6 February 2016 - THEME DINNER RAISES SIGNIFICANT FUNDS FOR CHILDRENS’ HOMES
The Western Cape Commandery of the Grand Bailiwick of South Africa recently worked in partnership with the Cape Town Burns Supper Club to raise significant funding to assist an orphanage and a home for terminally ill children.
Burns Dinners are staged worldwide in late January to early February and celebrate the life and works of Scotland’s iconic bard, Robert Burns.
Customarily, the event encompasses a programme of traditional toasts and a dinner with haggis and lamb, against a backdrop of bagpipe music, whisky, Highland dancers and communal song, along with a measure of fund-raising for a worthy cause or two.
The Western Cape Commandery was offered the chance to join the wholly volunteer, non-profit organisers of the Dinner and act as the conduit for the proper collection and full disbursement of all funds raised.
“Such a partnership brings to the table not only the proven organizational skills of the event team and their database of guests who return each year (this was the 22nd annual Burns Club dinner in Cape Town), but also members of the Order able to raise items of value to auction and raffle and to run with these two signature events on the night,” said Grand Bailiff, Dame Tamra Capstick-Dale.
At this particular social calendar dinner, distinguished guests included the British High Commissioner, the Ambassador for Ireland, Members of Parliament, a Scottish noble, many public figures and a sizeable contingent of members and officers of the Order.
The significant funds raised will go entirely to purchase items desperately needed by these two homes and include a long list of essential child healthcare articles, food supplements, clothing, toiletries, and administrative material.
The Dinner also provided welcome exposure for the Order and its work on a greater public platform.
7 February 2014 - The South African Grand Bailiwick held a Vigil and Investiture at St Michael and All Angels on 7 and 8 February respectively, followed by a dinner held at the Cape Town Club.
18 December 2011
9 December 2012
23 October 2010
2 September 2011
30 November 2013
The South African Grand Bailiwick held a Vigil and Investiture at St Michael and All Angels on 30 and 31 October respectively, followed by a dinner held at the Cape Town Club. To commemorate the visit of the international delegation, the South African Bailiwick dedicated a bench and plaque in The Company’s Gardens in Cape Town. The bench was blessed by Revd. Canon Rowan Smith SChLJ.
Fun was had by all on a recent visit to the Christine Revell Children’s Home.
The Western Cape Commandery traditionally treats the elderly and infirm residents of the Arcadia Home to a Christmas lunch, in support of Michael Myer and the St Michael’s and All Angels outreach team.
However, this year we were informed that the old folk living there are to be relocated en masse to other shelters and homes, as the Arcadia property has been sold.
A decision was taken to assemble necessity hampers for each resident as a farewell gift from the Commandery. Money for this was raised in typical style through a quick crowdfunding amongst members via WhatsApp.
‘You’re in the soup if you can’t answer this!’
So said quiz master James Bisset. Well, maybe not quite …
As soon as I saw the notice that the Western Cape Commandery of the Order of St Lazarus would be holding a Soup and Quiz evening, I felt a rare buzz. I must be one of the least competitive people I know, except when it comes to general knowledge quizzes. So immediately I began making plans as to which team I’d join for this one. If you don’t know everything in life, be sure to join forces with someone else who does.
The chilly winter Cape Town evening arrived. The parish hall of St Michael and All Angels, Observatory, soon filled to capacity and there was nothing chilly about this crowd. They were ready. I spotted a number of interesting Capetonians, such as well-known members of the legal fraternity and the editor of that book by Jacques Pauw. Suffice to say I was rather pleased with the members of my team.
But first things first … supper was served, and one could choose which delicious soup to have (Shaun, Rouxle, Heather and friends doing kitchen and bar duty) and then we were instructed to choose names for ourselves as teams. We rambled through a few options and eventually decided on the not-so-creative ‘Wisemen’, but would it prove to be prophetic? Competition was obviously going to be stiff.
Soon our efficient quiz master James Bisset, backed by audio-visual technology managed by his friend Derrick, explained the drill for the night. Categories included history, literature, famous people, sport, geography, flags and music – both classical and pop. Hmm, some challenges there. As we went through the questions, there were groans, ahas, spontaneous songs of victory and plenty of laughter, and even spot prizes. The point is, we were having a great time.
Most importantly, it was all in a wonderful cause as the funds raised would be going towards the excellent work done by the Cape Commandery in its upliftment project with teenage girls of Hanover Park and the Cape Town Pilgrimage, being run by Caroline and her team.
And as for the choice of my team’s name? Let’s just say the prophecy came true and we left with our marbles well-polished, and gift vouchers to boot. So, thank you to all the members of St Lazarus who worked hard to put on such a good evening. And can we please do it all again next year?
Cecilia Barfield
‘OLDIES’ PROJECT A WIN-WIN FOR ALL CONCERNED.
Through a conversation following the sad passing of the much-loved mother of one of Western Cape Commandery’s key members, an idea popped up that has borne unexpected fruit for many people.
Heather Allen mentioned that she now had some of her late mom’s items that still needed to be moved away. At the following Western Cape Commandery committee meeting, Commander Will Carter suggested that Heather might like to take on a project to publicly call for walkers, bath chairs, wheel chairs, and similar that perhaps many people might still have lurking in their storerooms and garages after the passing of their loved ones. The idea was to collect these and hand them over to one of our beneficiaries where they would no doubt be greatly appreciated.
