The Big Bug Books series is once again incorporated into the afternoon’s activities with each age group having two books from which the facilitator will work.  Each story highlights a life skills lesson and various fun activities help to improve vocabulary, spelling, listening and talking skills, not to mention reading and writing.  Since starting with the drama games last year we can see that the children (especially the younger learners) understand role play to a greater degree, finding it easier to let their imaginations run free.  The time spent on the Big Bug Books is thoroughly enjoyed and the children grow and develop in so many aspects without even knowing it.

RUNNING: This term the focus is on soccer – a firm favourite!  We start off with the basic skills: dribbling, foot techniques, passing the ball etc.  Each lesson starts with a warm-up ball game, an agility exercise and drills, finally including a team game where the technique is practiced.  In a few months the children will need to put all these skills into action for our upcoming soccer tournament in which each and every child will have a chance to play.

RIGHT-ING: The Grade R – 3 children are working towards learning how to empathise.  We introduce a simple story about a lion that has a thorn in his foot.  A mouse helps him to take it out but the lion is then teased by the monkey for being friends with a mere mouse.  The month is spent exploring the different character’s feelings and how they react: Were they scared? Where do they feel safe?  Near the end of the month the children make puppets to represent the 3 characters, rein acting the story. This will lead into identifying with different feelings in the upcoming lessons.

The Right-ing topic for the Grade 4 – 12's is all about “walking in someone else’s shoes”.  This is tackled by examining their feet– how they feel, how they look, how they move.  At first the children are shy and even ashamed about examining their feet (which is ironic because most children walk around barefoot!).  Our feet are often the body part of which we are most ashamed.   The children learn through various fun games that a person first has to appreciate and validate oneself before you can appreciate and validate someone else.  By learning to appreciate your own feet, a  child can learn to be accepting and non-judgemental of others.

For a bit of ‘post-harvest’ fun we invited winemakers throughout the Boland and further afield to compete against one another in the Anna Foundation Winemaker’s MTB Challenge. This 20km cycling event was run in conjunction with the Delta Trap held at Solms-Delta. All winemakers were welcome to enter irrespective of riding ability and it wasn’t long before the word was out.   On 21 April, thirteen Wine Estates (including Buffet Olives) were represented by winemakers, their assistants and farm owners in this enjoyable mountain biking event.

The Anna Foundation pampered riders from the time of their arrival, providing bananas for energy and ex-Springbok cyclist Pierre-Henri Olivier from the Anna Foundation, assisting with the prepping of bicycles. Cyclists were encouraged to challenge one another with riders such as Marcus Milner (De Meye) and De Wet Viljoen (Neethlingshof) being the firm favourites to beat.

Lorraine Geldenhuys (winemaker and lecturer at Elsenburg) blew us away by crossing the finish line first, much to our surprise and delight.  She was followed not far behind by Marcus Milner (De Meye Wines). Raphael Dornier (Dornier Wines) took 3rd place while Mark Le Roux from Waterford Estate, who had apparently done very minimal training, cruised through in 4th position.  

A separate prize giving was held for all those who had taken part in the Winemaker’s MTB Challenge.  Award winners were:

The Anna Foundation Winemaker’s MTB Challenge was the first of such events and we expect the 2014 affair to be even bigger and better with some seriously tough competition!

Due to a very late unofficial entry into the event (ie. 2 minutes before the start) we felt could not credit Francois Malherbe (Eikenhof) as overall winner, despite his finishing first. We would like to congratulate him on an extremely impressive race and hope to see him again next year.

Thank You to Geddan Ruddock (Franschhoek Cycles), Solms-Delta (prizes) and to Lovane, De Meye and Darling Cellars (wine contributions)

In 2010, Struan Buchanan, Mark Westcott and Peter Hofmeyr walked from Muizenburg to Hermanus to raise funds for charity. This year these three school mates decided to do it again but this time, walk through the Winelands and raise funds for three different charities with the Anna Foundation, being one of them.  The Winelands Charity Walk was planned for 22 April and Struan, Mark and Pete would walk from Tulbagh, stopping overnight in Romansrivier, Rawsonville, Paarl, Franschhoek and finally ending in Stellenbosch on 26 April – averaging 30km per day and covering + 180km in all!

The afternoon prior to their departure we met with the ‘Three Oaks’ (as they are fondly known) at Steinthal Children’s Home in Tulbagh.  These 150 children joined the Anna Foundation at the start of the year and implement our “3 R’s Reading, Running, Right-ing” programme each weekday after school.  After a quick ‘photo shoot’ everyone made their way to the large playing field where the children were handed five brand new soccer balls brought along by the three gents. The children were enthralled with Struan, Mark and Pete and spent the afternoon showing them their fancy soccer moves and cartwheel back flips. It was a most enjoyable afternoon with the children clearly appreciating the visit and the attention for which they are so hungry.

THE WALK: During the course of their Winelands Walk the men were blessed with five days of glorious weather (if not a little on the warm side), updating their supporters via Facebook at regular intervals.  From their reports Struan, Mark and Pete were treated like kings, receiving top notch hospitality from various hosts who provided them with accommodation along the way.   

EPILOGUE: For the final leg of their Great Trek, on Saturday 27 April family and friend joined Struan, Mark and Pete in Cape Town as they walked from Steenberg to Groot Constantia. The Anna Foundation children from Stellenzicht were there as well and they finished the 7km walk with great ease.  Upon arriving at Simon's Restaurant at Groot Constantia, the children were surprised with a delicious lunch, kindly prepared by Struan’s (caterer!) wife, Annalize. 

Over R60 000 has been raised a result of the Winelands Charity Walk!

THANK YOU first and foremost to Struan, Mark and Pete for giving of your time and energy and for choosing to support the Anna Foundation in the way that you have. What a wonderful way to give back! We really appreciate your efforts.  Thank you also to each and every person who backed the Three Oaks by donating to the Anna Foundation.  To Puma (soccer balls), to all who provided accommodation and to Annalize for the catering and generosity - Thank you all!