peace, Auds.
IN MEMORY OF ROBIN WRIGHT
15 August 2024
At a church service held in the Annesley Gardens/Sheariton Hall on 10 July 2024, a lovely wooden bench crafted by a resident, Toytjie Bekker, was dedicated to the memory of Rev Robin Wright, who was a much loved resident of Annesley Gardens for many years, and who passed away in January 2024.
The bench was made using wood which Robin had stored in his garage. In the photo are Marian, Robin’s widow, who cut the ribbon, and Toytjie. The bench has been placed outside of the Hall, in the braai area, and will be a constant reminder to all of a great man, who contributed so much to the community spirit in the village.
NINETY IS JUST A NUMBER!!
15 August 2024
On 22 June 2024 the Aldersgate village residents gathered in their Hall for a morning’s celebration of its Nonagenarians, to enjoy wonderful refreshments, and the cheerful music presented by the talented Aldersgate Singers. Nonagenarians comprise 15% of the total number of residents at Aldersgate, and no less than 22 of Aldersgate’s 24 nonagenarians were available to attend the party.
MHA life is surely an essential ingredient in the recipe for longevity---currently amongst the 526 residents across MHA are 71 nonagenarians (14%). God bless them, one and all!
AN EXAMPLE TO US ALL!!
10 September 2024
Basil Hawtrey, who moved to Aldersgate with his wife Joan in March 2011, turned 90 on 3 September 2024. Congratulations, Basil!
According to Basil, he was definitely born at 10h10 on the 3rd of September, but in the 1980’s he had to apply for an abridged birth certificate which reflected his birth date as the 4th. He decided to avoid the pain of getting that fixed, and so he continues to celebrate his birthday on the 3rd.
Basil is an avid golfer, and he tries to get on the course twice a week.
We wish you many more years of birthdays and rounds of golf, Basil. Your gifts of cheerfulness, community spirit and your love of people are an inspiration to so many in the MHA Family.
SPRINGTIME DELIGHTS AT IRVINE VILLA
3 September 2024
SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER!
2 September 2024
FIFTY NOT OUT!!
2 September 2024
Sanet Marx, our Nursing Services Manager, and Buki Gongxeka, our Office Administrator at Head Office, both celebrated milestone birthdays in late August (Sanet on 23 August and Buki on 30 August).
They celebrated in style, and the MHA Family wishes them happiness, health and success into the future.