In 1999 was daar sprake dat die plaas, Flower Valley net buite Gansbaai, in ‘n wingerdplaas omskep sou word. Carol Blumenthal het Fauna & Flora International (FFI) genader om die plaas te koop. Die plaas, ‘n area van 540 hektaar, is deur FFI gekoop en die Flower Valley Conservation Trust is gestig om dit te bestuur.

“Dit was vir ons ‘n wonderlike jaar met ons 15de verjaardag wat gevier is en dit is met groot dankbaarheid waarmee ons terugkyk oor hoe ons oor die jare heen geleer en gegroei het,” sê Flower Valley Conservation Trust se Uitvoerende Direkteur, Lesley Richardson. “Ons bestuurskomponent van net 3 in 1999 het na 10 gegroei, uitgesluit al die plaaspersoneel, interne werkers en vrywilligers.”

In dieselfde jaar is die bekende Flower Valley Early Learning Centre vir plaaskinders tussen 2 en 6 jaar gestig, met die doel om na plaaspersoneel se kinders om te sien.

In Lesley se terugblik, skryf sy die volgende: “As we wrap up 2014, we take a breath to look back on the year that has past. And for Flower Valley Conservation Trust, it’s been a big year. From our 15th birthday celebrations, to exciting developments in our work to promote care of our fynbos landscapes. Highlights include our new reach as a Trust to support good fynbos landscape management, not only across the Agulhas Plain, but also in other main harvesting areas of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Our role in Early Childhood Development, in partnership with the Overstrand Municipality and the Western Cape Department of Social Development, has now allowed us to reach 125 children, and 17 practitioners - providing them with improved facilities. It’s already clear to see how our role here is benefiting communities in this Strandveld area - and how the lives of children and teachers are being improved.”

Vir verdere inligting rakende die Flower Valley Early Learning Centre, kan Jimmona Schuurman by 028-388-0713 gekontak word, of stuur ‘n e-pos aan haar by jimmona@flowervalley.co.za.

Hardus Botha

Zoom