The Emma Barter Victoria Home is a non profit organisation. The homes used to enjoy government subsidies and financial aid from The Community Chest. Unfortunately some of these have fallen away and the home has had largely to fund itself. Some businesses in and around Pietermaritzburg help when and where they can, but the home is still desperately short of funding for extensions and the new frail care wing.
For years the staff, family of some residents and a few outsiders ran fetes, tombolas, raffles and cake sales to raise funds, but they were nowhere near enough to bring financial relief.
Since the amalgamation of the 2 homes, a newer, more modern approach has been taken, whereby a group known as the Friends Of Emma Barter Victoria Home has been started on Facebook and after only 3 weeks already boasted over 200 members. This group consists of friends and local people who are willing to help. Donations in the form of unused DSTV decoders, old VCR machines, clothing, wool, scraps of material, books, magazines, games, cassette tapes and any other unwanted odds and ends have been donated.
The plan is to sort the members into groups and allot dates and times to visit, entertain and help the residents. Some have no family and several do not even have the funds to pay their rent in full. Some residents, especially those in frail care never have visitors.
A cause we wish to address shortly is making reading glasses available to residents who need them, or have lost theirs. We ask that if you have any unused, surplus or old glasses at home, please make these available to the home.
Over the years volunteers have been in short supply and some relatives and friends of residents are very scarce when help is needed. They may visit their relatives from time to time but unfortunately are never available when there is work to do. This has placed a terrific burden on the shoulders of half a dozen or so willing workhorses who have laboured for years. Now, with a group of 200 members, we must surely have enough willing workers to handle any chores. This will bring massive relief and assistance to that handful of willing slaves.
Just by the sheer number of volunteers, there are so many more projects that will be able to be tackled now. We appeal to family members of residents to please get involved. While it is wonderful to have strangers prepared to make visits and to work at events and fundraising, it would be so much better to have relatives on board too.
The Friends of Emma Barter Victoria Home have formed a working committee each of whom is responsible for a specific function. This volunteer committee work closely with the official fundraising committee, elected from staff, residents and associates.
Every now and then someone's family makes it possible to celebrate the birthday of a resident and they supply cake and biscuits for all, but sadly this is only forhalf of the residents. The other half do not have this luxury afforded them and the day passes uneventfully. We want to change that so that every resident gets to celebrate their birthday. Amongst our group we have ladies only too happy to bake goodies and make them available for the birthday party.
Among the group we have some entertainers, musicians, handymen and plenty of kindhearted souls. We will be able to make some elderly and some sickly folks happy from this year and hopefully we will attract some local businesses to join in too.
Of course even with this group improving the quality of life for the residents and giving them a few minutes of happiness and something to look forward to, this still doesn't change the fact that the home desperately needs additional funding. We will be looking at ways to find funds.
Some projects that need doing is moving all administration personnel to the house at the main gate and converting the old offices into further accommodations. We also want to convert the lower wing of Victoria Home into further frailcare facilities. There is a desperate shortage of frail care facilities in the area and the home already has the staff and infrastructure to offer additional care.
The old manager's flat is to be modified and rented to an able bodied couple. Amongst the residents are some able bodied people, some disabled people of sound mind and some who are often fine, but suffer from a disease. They need to be observed, monitored and medicated.
Most of the residents need to be assisted with bathing and the carers have days on which they clip nails and rub cream onto the legs and feet of residents. Some are diabetic and need special meals prepared for them. Many of them are inactive and affected by dementia or alzheimers.
There are a lot of residents who are incontinent and need to wear adult diapers. This is very costly and where they were sponsored, they now have to be purchased.
The home(s) is a registered NPO and we will make available banking details for any financial donations that are offered, but as you can see, there is a lot to be done.
Every cent helps. Please make available all newspapers and cardboard. These are sold off and help to fund the annual Christmas party.
Another initiative that was started 5 years ago, is the "wall". "Bricks" are sold and an image is glued to the wall. There are 3 distinctions - gold, silver and bronze. In all that time only about 15 bricks have been sold, so if you are connected to the home and feeling generous, please buy a brick or two.
COMMITTEE:
The Friends of Emma Barter Victoria Home has a committee of volunteers. Each person oversees a particular function. They rally the troops and make things work to plan. The committee is: Derek Robson, Sally Robson, Colette Van Loggerenberg, Bonnie Jeudwine and Sarah Baggott.
Each person's area of duty (more or less):
Derek - General Liaison with Management & Residents, Organization of all group pursuits, FEBVH website, Facebook, Newsletter
Sally - Lists of Deaths, New arrivals, Birthdays, Accommodations, Functions, Liaison with Matron
Sarah - Musicians & Entertainments
Colette - Caring & Visiting, Ministering and Collections (Donation drives & Causes)
Bonnie - Birthday parties, Baking, Hobbies (Arts & Crafts)
