CONGRATULATIONS
Correction: Blair Drummond’s photos actually of Clanabogan
Our Friends in The Biodynamic Movement have been featured in The 2017 BBC Food and Farming Awards with The Seed Cooperative, born out of Camphill’s Stormy Hall Seeds in The Finalists for Future Foods Awards and Patrick Holden, Biodynamic Association Patron awarded The Derek Cooper Lifetime Achievement Award from The Radio 4 Food Programme for his work in sustainable and organic farming. Well Done from Camphill!
In The Spring Edition we featured an article from Camphill Blair Drummond where Sandra Savenson wrote of her work as manager. Inadvertently we published the wrong photos which for those who knew the communities seemed rather confusing. Apologies for the mix up.
Camphill School in South Africa turns 65 When the school was started 65 years ago by a remarkable mother, May Redman, who was determined and inspired to create a caring environment for her intellectually-challenged son, Robert, Dr Karl König, founder of the worldwide Camphill Movement, assisted her in this quest and together Camphill School Hermanus was established in 1952. In line with the founding principles of the Camphill Movement, the School to this day, maintains the ethos of loving respect for the dignity of the child and a desire to develop his/her unique potential. Located in the Hemel en Aadre Valley (translated as Heaven and Earth), on the outskirts of Hermanus, the school now caters for both day and residential learners, aged between 5 and 20 years. Our learners, many with multiple disabilities, receive high quality, individualised education, care and support, together with a wide range of therapies, to assist their development.
futures. From that the Camphill Africa Region (CAR) was re-established and today, the four Communities work associatively, meeting twice yearly to share experiences and plan collectively for the future of Camphill in Africa. For those members and guests that attend the Annual AoCC Assembly and AGM, many of you will have witnessed first-hand (in recent years), through the presentations provided, on behalf of CAR, the life changing difference the support, financial and other from the AoCC membership has made.
Nelson and his co-worker Johanna.
complying fully with the South African Education and other legislation. During the restructuring process and with the encouragement and support of the AoCC Co-ordinators Group, Geoffrey Weir (AoCC Co-ordinator Northern Ireland), was appointed as Chairman of the Camphill School Board. Over the past six years Geoffrey, with his professional expertise and knowledge of Camphill has helped guide us all through many testing and difficult processes. The School also recognise and acknowledge the contributions made from those ‘behind the scenes’, within and associated with the AoCC, who give of their time and knowledge unconditionally.
Due to financial struggles experienced in the years up to and during 2011, it appeared that the school would not survive and the doors would close. However, in the spirit of associative working, the Association of Camphill Communities UK & Ireland (“the AoCC”) came to our aid. The support made available to the school and the other Camphill Communities in Africa Camphill Farm Hermanus, Camphill Village West Coast (formerly known as Alpha) and Camphill Botswana laid the foundations for our survival, by working with the Communities and agreeing/funding essential capacity building and sustainability initiatives that have helped significantly in securing our collective
In relation to the school, and in addition to the direct financial support received, the AoCC has also provided expertise, knowledge, support and human resources to help secure our future.
Obstacle course creative class.
Whole school fun.
CAMPHILL PAGES
Pages is the newsletter of the Association of Camphill Communities UK and Ireland www.camphill.org.uk
A significant example was the funding provided to recruit and appoint a School Principal in 2011. The new principal undertook the great task of restructuring the entire school, implementing various structures, policies and the National Curriculum, which was adapted to our learners with intellectual disabilities, alongside the holistic Camphill Curriculum from Aberdeen. These changes enabled and equipped us to meet the current needs of our learners, whilst satisfying and
In recent years, the contribution of the school to the wider Hermanus community has grown significantly and is now fully recognised. This has resulted from all the hard work and effort invested by those within our team, families, friends, supporters and volunteers, who take an active role in what we are trying to maintain. The school has also invested time and energy in a range of PR, Marketing and Fundraising initiatives, to raise awareness of what we do and how Camphill can remain relevant. Within the school, 90% of the learners
come from the lower income areas and informal settlements (townships) around our town. The school provides and funds daily transport, proper wholesome meals and offers therapies, in addition to the education our learners receive, which is structured to meet their needs, in line with their individual Care & Support Plans. As a result of our efforts, the local community assist financially, make generous donation and support us in many other ways. Hopefully, this relationship will continue to blossom in the years ahead. In addition, our School is now recognised, not only in the greater Overberg Region, but worldwide and has become a beacon of hope and a place of love. Despite the times of hardship endured over the past 6 decades, these past few years have brought consolidation, growth, optimism and confidence. Without sustained support and encouragement from our Board of Directors, our employees and volunteers, the greater Hermanus Community, our Camphill family worldwide, the Association of Camphill Communities UK & Ireland, friends and donors none of this would have been possible. We have been able to achieve many of the goals we set ourselves and have strengthened our capacity for future growth. Continued over page >
Hermanus High School Interact Club with KG and Intermediate Class.