Funda Nenja, which roughly translates to “learning with the dog”, was established by Adrienne Olivier in 2009, when she became very aware of the need to educate the local township children how to humanely handle and care for their dogs.  The initiative has grown remarkably since then, and there are currently around 120 children and their dogs who participate in the program.

We meet every Friday afternoon at 3.00 pm, in Mpophomeni Township, in the school grounds of Zamuthule Primary School.  The children are split up into groups according to their ability or the age of their dog and they are taught how to handle their dogs using kind and gentle methods.  They are also taught basic obedience such as sit, down, stay and to walk on a loose leash.  The dogs are also fitted with collars and leads when they first attend. Funda Nenja issues each and every child with a pouch of training treats with which to train their dogs.  Only positive reinforcement methods are taught and no harsh treatment is allowed.  The children are also given a small parcel of training treats to take home to practice their training during the week.

 As Funda Nenja is a non-profit organisation and relies entirely on donations, we are very fortunate to have a volunteer Animal Welfare Officer who treats all dogs that need any type of veterinary assistance, such as skin ailments, cuts and scrapes, ticks and fleas, de-worming, burns etc. We also vaccinate all dogs for Rabies.  If we encounter a dog that needs advanced medical care, we then call the Umngeni SPCA, who come out the same day and take the dog back to their establishment for treatment. We are also very strict about sterilisation and insist on all dogs being sterilised if the children wish to stay in the program.  This can get a little tricky as sometimes it’s the parents of the children who do not wish to sterilise their dogs.  In these situations, our Education Officer will do home visits and advise the parents how important it is to get their animals sterilised.  Our Education Officer will do various other home visits and educate the whole family on how to correctly take care of their pets, such as adequate shelter, food, fresh drinking water etc. 

Funda Nenja is also very fortunate to now have a full time Social Worker who sees to the pycho-social needs of our children by counselling children in need, as well as presenting life skills lessons and workshops.

 Funda Nenja not only teaches the children about taking care of their dogs, but also teaches them kindness, compassion and responsibility.  It’s all about education.

News supplied by Funda Nenja.

At the turn of the century there lived a celebrated phenomenon of a horse, General Hans, or Clever Hans as he was popularly known. The reason for his fame was exhibitions of his amazing capacity to perform taxing arithmetic and other intellectual tasks at shows around Germany. Hans had quite a substantial resume; communicating by tapping the ground with his hoof, he could read, spell, add, multiply and subtract, as well as being able to differentiate various musical tones and even understand German. Whilst there were many theories offered to explain Han’s extraordinary abilities, it was later discovered that the horse was no paradox but rather part of an elaborate hoax orchestrated by his owner, a mathematics teacher and amateur equine trainer. The feat was accomplished by training Hans to respond to his owner’s subtle cues in body language, no small achievement in itself.

With this delightful story, Carl Bronner, originator of the unique and fascinating “Horseplay” sessions currently on offer in the Dargle, introduced the mornings guests to the first of many Midlands experiences that they were to enjoy over the following 2 days of their “Meandering the Midlands” cycle tour.

“Today, you are going to learn to communicate across the species barrier” stated Carl as our two timid German guests, Simone and Christiano, stood alongside their beautiful black Dutch Friesan horses set against the backdrop of green pastures and mist belt forest. Traditionally it has been accepted that horses need to be “broken in” in order to subdue their spirit and establish dominance over them. Carl Bronner, the owner of Kilgobbin and Horseplay, has been working with horses for the past 20 years. She believes that there are better ways to achieve a similar end, rather nurturing a relationship based on mutual respect and harmony between man and horse.

In order to understand the complex psychology and motivations of a horse we need to understand their place in the world. The first lesson of the day was to resist the impulse to boldly approach the horse and grasp it by its head with a halter. Being an animal vulnerable to predation, horses have evolved to outwit their predators with eyes centered on the side of their head for maximal peripheral vision. When we grab a horse head first, we are copying the behavior of their predators and it is little wonder they turn tail and flee for the hills. Horses are accustomed to living in herds and feel secure when assured of their place in the pecking order by the gentle coercion of a trustworthy human. Their communication is subtle, a jostle of their hind quarters or a twitch of their ears is sufficient to make their messages understood, with personal boundaries, like ours, being well demarcated.

