Parow Senior Centre to spread joy this Christmas

The Parow Senior Centre is appealing to the public to donate handmade toys to its Soft Toys for Joy Christmas-tree project.

The project started in April last year when the Parow Senior Centre delivered soft toys as part of an Easter programme to children at Tygerberg and Karl Bremer hospitals, says Parow Senior Centre manager Estelle Pretorius.

"We repeated the project in December last year when we delivered 97 toys to Karl Bremer Hospital and Worcester Provincial Hospital,“ said Ms Pretorius.

”This past Easter, we delivered 111 knitted toys and 550 Easter eggs to homes of safety and foster-care homes in the Badisa Group," she said.

Parow Senior Centre delivers services to seniors and persons with disabilities so that they can function independently for as long as possible. Services include meals, laundry, transport and weekly developmental programmes.

"These services are provided with the help of a small group of dedicated staff members and involved volunteers in partnership with other role players, according to our Christian vocation to serve and to care," Ms Pretorius said.

This year, the centre aims to build a bigger tree than last year by collecting 120 toys.

The soft-toy Christmas tree will be unveiled at the centre’s year-end function on Thursday December 8. The toys will be donated to children during the December holidays.

The public can get involved by donating wool or funds to buy wool. You can also donate a handmade toy that’s been knitted, crocheted or made of fabric.

"If you cannot make it yourself, buy it at a local fair or craft shop or ask a crafter in your family or friend circle," Ms Pretorius said.