It was a very cold start to the day last Saturday morning at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park where pupils, teachers and parents came out to make their hand prints for the library mural. The hand prints will make mural which will run around the outside walls of the library.

The children had a choice of colours to choose from to make their hand prints on a tile, pink and blue seemed to be the most popular colours by far. Once the children and adults had made their hand prints they then wrote their names on the tiles and a long lasting memory of their contribution to the Blomvlei Library was made.

The school managed to raise R2 500.00 selling hand prints at R10.00 per child and R20.00 per adult. In addition hot dogs, cold drinks and tea and coffee were sold by the teachers. The money will be used towards equipping the library once construction is completed at the end of August 2010.

The Library is looking absolutely beautiful, especially now that brightly coloured walls and floors have been painted. The finishing touches will be done over the next couple of weeks and we have no doubt that it is one of the most beautiful school libraries in the country, something that the pupils and staff of Blomvlei Primary school are already extremely proud of.

Thank you to all our Friends of the Trust, without your continued support this would not be possible.

While the World Cup was on and the whole country was gripped by football fever building continued at a steady pace at the Blomvlei Library in Hanover Park. There are only 4 weeks now left until the completion of the library building on 31st of August.

All finishing work is well on its way and most surfaces have been painted! The Mezzanine Level and the staircase is now complete, as well as the wooden platform along the north side. The bathrooms are being fitted out, tiled and painted. From next week on the tinted screed will be laid and finally the carpet installed.

Sustainable paint products from Keim and Harlequin have been used as well as an environmental-friendly carpet from Desso.

Apart from the building work, a group of 16 Blomvlei learners and their Technology teacher Ms. Cloete enjoyed a visit to Apollo Brick Factory, that supplied bricks to the library. On this interesting journey, They learnt about the mining of the clay, its preparation, stockpiling, pressing and burning in so called “clamps”. Some of the boys took home very visible memories from the site after they got stuck in sticky clay. Everyone enjoyed a good laugh! After that the learners had the chance to lay a few bricks at the Library themselves.

Another exciting activity will take place on Saturday, the 7th August 2010 between 9am and 1pm at the library on the school ground. We are inviting everyone who has contributed towards the Library construction to come along to the school and to leave a long-term memory with their handprint on a terracotta tile which will be fitted on the outside façade of the Library. For a contribution of only R 10 per child hand print or R 20 per adult for a handprint.
For further information on the event or other contribution requirements for the library please do not hesitate to contact me on : 079 899 2294

We hope to see all our Friends on Saturday to see the progress of the Library as well as making your hand print for the mosaic.

See you there !

Bronwen

A very BIG THANK YOU to Benjamin Sinek from Toronto ~ Canada, for his donation to the Blomvlei Library in Hanover Park , Cape Town.

Benjamin recently celebrated his 12th birthday in Canada and instead of receiving gifts he asked his friends and family to make a donation to a charity in Africa. Benjamin raised $350.00 which is approximately R2 500.00. Benjamin chose to donate the funds he raised towards the Blomvlei Library which we are building in Hanover Park, Cape Town.

On behalf of the Trustees of the TCD Trust we thank you and your friends for your kind and generous donation towards our project in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Library will provide a place of safety, inspiration & learning for the children of Hanover Park .Your donation will go towards a legacy and new beginning that will change the lives of the children of this community and give them hope for a brighter future in South Africa.

Benjamin and his family will be visiting his grandfather in Cape Town in August and we look forward to taking him to visit the school and to show him the new Library that he has supported with his fund raising efforts.

Thank you so much Benjamin, we hope your honorable effort can be an inspiration to other families. All contributions towards the Blomvlei Library assist us in making the dream a reality for the this very worthwhile project and to start to make a difference to the community of Hanover Park.

Blomvlei Library construction has reached roof height and so has Blomvlei Primary’s World Cup Gees !

Construction continues at a rapid pace on the Library at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park. Despite days of heavy rain and bad weather the construction team has managed to achieve amazing results.

These photo’s taken yesterday, luckily during a good weather day, show that the construction is now ready for the roofing sheets which should be in place by Friday. It is expected that the construction should be completed by mid August 2010.