Armed with a new understanding and appreciation for these graceful creatures, our two German guests grew in understanding and confidence and started to really ease into the day. By the end of the morning Simone and Christiano were becoming quite adept at using their newly-learned body language cues to direct their horses to turn in circles, clamber over various large obstacles, and respect one another’s personal space. An experience like this was not just an instruction in horsemanship but also a valuable lesson in how we choose to communicate with other. Often we feel we need to force our opinion or aggressively deal with obstruction in order to be validated, while we forget that with respect, kindness and a little patience, anything is possible.

News supplied by Julia Colvin - www.spekboomtours.co.za

Get these specials at Harvard Electrical Wholesalers. Valid for one week. 

Find Harvard Electrical Wholesalers at 22 Harvard Street, Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 3290.

This weekend Howick High School hosted its inaugural girls’ 6-a-side Soccer tournament. 16 teams from the Midlands region, spanning as far as Hillcrest and Ballito, participated, including the Howick 1st, Howick 2nd and Howick U16 teams.
Competition was fierce and the football was of a high standard. Howick’s 2nd team were defeated in the Quarter-Final, and the 1st team went out in the semi-final. The Howick U16 team displayed tremendous skill, determination and courage, and were the overall tournament winners, lifting the trophy in the championship final.
The tournament was a resounding success and was concluded with the team draw for the 2017 MARITZBURG FA Cup which will be held at Howick High School on 26 and 27 August.

Photo above – 16 Girls’ Soccer teams from the Midlands Region participated in Howick High School’s first 6-a-side tournament this weekend.

News supplied by Howick High School.

Photo below from Left to Right – Howick High School’s U16 Girls’ Soccer team were the overall winning team of the tournament. Pictured here with their coach, Mr Scott Wheeler, trainee coach, Joshua Wheeler and Principal, Mrs Lauren Farquharson are team members Nicola Lawrence, Amanda Makhathini, Nandipha Zuma, Zithobe Mnyandu, Kalai Glover, Alex Candler and Laiken Austen (standing) and Beth van Onselen and Chloe Vermeulen (kneeling).

The annual matches played against local clubs Howick and Hilton have now both been played. These games are always most enjoyable and played in a spirit of friendship with much laughter and banter. Umgeni Waterfall lost both matches and look forward to next year when we hope to come out on top!

News supplied by Umgeni Waterfall Bowls Club.

Congratulations to Ricardo Parau and his great team on the relaunch of the fabulous SUPERSPAR GREENDALE. These specials are available to 1 August 2017.

RESULTS: The Tabs In Competiton on 12 July sponsored by Halfway Toyota Howick was won by the trip of Peter Burton, Jo Boonzaier and Grace Abrahams. The runners up were Colin Burden, David Mainprize and Marianne von Wieringen.The prizes were presentd by Margie Wheelwright of Halfway Toyota Howick.

Congratulations are extended to the club title winners Clark Logan (Men’s singles), Mark Taylor (Novice singles), and Barry Bedworth & Clark Logan (Men’s pairs). Thank you to the members who came along to support the players and to the ladies who so kindly provided the delicious lunch for players and spectators.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Friday, 28 July: Annual match against Hilton Bowling Club. Team selections are posted on the notice board.
Wednesday, 09 August: (National Women’s Day) All day Competition Sponsored by J Leslie Smith Inc. UWBC Members and players from other clubs are invitedto support this event. Entries may be sent via sms or WhatsApp to Bernice Burden 071 164 3162.

News supplied by Umgeni Waterfall Bowls Club.

Your 8 - 9 year old will love to read these charming rescue stories, especially if he/she is an animal lover!

Find us at Shop 3/4, 3 Mare Street, Howick.

News supplied by Nuts About Books and Toys. 

Want to wrap up 2017 with your team or start 2018 ahead of the game?

 If so, we have a fabulous Conference special just for you!

 Are you looking for a conference venue where all your delegates will be away from the countless distractions in the city and at the office? A place where they can really connect and build strong relationships? Wanting to wrap up the year with your team and get a head start on 2018?

Lythwood is situated along the peaceful KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander. Just 90 minutes from Durban and five hours from Johannesburg.

Having a great venue, that serves delicious food, has a spacious conference centre and breakaway rooms, luxury accommodation, team-building opportunities, and gives you top-notch service is par for the course. It's what you expect from an award-winning venue.

