St Joseph’s Cake Aunty!
Elizabeth van Neel, fondly known as Cindy, started work in the St Joseph’s kitchen in October 1989, at the tender age of 21.
Glenda – celebrating 42 years!
Glenda Jacobs joined St Joseph’s in 1980 and after 42 years of loyal and faithful service, is retiring.
Stellenberg GardensStellenberg’s history and gardens: The Ovenstones tell us more about their magical home
The Stellenberg homestead
More than R80 000 has been raised for St Joseph’s to date by the virtual tour of the Stellenberg Gardens. Since 2015, Stellenberg Gardens in Cape Town has held Open Weekends in aid of St Joseph’s. However, due to the pandemic the gardens have not been open to the public for some time and the virtual tour was launched to enable the fundraising to continue online.
Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone tell us more about Stellenberg’s history and the gardens.
Some history about the Stellenberg property.
The origins of the Stellenberg estate date back to the seventeenth century and early owners under Dutch rule included Francois van der Stel, son of Simon van der Stel, the first governor of the Cape. Jan de Wit and his son Petrus owned the estate from from 1742 to 1767, and built the present manor house. The arrival of the British in 1806 marked the beginning of more than a century under direct British rule and understandably, British influence increased at the Cape and the Regency and Victorian styles started to supersede the local Cape Dutch buildings, which became dated, and even dilapidated. However, Stellenberg was maintained to the highest standards of authentic Cape Dutch style by subsequent owners.
Stellenberg’s old manor house
When the Ovenstone family came to Stellenberg in 1953 they found classical Dutch architecture, already featured in books and paintings and gardens fashionable in the 1930s and 1940s: The original werf or square with its well and surrounding 18th century buildings, old walls, benches, and bridges. This was also the beginning of a period during which the restoration of Old Cape Dutch and Cape Regency buildings was encouraged. And to this end, some, including Stellenberg, were given national monument, now the Heritage status.
Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone returned to Stellenberg in 1973. After undertaking the restoration of an important outbuilding, which had been damaged by fire in 1971, Sandy understood that she did not have a blank canvas on which to redesign the garden, which at the time comprised lawns, English Oaks, rows of Hydrangeas and a large shrubbery with mature trees. She took her time, and only made minor changes for more than a decade, until she felt ready to embark on her garden story, by which time there was no doubt that she would use what was there as central to her design ideas.
Today, after some 48 years of hard work and dedication by the Ovenstones and their staff, incorporating a variety of ideas and inspiration, drawn from Andrew’s Scottish heritage and gardens in England, France and Italy which they visited frequently. There are 16 distinct areas in the gardens, namely the Garden Entrance, the White Garden, the Parterre Garden, the Vegetable Garden, the Garden of Paradise, the Herb Garden, the Shady Walkway, the main lawns and façade, the Wild Garden, the Upper-Stream Garden, Lower-Stream Garden, the Lime Tree Walk, the Garden of Reflection, the Vine Walk allée, the Walled Garden and the Pool Garden.
The Stellenberg Garden Plan
Where did the idea of opening up the gardens come from? How many people have visited the gardens over the years?
A: We opened the gardens for charity in 1991, and were amazed to receive over 400 visitors to our first open week end. Since then the gardens have been open for charity every year until COVID’s intervention. Based on ticket sales, and an estimate of accompanying children who do not pay, approximately 2000 people now visit the garden over an open week end in favourable weather.
What part of the gardens is your favourite for either of you and why?
A: I am sure that Sandy would say that her gardens are like her grandchildren. She loves them all equally. My favourite sections are the stream gardens, quite masculine, and wild but with enough continuity and structure. In the winter the stream gardens are at their best, while the walled garden becomes different, but Sandy loves its structure and the bare soil duly mulched in most of the planted sections.
How important are water and colour to the design of the gardens?
