Wentzel was just six years old when he first started at Cresset House and when he had finished his schooling he was then sent to an adult facility in Hermanus where he stayed for almost 20 years.
After Cresset House changed to become a work and residential facility for adults with learning disabilities Wentzel returned.
Today Wentzel is still a resident at Cresset House. CEO of Cresset House, Elrina van Schaardenburgh says, “The fact that he started here and is still here makes him very unique and special!”
Cresset House villagers do a variety of different jobs such as sewing, gardening, woodwork and baking.
When Wentzel returned to Cresset House he started working in the garden but today he is in charge of all Cresset House’s recycling.
Wentzel also collects all the leaves around the property which then becomes part of the compost used in the organic vegetable gardens.
Wentzel says, “In a way collecting the leaves and turning them into compost is also recycling so I mainly do recycling.”
Apart from his work duties Wentzel also has chores in his house such as watering the garden and washing up after supper.
Wentzel is also very well traveled. He has two brothers who live in the United Kingdom and visits them every year at Christmas.
He has also been to Germany and France. Wentzel says, “My favourite place is England because my family lives there but I also like France because it’s very pretty, despite the cold.”
On Cresset House’s recent open day Wentzel recited a poem which he composed about the history of Cresset House.
Richard’s poem; ” Established on May1, 1961 as a school in Carlswald
The name Cresset was taken from the Hymn ‘Wake, oh wake for night is flying…’
Move to Cresset here in 1975
In 1987 the school turned into a village for adults with disabilities.
There are vegetable gardens, workshops, bakery, coffee bar, a café, games room, hall, gift shop and library.
People work in the various work areas and live in six house communities.”