At Lythwood you can expect us to get all those details right.

It's all the ‘small’ things, that often have very little to do with your conference, that make a big difference to your conference outcomes. This is where you'll find that Lythwood truly goes the extra mile to ensure that your conference is as you planned it. Consider it done.

Whether you are planning a small (10) or large conference (200) – we have a selection of conference rooms and seating options – we don't pile on the extras. Just an affordable, simple, easy to budget, all-in package price.

And, of course, our dedicated Conference Coordinator, Alison, will be there to hold your hand every step of the way so you'll be free to focus on your team. Free to have some fun. So, what is our special offer you ask?

News supplied by Lythwood Lodge. 

If you book your Conference to take place at Lythwood mid-week (any days Sunday to Thursday, check out Friday) from now until the end of February 2018 on our 24-Hour Conference package...

You will only pay R1,100 per person, per night, sharing
or R1,300 per person, per night, single

That is a full 15% off our standard rates for this package!

Every Friday we offer an authentic Indian curry evening. Run by our talented sous Chef Jamaine, rave reviews have proven this is not to be missed. A massive selection of both curries and sambals are on offer and is the perfect ingredient to help warm the cockles on a cold winter’s night. Phone 033 330 5071 to book a table.

News supplied by Fern Hill Hotel. 

Have you got enough bandwidth? As technology has advanced, the sheer amount of data being used every single second in your office is going up on a near-daily basis. Take the time to see if what you have is enough or if there is a better solution – talk to DCSS about the relationship between your business and WiFi, Fibre, IP VPN, Connectivity, and even Hot Spot solutions – in the office and beyond.

It is the first day of a two-day Meandering the Midlands cycle tour and thankfully the Dargle mist and rain had turned and instead we were greeted with clear blue skies and a gorgeous wintery light with which to explore the Dargle Valley.

Christiano and Simone our German visitors stood gingerly aside, not a bicycle, but a handsome black Friesian horse. The Midlands is fast being discovered as a place offering cycle tourists not just trips focused purely on the bike and the end destination, but rather journeys filled with unique cultural and natural experiences. One of these forms the start to our trip, a ‘horseplay’ session masterfully facilitated by well-known horse guru/whisperer, Carlene Bronner. Unlike the simple react and response mechanisms of a bike, our guests will spend the next hour discovering the art of horse communication using subtle body gestures as a cue for gentle persuasion. Although the couple confess that they were not familiar with handling horses, it was amazing how with new found respect and understanding they quickly eased into the experience and had their horses eating out of their hands (admittedly the tuffs of green grass may have helped).

After an enriching horseplay session and a hearty farm-cooked breakfast, we saddled up our bicycles and headed for the Nelson Mandela capture site using quiet country back roads. As a local South African, who has pored through each page of the “Long Walk to Freedom”, I felt well versed in the life and times of our Tata Madiba and was rather surprised that the museum tour at the capture site could offer such fascinating insights into the life of our great stateman. Brilliantly guided by the enthusiastic Ayanda, under no circumstances were we allowed to ride down to the impressive sculpture of Mandela’s face, “after all” Ayanda quipped, “it’s not called a long walk for nothing”.

With time ticking on, we then made our way through a network of forest paths to the renowned Caversham Mill restaurant overlooking the Lions river. Tucking into a well-deserved signature trout dish, we marvelled at the thought that once this great valley was a royal Zulu hunting ground abundant with lions and elephant. On shooting the last lion of the region, this river was ironically named Lions River.

That afternoon after climbing up the back of the Lidgetton hills, we were rewarded with panoramic views of the Dargle valley. Authentic Italian wood-fired pizza washed down with local Lions River craft beer at the well regarded Il Postino pizzeria provided a fitting end to our day. Delicious!

Our final day presented a welcomed opportunity to warm up tired legs with a morning stroll through the pristine Dargle mist-belt forest lead by its passionate and knowledgeable custodian, Barend Booysen. With Barend’s charming stories of Zulu myths, local legends, and impressive botanical knowledge of these indigenous trees, the secrets of the forest was revealed. It was an inspiration to how a group of Dargle landowners had taken stewardship into their own hands through the formation of Biodiversity Stewardship. Short term gains in destructive cattle farming and other agricultural practices needed to be sacrificed for the long term survival of these rich and biodiverse forest and grasslands.

