Help Hospice to help others

A little help goes a long way at Hospice East Rand.

The NPO needs support in order to care for patients who are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses, and their families at home.

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Hospice East Rand has been serving the community with great pride since 1986 and is based at 218 Kemston Avenue.

“Jenny Roux has been a shop volunteer at Hospice East Rand since the end of 1999,” said Laura Kirsten, liaison officer at Hospice.

“She has been the afternoon shop manager at the charity shop for the last two and a half years.

“In the earlier years, Jenny assisted at our charity shop that we used to have in Russell Street in Benoni.”

According to Jenny, the Hospice East Rand charity shop offers a valuable service to the community every day.

“The prices in all our shops are very reasonable, so in the present economic climate the public receives the benefit of great savings on good quality goods,” Laura explained.

“Thabang Phahle has been the morning shop manager for two and a half years. He started out at Hospice East Rand seven years ago as a gardener and general assistant helping with, among other things, collections and deliveries of donated goods.

“Thabang has the perfect skill to move larger goods and furniture down difficult flights of stairs. He is also praised for the pride he takes in repairing items before they get sold in the shop.”

According to Thabang, the charity shop requires more men’s clothing and furniture to sell at a reasonable price.

Dalien le Roux is a caregiver but also helps at the shop.

“I joined Hospice in 2011 and started helping with bed-bathing about two years later,” she said.

“There are about 15 of us who go out once a week to help patients, with the assistance of their partners if they have.

“This is all voluntary work.”

There is also a book shop on the premises that is managed by Jennifer English.

“We have a variety of books on sale and all books, big or small are R5,” she explained.

“At the moment there are three volunteers, but we are in need of more.

“We sell about 240 books a week and our business and novels are quite popular.

“We are in need of more English books for women motivation.”

Jennifer said there is a book for everyone and the support towards the bookshop and Hospice as a whole enables them to continue helping patients.

Support children’s book drive

A variety of children’s books are also available at Hospice. However, Laura requested that children’s books be bought from them and donated in support of the City Times/Northmead Square children’s book drive, which is on until August 30.

The initiative is in support of National Book Week, from September 2 to 8, and the SA Book Fair also taking place that week.

There are collection bins at the square or you can drop books off at the City Times office, also in Northmead Square.

“It is like supporting two charities at once,” Laura said.

The book shop is open from 9.30am to 12pm on Monday to Friday and the first Saturday of every month.

For more information, Hospice can be contacted on 011 422 1531.