Reporter bids Berea Mail farewell

AFTER 17 years at Berea Mail, senior reporter Lauren Walford bids farewell to the paper on Wednesday.

Starting at Caxton at the age of 22 following a year of work experience in the Media and Publications Department at the then University of Natal, Lauren fell in love with the job on Berea Mail, and the community she worked with. She has grown in experience over the years and has built relationships with many organisations, schools, service clubs, NPOs, ward councillors as well as the police and community policing forum members.

”I started at Berea Mail as a ‘rookie’, a shy, inexperienced journalist, and now I am leaving with a wealth of knowledge and having experienced so many different things,” she said. Lauren has met many interesting people and done things she never would have done if she hadn’t been a journalist.

“I remember fighting other major photographers to get a photograph of the Dalai Lama as he arrived at the Elangeni Hotel on a visit to Durban. I have interviewed Rita Marley, Bob Marley’s wife, famous surfer, Shaun Tomson, and enjoyed lunch with Just Jinjer while I interviewed them on a tour of Durban in 2007.

“I have seen international acts at the ICC Arena, been parasailing, had a dolphin encounter at uShaka Marine World, was part of the first group ever to go for a trip up the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the Sky Car, and most recently, I was part of the media tour with the Springboks after their recent World Cup Rugby win,” said Lauren, adding there was so much more but not enough space to mention it all!

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She added that one of the main things she loved about her job was helping those in need, and sadly recalls people she has lost over the years.

“John Garavarian, who died waiting for a heart transplant at the age of 18, pensioner Victor Claudius who selflessly raised funds for a Hospice in Mandeni, teen Chelsea Varga and beggar, Rusty de Winnaar, who lost their battles to leukaemia, young Ariella Cocorozis, who fought courageously against a brain tumour and Shirley Pretorius, well-loved blanket seller in Windermere who died of kidney failure. Let’s not forget legendary Durban pianist and singer, Colin Penn, who would always ‘bribe’ me with a pie or biscuits to publicise his latest show. These people touched my life in their own special way,” she said.

Although Lauren said she enjoyed writing stories about people the most, she said she also felt privileged having covered and followed high profile stories such as Save Vetch’s Association’s fight for the survival of Vetch’s Pier as well as the 317 Currie Road and the Stables sagas.

She has dealt with people living in ultra luxury homes to the poor, surviving with the bare minimum.

“I have learnt so much about myself and also about what makes other people tick over the last 17 years. I have grown as a person. The people have made it for me, and I hope I have made a difference in their lives.

“I’ve had three editors and seven colleagues, and I feel sad to say goodbye – I feel I am losing a part of who I am, I have been ‘Lauren from the Berea Mail‘ for so long! I want to thank everyone in the community who has touched my life, I will miss them all,” she said.

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