“For me the highlight of the walk was spotting the elusive Samango monkeys playing in the Cape Chestnut trees”, beams Simone. Samango Monkeys are the only true arboreal monkeys left in South Africa. Unable to adjust their livelihoods to the rapidly changing world, if we lose these precious pockets of Afro-Montane forest, the Samangos could disappear with them too.

After a morning walk we headed with our bicycles out to the cycling mecca of the Karkloof Valley. A network of world class trails, we selected the well-marked 15km Falls loop that swept us through the forest on immaculately sculpted paths to the iconic Karkloof waterfalls. The beautiful falls in full flow after recent rains provided the perfect backdrop to our final picnic spread of local Midland’s cheese, cured meats, artisanal bread and cold beer. “When we signed up for a bike tour, we did not know what to expect” remarked Christiano. With all the cultural, ecological and historical diversity the Midlands has to offer, as the Spekboom Tour’s logo says, “expect the unexpected”.

News supplied by Julia Colvin - www.spekboomtours.co.za

Congratulations to Sarah Macaskill (Grade 5) of Howick Prep School who was awarded a distinction in her Grade 1 Violin examination from the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music and Dani Martens (Grade 4) who achieved a Silver award in her Level 5 Artistic Gymnastic examination.

Well done to both Sarah and Dani.

A photograph has been attached: (L- R) Sarah Macaskill, Danni Martens. 

News supplied by Howick Preparatory School.

Looking forward to our next MARKET THROUGH THE HOME in Howick.

Come and browse awesome goodies in a unique home setting and support Sunfield Home and Foshim at the same time. Free entry. Bring your friends and have complimentary tea in the garden with them. Debit and credit cards welcome as well as Zapper.

See Gifts at Wear on FB for some idea of what's on offer.

A Lythwood wedding is not one of those sausage-machine weddings, where the venue owners try to squeeze as many weddings into a weekend as possible. All while charging you for every little ‘extra’. Whether you are planning an indoor or outdoor wedding (we have a variety of options), we don't pile on the extras. Just an affordable, simple, easy to budget, all-in package price.

At Lythwood, your wedding day is yours. Reserved for you and your guests. No “you and your guests have to be out of the Chapel by 2:30pm because we have another wedding starting at 3:00pm”. Or, as in the case of many other venues where the reception hall turns into a pumpkin at midnight, we don't have cut-off times.

We also give you access to our powerful, interactive, stress-relieving wedding planning tools. Tools that will help you take care of all the time-consuming tasks, such as sending out invitations and tracking RSVPs. Taking the confirmed guest list and feeding that into who has special food requirements. All the way to helping you plan your table seating arrangements. You can even create your own personal wedding website and share all your plans with your friends!

And, of course, our dedicated Wedding Coordinator, Danelle, will be there to hold your hand every step of the way so you'll be free to enjoy your wedding.

So, what is our special offer you ask?

If you book your wedding to take place at Lythwood on any day in January or February 2018 we will give you a full 15% off on any of our wedding packages!

This offer is subject to availability – that means it's first come, first served! So, we suggest you apply right now to avoid disappointment... just complete the form (it's quick, we promise!) and we'll contact you to discuss your dream wedding.

I don't want to miss out... take me to the form!

Beautiful Open Plan living priced from R1 250 000. Designer 52m2 units R1 250 000. Designer 70m2 units from R1 650 000. Fantastic open-plan kitchen.

Don’t snooze you will loose…Contact Tiffiny Hancock +27 (0)74 444 9694 or Debbie Jones +27 (0)82 557 0107.

Official launch 16 July 2017. Come visit us at Harcourts Ambers, Yard41, 10am-4pm.

News supplied by Harcourts Ambers.

Dynalogic Cloud Backup Solutions – Protecting against WannaCry ransomware - The Worlds Newest and Greatest IT Threat !! - Dynalogic Cloud Backup Solutions provides 100% protection against viruses, trojans, ransomware or otherwise. Because your data is encrypted and compressed before backup, our servers are not vulnerable. In addition to this, with our default configuration, new or changed data is backed up within a 15 minute window!!

Contact Dynalogic Computers on 033 330 3005 to discuss your business needs. www.dynalogic.co.za.