A library committee has been formed consisting of teachers, parents and children from the school to establish the set up and operational side of the Library once it is completed. We will be working closely with other successful community libraries and NGO’s to implement programs into the library for literacy development, social development, business and life skills.

The excitement for the World Cup is very evident at the school with the children decorating their classrooms with different country flags and projects on the World Cup. The learners also had their own count down to the World Cup and formed a human chain to spell out “10 Days to Go” in the school courtyard. The excitement and noise echoed through the school as the children waved flags and sang (shouted) Nkosi Sikelel’i Afrika !

One sad situation is the violence which has once again raised its ugly head in Hanover Park last Saturday with gangsters having a shoot out during a children’s soccer game which left two people dead, traumatized children and prompted police to step up patrols in this tense suburb. Just another reminded how desperately needed the Blomvlei Multipurpose center is for this community, to create a place where children can play safely, be inspired and learn.

Construction of the Blomvlei community library and educational garden will continue during the World Cup and updates sent to you. We are still short on our building costs and appeal to everyone to PLEASE HELP us and put the word out to anyone who you know who could possibly assist us with any further funding in order to complete the Library for the community of Hanover Park.

Enjoy the World Cup and remember to fly the South African flag high !

CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROJECT

We are now at half time in the construction process of the Blomvlei Library!!!
Completion of the building is set for the 30th of July 2010!

The contractor, has almost completed all brick and concrete work and will start with the roof work on Friday, the 7th of May 2010.

Once the roof is on, the contractor will start with the interior work as there is a mezzanine level, the elevated platform for the storytelling corner, the bathroom fit-out, the floor finish, plastering and paint work.

The project team is meeting bi-weekly to coordinate all work to be done.

In addition, an activity which involved the learners of Blomvlei Primary School took place last week Thursday, 22nd April. 10 learners and their teacher in technology visited the building site and ARG’s office in Observatory.

The 10 Grade 7 learners gained insight into the making of the library and learnt about the different professions involved in a building project. They also had the opportunity to see and question the “real” work of ARG’s Town Planner, Landscape Architect, Project Manager, Architect and Technician. Drawing work, physical and much loved “3D work” was presented to the learners.

Theresa Hendersen from Henry Fagan and Partners gave an overview of the work of a Structural Engineer. She also talked about the pedestrian swing bridge at the V&A waterfront and how it was constructed etc.

The Blomvlei learners were given an official visit of the site and the building team. Their “photographer” took pictures and the school “reporter” and “journalist” were asking keen questions to the contractor and his team.

Attached are some photos of Blomvlei learners at ARG Design’s offices, learning about ArchiCAD, Google Earth and much more. Learners and teacher in ARG’s boardroom were welcomed by Gita Goven and Alastair Rendall, COO and CEO of the company. As Gita said hopefully it inspired a few potential architects for the future.

Thanks again to Ivonn, Alastair and Gita from arG Design for this fabulous opportunity for some of the learners from Blomvlei Primary School, a great experience for them.

The construction of the Library at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park is progressing at a rapid pace with the walls already reaching roof height ! It is very exciting to see the library taking shape and becoming a reality for the school and the community of Hanover Park.

The community seem to have already taken the protection of the library site under their control and if anything suspicious has been seen around the building site there are immediate phone calls from the surrounding community to alert the school, builder and the local police station. It is wonderful to see the community already taking ownership and pride in the library.

There are twelve laborers on site at present of which 50% come from the local community. Dawn Petersen, headmistress of Blomvlei Primary School, advertised in their school newsletter for parents with building skills to put their names down on a list for contract workers which would be required during the construction of the library. This has been very successful and provided income and employment within the community. Dawn Petersen insisted that preference must be given, in terms of local laborers, to unemployed parents of children at Blomvlei primary school.

In the site meeting last week Ivonn Kramm, Architect from arG, discussed with the project team her research into using as many environmentally friendly products within the construction of the Library. Non-toxic paint will be used and a non-toxic carpet was chosen for the floor coverings.

When on site there is enormous excitement amongst the children regarding the construction and a number of school outings are being planned for the learners such as a visit to the architects and engineers offices, possibly visiting the BMW Pavillion or Cooling Towers to watch, from a safe distance, when they are demolished. Other outings include a visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, transport kindly sponsored by our Trustee, Di Thomas, of Day Trippers. The children will be introduced to the types of indigenous plants which we will be planting in the Educational Garden around the Library.