A: Colour and water are both important. Sandy has moved from bright colours to shades of green and white in some sections, with shades of green and blue in the pool garden, and brighter colours with shades of green in the walled garden. Eleven ponds or water features including the stream speak for the importance of water in the gardens. Sandy finds the sound of water calming.
How did you manage during the drought that we had in Cape Town a few years ago?
A: The drought was difficult. Even the old wells could not cope. Historically, parts of Stellenberg, including what are now the impressive Arderne Gardens, were known as the Stellenberg marsh. A high water table results in the gardens being wetter than normal in winter and not as dry in winter. We resolved not to change the design of the gardens but to improve the efficiency of our irrigation practice with less daytime irrigation and more computerized night time watering, and to let the lawns take the strain.
Tell us more about your staff and their contribution to keeping everything so beautiful, especially during the pandemic?
A: We pay tribute to the dedication of our staff in the video. They all make a contribution, as do our regular contractors who maintain the property and the houses thereon. We like to believe that with time, they become skilled enough to more than hold their own anywhere.
Where did the idea of a virtual tour come from and who produced the beautiful video for you?
A: We thought about two things, namely, the motivation of our gardeners in the absence of visitors, and our inability to contribute as meaningfully to our charity, St Joseph’s Home, in the COVID-19 environment. The stress in managing the manor house and the gardens with one person, our senior gardener, Jonas, who quarantined here, for four months was great. We decided to make the video as a project to encourage all of us in a creative rather than a financial sense.
The production was done by PMC Films, Popcorn Post Production, Ignition Design and Juice Audio.
How long have you been supporters of St Joseph’s and what about this organisation made you decide to contribute this way?
A: St Joseph’s has been our chosen charitable organisation since 2015.
Anything you would like to add?
A: What were known as the Claremont Public Gardens, now the Arderne Gardens, were originally created by Ralph Arderne on land bought from the then owners of Stellenberg in 1845. These Public Gardens serve all our communities, and have several champion trees, and other areas of interest, including a restored wetland area and Gingko trees directly descended from trees which survived the horrific nuclear bombing of Hiroshima at the end of WW2.
We support the Friends of Arderne Gardens, (FOTAG) without whose work the gardens would be neither as safe nor as well maintained, and encourage our visitors to also visit the Arderne Gardens, or to join one of their regular guided tours.
- Sit back and relax from the safety of your home and take a stroll through the Stellenberg Gardens with the virtual tour and donate to St Joseph’s Home: https://www.stellenberggardens.co.za/virtual-tour/
The White Garden
The Vegetable Garden
St Joseph’s Covid-19 impact interview in the Archdiocesan News
COVID-19 has impacted on the operations at St Joseph’s. We asked Christelle Cornelius (CEO) about the challenges.
What has the impact of the virus been on St Joseph’s Home?
St Joseph’s is a home where children are in long term care and we sometimes see ourselves as a closed environment. The impact has been on many levels and the reality is that we feel very vulnerable for our children as they need access to 24 hours of nursing care. We had to implement many checks and balances regarding every entrance and exit point at the Home, the childrens nutrition, their physical and mental wellbeing and their transport to hospital visits. Our more than 130 staff members are screened daily, uniforms disinfected and changed on-site, as well as employees supported during their isolation and positive diagnoses. Caring for our staff is crucial for them to be able to care for the children.
What have you done to abide by the rules and regulations of COVID?
We are a nursing lead facility and guided by the Department of Health (DOH) infection control guidelines. At an early stage, we were already thinking about the impact of the virus and what it could mean. Planning meetings regarding scenarios were discussed as part of our preparedness. This initially included infection control in our wards, but as COVID hit our country, awareness escalated. We met with the Department of Health and did a risk assessment for the entire Home. Risk factors were identified, like entrance and exit points, screening of staff, the wearing of masks and the complete restriction of all interns, volunteers and parent visits to St. Joseph’s Facial expressions like smiling, have always been such an important part of all communications and interactions.