Will wrote the copy, Jen Crocker helped get the story into local newspapers and the response was immediate. Heather took the calls and husband Mike Allen did all the running around across the Peninsula to collect what ended up as a garage full of walkers, wheelchairs and the like.
Added to this was the fact that O’Leen Louw had a pile of donated crocheted blankets and Cherry Armstrong a similar number of knitted goods, all ready to go to our designated beneficiary.
The upshot is that so far, three substantial deliveries (helped by Anthony Storr
Lister) have been made to IKHAYA LOXOLO in Gugulethu, housing well over
100 elderly, infirm and often terminally ill folk from one of the poorest of the poor communities.
The surprise and immediate pleasure on the faces of those who received these items was a true joy to behold.
Donations of no-longer-wanted wheelchairs, bath chairs, Zimmer frames and the like came from a variety of households and sources, including the Jewish Women’s League. The Commandery has also received pledges of ongoing support, which is wonderful indeed.
A thank you letter has been sent to each donor.
Armistice Day or Remembrance Day (traditionally the 11th day of the 11 month in commemoration of the official cessation of hostilities in World War I) is a day when people around the world pause for a moment to remember those who have fallen in armed conflict.
Veterans and their associations, serving members of the military, cities, public and private bodies this year commemorated the centenary of the ceasefire in the ‘War to end all wars’.
In South Africa, the City of Cape Town – along with this country’s other major centres - annually hosts a large public parade and multi-faith service to commemorate those people of all nationalities who have paid the supreme sacrifice. This is not just members of the armed forces, but also those civilians who have lost their lives in times of war and insurrection.
As is right, Dame Tamra Capstick-Dale, Grand Bailiff in the Grand Bailiwick of South Africa, laid a wreath at the City’s cenotaph, where it stood proudly amongst the many wreaths similarly laid by diplomats from various countries, numerous officers commanding currently serving units in the South African National Defence Force, representatives of international service and veterans associations and a handful of private individuals, in memory of loved ones lost in recent conflicts around the globe.
“It’s right that we should honour those members of our ancient Order who have over
the years, given their lives in the service of others,” she said.
“It’s also important that we – as a legitimate global military and Hospitaller Order - claim our proper place at such commemorative events.”
Dame Tamra was assisted at the wreath-laying by her son, Jamie.
LOVE AND HOPE PILGRIMAGE 2018
The Western Cape Commandery’s Pilgrimage of Love and Hope again this year spent much of National Heritage Day (24th September) walking the kilometres necessary to visit churches and cathedrals across the wider Christian community, from Observatory through Woodstock to the City Bowl.
Joining the group were friends and family on a calm very sunny day with little traffic to impede progress.
The objective of the pilgrimage was to create an awareness of the historic plight of those in the areas walked through, who were the victims of forced removals in the past; as well as destined to be a spiritual journey for those taking part.
Funding was raised through a prior, very successful Quiz Evening and a small entrance fee for walkers (a packed lunch and a small, locally-made, bead pilgrim’s cross was provided) with the surplus money going to Providing a Tailwind Project.
PROVIDING A TAILWIND aims to give teenage girls living in extreme poverty and who have dropped out of school, the support they need to regain their balance and develop confidence and skills, so that they can return to school, find employment, enter appropriate training or assist the community. They do this by creating support groups and have developed a six-month programme based on the pilot group who we have gotten to know. www.girlsmatter.co.za
Most interesting was the wonderful welcome offered by the chaplains, priests and - if there - bishops in each place of worship and a presentation was made on the history, relics and spiritual relevance of the building and the community that worships in these holy places.
Lunch was taken quickly in the shade of a tree with a Table Mountain backdrop.
Support was on hand if needed, care of a support vehicle from the St John’s
Ambulance Brigade.
9 February 2019 - The Western Cape Commandery of the Grand Bailiwick of South Africa recently raised a substantially larger amount of much needed funding for its designated beneficiaries - an orphanage and a shelter for terminally ill indigent elderly folk in one of the country’s poorest communities – than has ever been achieved at a single Commandery event before.
For the third year in a row and working in partnership with the Cape Town Burns Supper Club, members of the Commandery used social media and personal selling of raffle tickets before and at the event to support an auction at the Dinner.
First prize was a return trip for two to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Burns Dinners are staged worldwide in late January to early February and celebrate the life and works of Scotland’s iconic bard, Robert Burns.
This year’s signature social calendar 25th Anniversary Dinner in Cape Town was attended by close to 400 guests and included the British High Commissioner for South Africa, Members of Parliament, business leaders, senior military officers, many public figures and a sizeable contingent of members and officers of the Order.
Customarily, the event encompasses a programme of traditional toasts, haggis and a superb dinner, against a backdrop of bagpipe music, whisky, Highland dancers and communal song, along with a measure of fund-raising for a worthy cause or two.
Two popular local radio station show hosts kept the evening flowing. One of the auction items was a human-sized tartan teddy.
“In essence, this iconic annual celebration brings together people with common cultural purpose and while having a great deal of controlled, noisy fun, allows them a platform to contribute to charitable causes, “said Grand Bailiff, Dame Tamra Capstick-Dale.
As winter approaches, a significant portion of this funding will likely be used to purchase (in partnership with a national pharmacy retail chain) items desperately needed by these two charitable facilities and include – specifically - a long list of essential child and frail healthcare items and food supplements.
“This helps to fulfill the Order’s Hospitaller mandate,” said Capstick-Dale.
The Dinner also provided welcome exposure for the Order and its work on a greater public platform.
