Cheshire Home Summerstrand and Khaya Cheshire

As a home for 56 differently abled adults who have unique, diverse needs, we need to provide accommodation with full-time care, healthy and sufficient meals, medical needs, and transportation to hospitals and clinics – and all of this within a safe and sustainable environment.

 

Like all private households, our expenses are climbing daily. Our shoestring budget does not always cover our monthly expenses, as we need to raise money monthly to cover our basic costs. Our expenses include maintenance, admin, fuel, insurance, water and electricity, Atlas security, salaries for carers (without them we could not function), meal costs, laundry, etc.

We have about 10 of the 56 residents who do not have any means to contribute any funds to the cost of accommodation. This means that we need to fundraise at least R80 000 a month just to cover their basic needs.

We are very active with fundraising in Port Elizabeth. We plan our main annual events at the beginning of every year and work towards making them bigger and better than the year before. We are EXTREMELY grateful to our loyal friends and our local businesses who support us, like yourselves.

Khaya Cheshire, our partial day care centre, situated at Cheshire Home Summerstrand, is a partial day care facility for children with different abilities. They are collected from their homes in Walmer every morning, brought to Khaya, and we give them breakfast. Basic education and life skills are shared with the children. After a hearty nutritious lunch, the children are taken home. We align with the school calendar and have a teacher, driver, and assistant for Khaya. The families do not pay for this service. We send food parcels to the families once a month.

The funding from the Department of Social Development covers only 17% of our required monthly budget.

Our annual fundraisers include: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS ONE - IT IS THIS SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER!

 

We host an Annual Fete, Golf Day, Music Trivia, Wine Tasting/Dinner, Bingo days, a Big Walk, Valentine's Dance, celebrate our birthday, and all sorts of ad hoc activities. New ideas are always welcome!

Our needs list is long and varied for SUMMERSTRAND CHESHIRE HOME :

Physio 3 x per week for residents : We wish we had the funds for physio for the residents 3 x per week. They get very stiff sitting in their wheelchairs all day, and we are not trained to do the correct physio movements with them. The majority are state patients, so they do not have access to physiotherapists.

Nappy Fund money: Nappies cost the Home in excess of R10 000 per month. It would be wonderful to have a company adopt a resident and pick up the nappy/toiletry costs for that resident.

Toiletries : Again, the toiletries are not provided by the family, and roll-on, toothpaste, soap, cream, toothbrushes, and deodorant is always needed. Hygiene is critical to their well-being.

New linen for bedrooms: We have not been able to purchase new linen for the residents due to the economic strain, and many of them need new duvets, pillows, and pillowcases.

New shirts for the residents: Our residents sometimes attend outside functions, or represent us doing fundraising. Our Cheshire shirts are old and stretched, it would be wonderful to provide each resident with a new Cheshire shirt that gives them a sense of pride, and belonging.

Extra hands!! We are always in need of volunteers who can assist with cupboard cleanouts, gardening, working in our shops, and helping with fundraising and events. We would love volunteers to start a photography club, or an arts and crafts group again.

Corporate Gifts: To say thank you to special folk who make an effort, we would love to have wine bottles labeled, and donate these as gifts.

Second-Hand Shops: We have second-hand shops on our premises and the residents very keenly work in the shops with volunteers. These shops are our lifeline. We have a book shop, odds and ends shop and clothing shop. We tried to start a coffee shop but it did not work too well. All unwanted items that we can sell in our shops make the world of a difference.

Flat Roof Passage: We need to have our flat roof fixed – as the building is nearly 50 years old and the ‘age is starting to show. This will cost us more than R80 000.

Loadshedding: We are affected by load shedding, especially the residents in electric wheelchairs who need them charged -  we would love an invertor for our TV for the residents so that they can still watch the rugby when there is load shedding. They LOVE watching sports.

Another need is for 56 load-shedding lights for the residents which can be charged in their rooms (Magneto Lamps).

NEEDS FOR KHAYA CHESHIRE : KHAYA REBUILD - WE ARE BUSY RAISING MONEY TO BUILD A CLASSROOM FOR THE CHILDREN OF KHAYA HERE AT CHESHIRE. THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DONATE BUILDING MATERIALS FOR THIS PLEASE!

 

Puzzles for our children at Khaya, Stationery, Prestik, glue, crayons, workbooks, soccer goalposts for the garden, wooden planters for vegetable gardens, carpets for their classroom

Contributions towards their monthly food parcels, t-shirts, and raincoats for the children for when they go on outings

Toiletries for the children

Christmas gifts for the children

We can provide companies with all necessary documentation, including an 18A receipt for their donations. Banking details for those who may wish to donate

Please follow us on Facebook!

Contact: Deirdre Burger: 0835 000818:

7  Gomery Avenue Summerstrand, Gqeberha.

Banking details for those who may wish to donate :

- Account Name : NEDBANK

- Account Number : 1212 03 22 33

- Branch Code:121-217

- Account Type: CHEQUE

- Reference: Algoa Cares