Now, living behind a mask, how did this change things here?
A child needs to be able to connect with you and that includes a lot of facial expressions. Initially, our therapists wore visors, instead of masks. Since masks have become compulsory we are guided by our values. How do we engage with one another? We cannot see so much of the facial expression, but what is important is that we still engage respectfully. We respect each other by wearing masks.
Why is the physical contact between a parent and a child so important and how do you mitigate that at St Joseph’s?
Now, with the lockdown parental contact has not been possible. As a mother myself, I cannot imagine going a night without my child, not seeing them and understanding their wellness. Having a place like St Joseph’;s to care for medically fragile children allows parents to feel that they are well supported and in a safe place. It does not ignore the longing between a parent a child. Maintaining contact with parents throughout is reassuring them that we are giving their children loving care. Nurses and staff can only do so much in terms of daily care, but you cannot replace the bond between a parent and a child. So we recognized that this is difficult and have now started to re-integrate parents back into the Home to visit their children. However, we take many precautions in facilitating these visits and parents are debriefed before visits. Until 5 August a total of 22 individual parental visits have been facilitated, while three parents did not meet screening criteria at the entrance. This has been very sad.
Thank you St Joseph’s
A letter of appreciation from a service provider:
The staff and I thank St Joseph’s Home for the support in getting your masks from us. Your order encouraged us to get the mask making started and on the go. It has meant we have been able to employ staff and stay open instead of having to close down. Our families have food on the table and we are continuing to make masks
Kind Regards
Gail Brown
MANAGING DIRECTOR
OGGI ACTIVEWEAR
hdrpl
St Joseph’s honours and celebrates its staff: Meeting challenges of COVID 19 in caring for its vulnerable patients.
Today St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children celebrates and honors its more than 130 staff who are all committed to making a difference since the COVID 19 lockdown started. While our gates are closed for visitors, donors, and friends, our hearts remain open and we believe we have been called to serve, protect and care for the patients in our wards. Thank you to all our clinical, operational, admin and resource development staff!
Every April 7, the World Health Organization chooses to highlight a special theme current in the wellness and medical world. Ranging from mental health to insurance and everything in between, this day sets the tone for what’s to come in the world stage. This year’s World Health Day will shine a light on nurses and midwives, the on-the-call, restless workforce that revolutionized the healthcare industry as we know it today.
World Health Day, was created in December 1945, when officials of Brazil and China proposed the creation of an international health organization, that is all-encompassing and absolutely independent from any government powers.
Half a year later, in New York, in July 1946, the constitution of the World Health Organization was approved. Said constitution entered into force on April 7, 1948, as 61 countries signed in agreement for the inception of the NGO.
As one of the first official acts of WHO, they created the celebration of World Health Day. It was first observed on July 22, 1949, but the date was later changed to April 7, the establishment of WHO, to encourage student participation.
Since 1950, the Worth Health Day uses a different theme and theme each year selected by the current WHO Director-General, based on the suggestions of the member governments and staff.
World Health Day provides a global opportunity to focus attention on important public health issues that affect the international community. On the occasion of World Health Day, promotional programs are launched that continue for a long time after April 7.
World Health Day 2020 will shine a light on the vital role played by nurses and midwives in providing health care around the world, where advocacy events will be held around the world, including the launch of the first-ever State of the World’s Nursing Report, which will provide planning to optimize the contributions of the nursery workforce, with a similar report on the Midwifery workforce to be done in 2021.
Source: World Health Day
Nurses Day 2019 (Below)
Responding to COVID19 and the needs of our time
Dear Valued Friends, Supporters and Donors,
For the past 85 years, St Joseph’s Home has been one of the pioneers in treating and caring for vulnerable and ill children who needed care and a safe place to heal. Once again, SJH will play its part and meet, head on, the new life-threatening pandemic we are facing.
