VIDEO: Residents of Forest Farm were treated to a morning of entertainment and festive fun
BRYANSTON – Residents of Forest Farm were treated to a morning of entertainment and Christmas treats by members of the Kathy Clayton Dog School.
Residents of Forest Farm were treated to a morning of entertainment and festive celebrations by members of the Kathy Clayton Dog School on 5 December.
Members of the school and dogs met with residents in the hall to show off their newly learned dog tricks, sing Christmas carols and hand out Christmas parcels to 98 residents and 21 staff at the residential care facility for adults with Cerebral Palsy.
Kathy Clayton, who has headed up the dog school and given a Christmas party to residents for 10 years said, “We use the grounds at the home on Saturdays and Tuesdays to train our dogs and thought it would be nice to give the people a party. The people from the school are so generous and filled bags with sweets, toiletries and Christmas hats for the residents.”
Resident of the home, Wayne Hopkinson said, “I enjoyed the whole party. I like watching the dogs do tricks. They are really so clever. I watch them when they come and train at Forest Farm on the weekend. I especially like the Christmas hat I received.”
Social worker at the home, Bulelwa Mahura explained that the home in William Nicol Drive has been running since 1969, catering for a maximum of 110 adults with cerebral palsy. She said half of the residents are semi-independent and work at the home from 9am to 4pm every weekday on contracts to assemble and package products for companies.
“The work gives residents a sense of responsibility, contribution to society and achievement. They feel proud of what they have produced,” said Mahura.
All residents at the home are partially subsidised by the government and receive disability grants. “At least 15 per cent of [the] people here have no family at all and some have parents who are elderly and cannot afford to contribute to their costs at the home.”
Mahura said they do not receive much support from the public in the form of funding, since businesses prefer to lend a hand on Mandela Day, instead of offering sustainable assistance. “We encourage the public to adopt an orphan and support them financially and visit them regularly.”
The Sandton community is invited to contribute to the work of Forest Farm in any way they can. Some needs include funding for an industrial washing machine and a digital wheelchair scale as well as regular visits from the public.
“Businesses often contribute to cancer or other diseases and neglect cerebral palsy because they aren’t affected by it. Cerebral palsy is a lifelong illness and we want to give people the opportunity to live out their full potential. They are human and have the same right as everyone else to live out a full and fulfilling life.”
Details: To find out how you can be of assistance, call Bulelwa on 011 789 3008 or email bulelwa@forest-farm.org
