Somehow tea and scones always call to mind friends gathered around a table for a good old natter.
That is exactly what happened at Rand Aid’s Inyoni Creek retirement village on October 24, when long-time resident Dugald Paterson hosted a tea party on the deck of the village clubhouse, which overlooks a pretty dam.
His aim was to encourage residents to socialise with each other and staff members.
“We were overwhelmed at the response,” said village manager Jenny Tonkin. About 70 residents responded to Dugald’s invitation
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it was decided to decorate the scones with pink bows and residents were encouraged to wear pink, which is the colour that has become synonymous with breast cancer awareness.
Also read: Inyoni Creek’s women do lunch
A donation box was available for people wanting to make a donation towards hospice, which does much to support cancer patients, and R1 702 was raised.
Dugald is a beloved member of the Inyoni Creek community, best known for his role as the executive chef of the Naked Chefs, who have been hosting a monthly social luncheon for residents from Rand Aid retirement villages Elphin Lodge, Inyoni Creek and Tarentaal for the past nine years.
These monthly get-togethers were started because Dugald and other chefs were concerned that some of their fellow residents were isolated and did not get out much.
“There are so many lonely people in the villages,” he said not long after the initiative kicked off. “Many of these have lost their spouse and their children may live far away.”
The tea and scones gathering served an equally valuable purpose in terms of social interaction; bringing joy, meaning and meaningful relationships to all involved.