Many of you may still remember that ten Pallottine Sisters were summoned to South Africa in 1935 to start one of the first health facilities to care for ill and destitute children after the Great Depression.
Again, we will be guided by the St Joseph’s values and our mission to meet and respond to the signs of our times. This is at the heart of our Home. These values will now guide us as we face the uncertainty and impact brought about by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). A global and African challenge is our shared challenge and we feel deeply for those already directly impacted by this outbreak.
The safety of our children, staff and you, our valued supporters and friends, is our greatest priority. We are working closely with National and Provincial Health to vigilantly monitor the situation and adhering to all regulations to play our part and stop the virus from spreading.
Our children and staff are being empowered with relevant information and guided on personal hygiene and preventative measures in the Home.
As our valued friend, we would like to ask you to support us with the following safety measures we have taken to ensure everyone’s safety:
- No external visitors will be allowed to enter the premises
- No children will be allowed to visit on site
- Persons entering the home may be subject to a Covid-19 screening
- Sadly, no in-kind hand delivered donations can be accepted.
You may be aware that we are currently running our Easter Campaign for much needed baby toiletries. Please use our safe and simple online payment methods. You can even zapper scan and pay. Unfortunately we are no longer able to receive in kind donations at St Josephs premises.
Your online cash donations are now more needed than ever! Please continue giving
or EFT St Joseph’s Home for Children
Standard Bank| Account: 271166614| Branch Code: 036309| Swift : SBZAZAJJ
Once again we would like to thank you for your ongoing support of the Home and will keep you and your families in our thoughts and prayers in these difficult times.
Sincerely,
Adrian van Stolk
Chairperson St Joseph’s Home
Information to our Friends, Donors and Supporters
Issued by St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children
Issued by Alrika Hefers: Resource Development Manager
Tel: 021-9340352
Pallottine Order pays tribute to Sister Anne-Marie
1st of February 2020 is a day that the Pallottine Family and people of Cape Town, South Africa will always remember. It was a day when many people of different faiths, races and professions, gathered in St. Vincent Pallotti Convent to say goodbye to their dear Sister Annemarie Niehsen, a German Missionary, who after her 52 years of life and service in South Africa returned to her homeland. They came to express their gratitude, friendship and appreciation for her tireless service in the hospital as a sister for all, for her fidelity to the Lord and love for our Founder St. Vincent Pallotti through living her religious vows, ministry and her dedication in building a better world and future.
Archbishop Stephen Brislin, the Auxiliary Bishop Sylvester David, Pallottine and Diocesan Priests celebrated together with the assembly a thanksgiving Mass for Sr. Annemarie’s intentions. In his introduction, Archbishop Stephen expressed words of gratitude toward Sr. Annemarie and recalled a few stories from his encounters with her and the people. He said: she had a great love and compassion for all the people, especially those in the hospital, whom she served. She was gentle, smiling, always available, always at their service. Bishop Sylvester David, in his homily, recalling the saint of the day St. Benedict Daswa, 1st South African Catholic saint and martyr, said that the life of religious and missionaries is often the life of martyrdom. Such moments of life in South Africa also were experienced by our Sister Annemarie. Concluding he said to Sr. Annemarie – there are some beautiful flowers that bloom only in the night and you are one of them…
Sr. Annemarie’s life was a continuous conquering and discovery of what is valuable in life, what is good, beautiful, true and eternal. Perfectly she sensed the human and spiritual needs of the people and had the gift of listening to everyone. She has a wonderful talent of communication with others, at any time and in any place – in the church, in the shop, on the street – but the hospital was the place where she dedicated most of her time and gave her whole heart.
