In honour of Father’s Day, we thought we’d share a few insights from three local dads and how they have navigated their parental roles. David Allen The Kids I have two wonderful daughters, aged seven and 11. I thoroughly enjoy being a dad. Navigating Your Role as a Father There’s a wonderful quote by Abigail Van Buren: “If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and...
Meet the Malawian mom who built a thriving local agriculture business. This is her inspiring story of family, farming, and the power of seeds. From the moment Chisomo Bean was born, agriculture was sown into her life. Growing up in a small village in Malawi, she spent her earliest years strapped to her mother’s back while they worked the land. Every harvest season, her family carefully selected the best seeds for the next planting—pumpkin seeds,...
Originally from Johannesburg, the Manley family moved to Winterskloof, Hilton, at the end of 2001, when Mark Manley started work in Pietermaritzburg. Mark and his wife Lindy fell in love with The Knoll when they were scouting properties in the area and bought it. At that time, it had stood in a state of disrepair and dereliction for many years. “There were sawmills on the front verandah and down in the stone barn, and there...
Sean Moffatt, Co-Principal of Seeff Midlands and Seeff Pietermaritzburg tells us more about this family-focused lifestyle precinct that captures the essence of Hilton. The Avenues Hilton is a project driven by family-owned JT Ross Property Group who have just celebrated an impressive 122 years in operation. JT Ross is a long-standing supporter of Hilton and the Hilton College community. The Avenues, a family-focused lifestyle precinct captures the essence of Hilton. It offers a convenient outdoor...
It all started with a tiny chair from 1933, hand-crafted by William John David Todd for his son, which inspired Tiny Acorn. Based in Nottingham Road from the end of September 2023, Tiny Acorn is owned by Tammaryn McCathie, Todd’s great-granddaughter, who continues the legacy today by crafting only quality pieces for little ones, who can eventually pass them on through their families. Since the end of September 2023, Tammaryn McCathie, Todd’s great-granddaughter, continues the...
For any Midlands locals, even those who visit from far away, you’ll probably be familiar with Fordoun Hotel and Spa in Nottingham Road. It’s one of the cosiest, most picturesque places in our countryside, and did you know the Fordoun farm itself is nearly 200 years old? It was named after a village and parish in Kincardineshire, Scotland and registered by one of the Byrne Settlers, William Taylor, in the early 1850s as a land...
Meet the Johnson family of four, Tim, Louisa and their two sons, Todd (13 years old) and Angus (10 years old), who live in Gowrie Village in Nottingham Road. The Midlands has always been a popular destination for families to lay down their roots, which was exactly what they did nearly four years ago when they moved from the North Coast to the countryside. In 2020, the family spent the lockdown period with Louisa’s...
Charles and Michael Webster Tell us more about how you started your band, Father & Son Michael (son) and I (Charles/dad) have been playing music together for several years. We are one of several musical family permutations that include all the Webster kids and a musically inclined and talented mum. Music is a long-standing family tradition and allows us to express our father-son relationship. It’s provided a useful additional income source but remains a...
As we head into the holidays, we asked four local families how they love to spend the festive season in the Midlands, creating merry memories together. Because what’s more important at Christmas time than family? The Scott Family Sally, Dale, Ethan and Kellan Scott live in Howick. Sally is the co-founder and Creative Director of Caversham Textiles along with her parents, Ros and Malcolm Christian from The Caversham Press. Most family Christmases have been...
From a seedling vision to a budding and blooming nursery, meet the family behind the Midlands Garden Centre and how they keep growing, come rain or shine. Situated in Rosetta on Old Main Road, Midlands Garden Centre is celebrating its 20th anniversary this September! The beloved store opened its doors on 1 September 2003 and is still going strong. The owners, Albert and Jacky Jooste, have made it through “black frost, hail storms, wind...