The Trust is still looking for funding in order to complete the Library and we once again appeal to everyone in the industry to support us by encouraging other members of the tourism industry to become a Friend of the Trust.

Thank you to everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to join us on Monday at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park for our ground breaking celebration.

The school is the door to the future of this community and the Blomvlei Library and Educational Garden will be a place of inspiration, safety and learning for the community of Hanover Park.

Programs which we will work with NGO’s to implement at the Library will include:
• Literacy development
• Thinking skills
• Business Life Skills
• Career Guidance and exposure to career opportunities.

We have also incorporated into the project :
• Employment of local community with building skills during the building.
• Recycling depot on the school premises
• Food Tents – vegetable tents for growing produce to use and sell.

We would like to thank all our sponsors and the support from our Friends of the Trust,

WHAT IS OUR CALL TO ACTION
1.SECURE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO MAKE THE DREAM COME TRUE.
2. ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TO JOIN AS FRIENDS OF THE
TRUST AND SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK WE DO.
3. GET THE COMMUNITY, PARENTS AND CHILDREN INVOLVED.
4. FINDING PARTNERS AND RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH AN EXTRA MURAL CURRICULUM

• Total building cost for the Library is : R2 700 000.00
• We have already fund raised to date: R2 000 000.00
• Shortfall still to be raised : R 700 000.00

Blomvlei Multipurpose Center : Hanover Park, Cape Flats.
“We could start to make a difference”

Dear Friends of the TCD Trust

You are invited !

With your help we have begun building phase1 of the Blomvlei Multipurpose Center -
The Library and Educational Garden.

Please join us to celebrate the beginning of construction of the Blomvlei Library and
Educational Garden in Hanover Park on Monday the 22 February.

“Schools must become centers of community life”

Date : 22 February 2010
Place : Blomvlei Primary School, Hanover Park.
Time : 14:00hrs – 15:00hrs

Dress code – closed shoes

Here are some photo’s taken this morning to show how wonderful
and exciting the progress is at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park.
The very first foundations of construction of the library.

Construction has only just begun and already a meeting was held today to
start implementing at the school the first social upliftment programme.

The sessions focus on the 4 pillars of a healthy home foundation :

“Children LEARN what they LIVE ! “

1. Proud – 2 – B – Me Youth Programme which focuses on
The child’s role & responsibility as a positive youth, self esteem,
communication skills and my value and character.

2. Proud 2 Parent – same focus as above but working with the
parents in the community.

3. Proud to Learn – same course but done with all the teachers
at Blomvlei Primary School.

We have only dug one foundation and we can already see the change
starting to happen for this school and community.

Help us to complete this dream and start making a change for the community of Hanover Park – become a Friend of the Trust TODAY !

Logon to our website www.tcdtrust.org.za or contact Bronwen on 079 899 2294

First site meeting

It was with great excitement to have our first site meeting on Monday at Blomvlei
Primary School in Hanover Park. Construction of phase one, the library, begins on the 1st February 2010.

arG are the architectural company who have designed and planned the
Blomvlei Community Center and under their professional advice we have
appointed Drucon Building Contractors. They have a good understanding of
the project and what we are wanting to achieve with the community center.

Drucon recently completed the Football for Hope project in Cape Town
which made us more confident that we had a contractor who had previous
experience of building projects which involved community development.
They also have a number of their permanent building team who live in Hanover Park
so this also makes them a great choice as they have an understanding of the community and the needs of this community.

Once construction begins we will be able to organise visits to the project but it must be by appointment only. Everyone will also have to adhere to strict safety rules and will only be allowed on site with closed shoes and a hard hat.

We will be having an opening ceremony for the project and an invitation will be
sent out shortly to all Friends of the Trust. We hope you will be able to join us and celebrate this momentous moment which could never have happened without your support.

We still have a large shortfall in the building costs due to increased building and
material costs so we hope you will all encourage other members of the Tourism
Industry to support us by becoming a Friend of the TCD Trust in 2010 and making the
dream come true for the community of Hanover Park !