With her love of God, her love for people, with her missionary spirit, joy and simplicity, she changed the flow of life for many – to a beautiful journey, bringing them the light of hope and blessing. Here, in South Africa, she created a long history that will never be forgotten…
“I know” – said Sr. Izabela Świerad, Superior General of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters to all gathered at the celebration – “that Sr. Annemarie will never be separated from this mission, from this country, from its nature, from her sisters and brothers. She will carry her Africa with her wherever she will go. She will take the sun, the water, the warmth, the wind, and sand, the beauty of the proteas, the smile of children and tears of people, especially those who suffered. I know that she will not only miss those she loved, but she will miss herself as the person she was at this time and in this place, because she will never be this way again. The experience of these years and the memories she has made will be in her heart forever.”
Thank you, Sr. Annemarie. Having lived this way, may you one day hear the words of Jesus: “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Mathew 25:23).
Let us give praise and thanks to our good and gracious God for the blessings that Sr. Annemarie received during all these years. Let us give thanks for the gift of the life and vocation of the many Pallottine Sisters, Brothers and Priests who worked in South Africa.
The Pallottine Missionary Sisters began their mission in South Africa in 1923, when the Pallottine Bishop and Apostolic Vicar of South Africa, Francis Hennemann invited our Sisters to come to his mission territory of Oudtshoorn. Sr. Annemarie, a young nurse, shortly after her final vows in 1968, at the age of 30 was sent to South Africa for her missionary service. From the beginning Sister was involved as a nurse in the hospital of Pinelands, Cape Town, first called St. Joseph’s Sanatorium, which afterwards was transformed to St. Vincent Pallotti Hospital. There Sr. Annemarie served to the last day of her stay in South Africa.
Today there are two small communities of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters in South Africa: Sisters from South Africa, Germany, India, and Tanzania who desire to continue the mission of Christ marked by the life and service of our Sisters there. 108 German Pallottine Sisters and 1 South African died on South African soil. Our Sisters today live with gratitude in the heart for the past and in hope that soon more Sisters will join from other provinces to strengthen this mission.
Article – Pallottine Website https://pallottine-missionaries-rome.com/en/here-we-are/south-africa/2890-there-are-beautiful-night-blooming-flowers-and-you-are-one-of-them
St Joseph’s Home wishes you well, Sister Annemarie!
Going back after 52 years!
St Joseph’s Home said goodbye to Sister Annemarie, Provincial Superior of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, at the end of January prior to her return to Germany in February. She was so much appreciated and loved by all at SJH and played an active part being a board member and representing SJH at a number of fundraising meetings and events.
Sister Izabela SAC from Rome said that Sister Annemarie was due to leave in 2010, but she stayed on, and referred to her as the “Hero of the Day”.
“We started building the house (St Joseph’s) and knew that the foundation was already there. The support during those times came from late Archbishop Henry and Archbishop Brislin, while I thank Thea Patterson (director) -soon to retire- for her 18 years of service. We are all here together today and feel part of this special family. History will show your work,” she said.
After entering the Convent: Kloster Marienborn in Limburg an der Lahn in Germany (Pallottine Missionaries) in 1958, Sister Annemarie enrolled for her Nursing Studies (1963) in Erlenbach am Main for her Professional Nursing Diploma.
In 1968 she was sent to the South African Mission in Cape Town to help the Sisters to start the new extension of St. Joseph’s Sanatorium, now Vincent Pallotti Hospital. Her responsibilities included planning and managing the operating theatres. In order to improve her English and to implement my theatre knowledge, she enrolled for a postgraduate training diploma in Operating Theatre Technique at Groote Schuur Hospital.
During her later years she started a district practice, treating and visiting patients in their homes after they had been discharged from the Vincent Pallotti Hospital. After retirement, she continued her calling, giving pastoral support to patients at the hospital.
She will now be returning to Germany after a service of 52 years in South Africa.
“I wish you as many blessings from the Lord as you can handle,” Sister Annemarie concluded.
Saying goodbye to her: Chirstelle Cornelius (incoming SJH CEO), Sister Annemarie SAC, Thea Patterson (SJH Director), Adrian van Stolk (Chairman), and from Rome, Sister Izabela SAC.
