Abbeyfield begun in 1956 in the London Borough of Bermondsey. Its founder was Major Richard Carr-Gomm, who resigned his commission in the Coldstream Guards to start a charity caring for lonely people in the East End of London. Abbeyfield was the name of the street where six faithful founders met, and the name commemorated a large and charitable medieval abbey which had been dissolved by King Henry V111 some four hundred years earlier.
"I realised that the resigned state (of old people) was not brought about by material worry but by sheer and utter loneliness and their acceptance of it .... a terrible paralysing apathy, lurking behind even the most courageous and dignified facades" - quoted from the founder's autobiography, "Push on the Door"
The idea spread, and presently 16 countries are affiliated to Abbeyfield International. Abbeyfield South Africa was registered as a welfare organisation in 1985 and the Management Committee embarked on a publicity and fundraising campaign which led to the opening of the first SA Abbeyfield home in Cape Town in 1987. By 1991 there were eight local societies affiliated to Abbeyfield South Africa and a Development Officer was employed to support the exisiting Affiliated homes and to establish new ones.
To date there are 18 Abbeyfield Societies and 17 wonderful "mini" old age homes accommodating a total of 126 older folk throughout South Africa. There are two houses in Walkerville - No 3, Stoneacres, a sprightly 14 years old and No 18, Khutsong, the youngerst home at 4 years old.
Funded by the Council, Stoneacres was bought as a house and then altered to accommodate eight residents. Also funded by Council Khutsong was built to order to accommodate ten residents. These houses are fully paid for which means Abbeyfield will never close, however residents need to pay for running costs.
Abbeyfield's success lies in its volunteers - the members of the local Abbeyfield Societies - who establish and care for the Abbeyfield homes and their residents. Each house is owned by the local Abbeyfield Society made up entirely of volunteers living in its vicinity. The home is asomewhat larger than usual but an ordinary house in an ordinary street. In it reside 8 to 10 fit seniors over the age of 60. There is no frail care. Residents rent a private room which they furnish themselves with their own treasured possessions. Residents do their own shopping, cooking and laundry, and are welcome to help with the gardening if they wish. A cleaner is employed to take care of the heavier household chores. Residents can make other arrangements for their washing, if they cannot do it themselves.
Walkerville's houses are safe and secure in a boomed-gate enclosure and the Abbeyfield houses have an individual electric fence, house alarm and MNet. Doctor & Dentists rooms and a pharmacy and shopping centre are a stones throw away as well as many Churches - all in acountry atmosphere.
There are no hard and fast rules except general cleanliness and common courtesy to others.
Abbeyfield volunteers all over South Africa make sure that when we hear the cry "Where will I live in my old age?" we can reply with confidence "in an Abbeyfield house around the corner!"
For more information on becoming a volunteer, or renting a room at Abbeyfield you can contact Penny Whyte on 083 487 4446. Volunteers meet once a month to plan visits, outings and activties for the residents of the Abbeyfield homes.
