For the Love of Music
InspirationPeople

For the Love of Music

The Midlands MagazineNovember 20, 2025

Carol recently launched the Midlands Suzuki Music School, teaching piano and violin from her home in Lidgetton and at Lions River Primary, as well as several schools in Pietermaritzburg. With the help of BackaBuddy and a pupil’s parent, she raised funds to take a group of her Lions River pupils – many from underprivileged backgrounds – to Cape Town for a national Suzuki workshop. “Seeing those children perform so beautifully, many for the very first...

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HealthPeople

I ♥ Boobies

The Midlands MagazineNovember 20, 2025

Breast cancer is a topic most women undoubtedly shudder to think about, and a sad reality is that many women are reportedly diagnosed in later stages due to a lack of sufficient awareness and education about it, or suitable health care available. This is something that the non-profit organisation, ILoveBoobies, seeks to change for South African women.   From a small fundraising effort in 2016 to an established and registered non-profit in 2017, ILoveBoobies has been...

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Living in the Moment
InspirationlocalPeople

Living in the Moment

The Midlands MagazineNovember 12, 2025

We always keep our ears to the ground when it comes to outstanding community members, and we want to give a shout-out to one such member, Kate-Marie Butlin, a woman, mother, an avid trail runner, and business owner, who is proud to be building a successful life here in our neck of the woods. Meet Midlands-born mom and businesswoman, Kate-Marie Butlin. She has been shaped by small-town life in the best of ways and is...

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Creating a Reading Nation
InspirationPeopleTeachers

Creating a Reading Nation

The Midlands MagazineOctober 8, 2025

Meet one of our local authors and teachers who started her own publishing company to encourage the love of reading amongst our youth. Nokuphiwe Nala is a Foundation Phase teacher and author with a vision to bring the love of books and reading to as many children as possible. According to statistics from the Department of Education, there has been a decrease in the number of children who can read for enjoyment or meaning. During...

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Top Interior Picks From Your Local Decorators
BusinessInspirationlocalPeople

Top Interior Picks From Your Local Decorators

The Midlands MagazineOctober 3, 2025

Designing your dream home can be thrilling, but what if you want a space that truly stands the test of time? Amanda Kelly, Head Residential Interior Designer at Tracy Kelly Design, says the ‘gin stool‘ is her go-to piece for adding charm to a room. Small but full of character, it sits perfectly beside an antique chair, sofa, or even a bath. Its ease of movement creates height and visual interest while filling those awkward...

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Stop and Smell the Roses
LocalPeople

Stop and Smell the Roses

The Midlands MagazineOctober 3, 2025

Experience the beauty and passion of a community of enthusiasts who come together to share knowledge, preserve heritage, and celebrate the timeless charm of these exquisite blooms. Did you know the Midlands proudly hosts one of South Africa’s five largest rose societies? Known as the Midlands Rose Society, its roots were established in 1987 by Norman and Val Yeats from the comforts of their nursery, Spurwing Roses, in the Albert Falls area. Norman was the...

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Through the Decades – Muirheads Hiring with Sherree Hamblin
BusinessInspirationPeople

Through the Decades – Muirheads Hiring with Sherree Hamblin

The Midlands MagazineOctober 3, 2025

We are proud to celebrate a few milestones achieved by our local businesses this year. Learn more about what the decades have taught them and continue to shape them to serve our community. The Beginning My late dad, Bernard, bought this hiring company in 1996 and was excited about the prospect of owning his own business after working in the banking industry for so many years. Dawn, my mom, now retired, joined him after selling...

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Through the Decades – The Wine Cellar with Margaret Spowart
BusinessInspirationPeople

Through the Decades – The Wine Cellar with Margaret Spowart

The Midlands MagazineOctober 1, 2025

We are proud to celebrate a few milestones achieved by our local businesses this year. Learn more about what the decades have taught them and continue to shape them to serve our community. The Beginning After selling our previous business in the fuel industry, we took a much-needed break to the Cape. One morning, we had a wine tasting at the Van Loveren Family Vineyards in Robertson, in their beautiful garden setting, when their gran...

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Through the Decades – Coffeeberry with Con Malherbe 
BusinessFoodInspirationPeople

Through the Decades – Coffeeberry with Con Malherbe 

The Midlands MagazineSeptember 26, 2025

We are proud to celebrate a few milestones achieved by our local businesses this year. Learn more about what the decades have taught them and continue to shape them to serve our community. The Beginning The inspiration behind Coffeeberry was born when I applied to the then-Cascades landlords, Old Mutual, to take over the premises of Icy Cool, a longstanding ice cream parlour and coffee shop that had closed down. Old Mutual required a business...

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Introducing Robert Howes and His Fascinating New Book, Sevens
localPeople

Introducing Robert Howes and His Fascinating New Book, Sevens

The Midlands MagazineSeptember 16, 2025

  Robert Howes, a resident of Howick, has unveiled his eagerly anticipated debut book, Sevens: An Exploration of Human Psychological Development and Growth, a compelling work of non-fiction that delves into the intricacies of human psychology and personal evolution. This meticulously researched publication proposes an interesting speculation: that human beings are conditioned to undergo transformative psychological changes every seven years, akin to the profound metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Howes expertly guides readers through...

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