The calm quiet of sleepy hamlet, the beautiful Fort Nottingham, will be awoken to the distinctive sounds of bagpipes, drums, marching bands and all things Scottish, as the 10th Fort Nottingham Highland Gathering joyously returns to the KZN Midlands after a break of five years, on Saturday 10 September.

Inspired by the world famous Braemar Gathering, the Fort Nottingham Highland Gathering is typically a day of nostalgia, heritage and ancient tradition. All the rousing spectacle, athletic prowess and hauntingly beautiful music will be celebrated in abundance – with a contemporary family-friendly local twist.

The core focus is as always the various Highland Games showcasing brute strength and stamina: tossing the caber; tug-o’-war, walk the weight, the kilted mile; hammer throw; weight over the bar and stone put. The athletics has been sponsored by Kings Arms in memory of Doug Kirton.

The competitive athleticism is complemented by the grace and precision of Celtic dancing, piped bands… and of course, the rousing bag pipes. Guests are invited to get into the spirit of the occasion by wearing tartan, eating shortbread and sampling whisky!

This year’s event will feature a range of stalls of locally-sourced market wares and Midlands Meander based merchandise; food and beverage stalls; field demos, dog events and children’s activities – including face-painting and jumping castles. In attendance will be, among others, the Pietermaritzburg and the Durban Caledonians, the First Medical and Pietermaritzburg Caledonian Pipe bands.

“We are delighted to be able to host the Fort Nottingham Highland Gathering again after the long Covid Lockdown. Like so many other events, starting up again is always something of a challenge; however, we are beyond delighted that the games are going ahead this year. We are grateful for the generosity, goodwill and possibility-thinking of so many people and organisations in making this event possible; and thank Louise Fox whose land surrounding the fort we are using for the games. We look forward to welcoming friends and family to Fort Nottingham for what promises to be a magical day!” enthuses Victor Muhlenbeck, one of the organisers of the event.

Fort Nottingham is a tiny village just up the road from the vibrant town of Nottingham Road and one of the gems of the Midlands. Situated about 50km north-west of Pietermaritzburg, about the same distance from the Drakensberg mountains, and about 150km from Durban, Fort Nottingham is quiet and small with houses dating back to the late 1850s, and boasting a quaint town hall and museum which is in the Old Fort itself, and has a comprehensive history of the area. The fort was commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1856, and the Scottish link is from settlers from Scotland who inspired the naming of near-by Balgowan, Glencoe and Dundee.

In order to prebook your tickets on Quicket at a discounted rate, please go to https://www.quicket.co.za/events/182746-fort-nottingham-highland-gathering/

Or the short link: https://qkt.io/F1EBWd

Visit: Facebook: Fortnottinghamgames / Instagram: Fortnottinghamgames

Pictured top: 

Walk the Weight – carrying a 74kg granite rock carried over a circuit between two poles. Current record is 218m 

Pictured below: 

Tug of War – classic eight men teams, the only sport performed backwards!
Kilted Mile – fun from the filed and up the mountain in full view of spectators.
No Highland Gathering is complete without bagpipes and pipe bands!

Photos by Val Adamson

Supplied.

Another week another newsletter. Not quite! You can find new ways to LOVE LOCAL FIRST and LOVE LOCAL REAL HARD every week. Rather like a lasting marriage that works because two people choose to fall in love with each other over and over again, every single day. 

There are so many ways to love local and if we all choose to do this more often in Howick and the surrounding KZN Midlands, it will make our community stronger.

Read this week's newsletter to keep on loving local real hard, and subscribe so we can see who is part of our tribe.

#LovelocalRealHard

Bathed in the morning light... like a phoenix rising from the ashes. She is an unbelievably beautiful bird, with a mate and territory waiting for her return. From broken damsel in distress, she is most certainly a regal beauty now. While they may not look like it when perched, with all their feathers fluffed up, Long-crested Eagles have very long legs designed for pouncing down into long grass to catch rodents and other small animals. They specialize in hunting vlei rats. With formidable feet and talons, not much escapes direct contact. 

Like all true eagles, they have feathers right down their legs to their feet. But Longcrested Eagle legs have another important feature - females have snowy white leggings, while males are often streaked or blotched with fine brown markings. The loss of her right eye has not slowed this bird down. While she still has a few more tests to go, we are confident that her age and experience more than make up for the loss of eyesight in the one eye.

We specialize in second chances. In this case, it is for the Longcrested Eagle which sustained a damaged eye and broken mandible after a vehicle strike. She is lucky to be alive, lucky to have been found and rescued, and lucky to have our dedicated team of vets and rehabbers willing to go the extra mile to see her get that second chance.

We love what we do, and how we do it...

We cannot do it alone! Let's pull together to help our wildlife:
Become a FreeMe Wildlife Custodian -
https://www.freemewildlife.org/custodian

Donate (it takes 10 minutes of your time) -
https://www.freemewildlife.org/donate

Have a look at our website for other ideas of how you can help - www.freemewildlife.org

More about FreeMe Wildlife

The last Friday of every month is always a fun one at UWBC as we play our Woodstone Craft Café Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. 18 Teams entered and a great day of bowls was had by all. The results of the day were as follows:-

Winners: Charles Arter, Stefanie Crause & Neill Birdsey
Runners Up: Colin Norris, Pat Norris & Lisa Nagel
Third: Mike Scheffer, Bob Chetty & Barry Fairbrother
Plate Winners: Steve Smith, Ann Cacho & Bruce Tucker

Thank you to our sponsors for an amazing day!

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, 9 August: FUN DAY of Killer Bowls (4-3-2-1 Format) Pre-entries required. Start time 09h30
Wednesday, 10 August: Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips. Start time 13h15
Tuesday, 16 August: J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00
Friday, 26 August: Woodstone Cafe Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00
Regular days and start times are Tuesdays at 09h00, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 13h30.
Visitors are always welcome.

Coaching by registered coaches is available. Phone 0711643162

More about Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club

THIS MONTH WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SOLAR PLEXUS.

What is that you ask?

The third energy center of the body is the Manipura Chakra or the Solar Plexus Chakra. It is one of 7 chakras. The position of the Solar Plexus Chakra is located just above the navel. This chakra is where your power and self-confidence manifests.

When the Solar Plexus Chakra is in balance, a person experiences confidence, is self-motivated and has a sense of purpose. When surrounded by negative energy, he or she can suffer from low self-esteem, feel troubled making decisions, and have control issues.

So this month let's take back our power by working on ourselves to feel on top of the world.

What we feed and give energy to, will grow. Let's do some inner work:
Do you feel you are on the right path in life?
If yes, let's help you stay on that path.
If No, let's help you get onto that path and allow you to carve A LIFE PATH out for yourself.
You know when you have a Gut feeling about something, and more often than not , something comes about and then you acknowledge that you had that feeling. That is your inner voice. Trust that Gut, it always knows what is best for you.

We all have to continuously cleanse that Gut out - PROBIOTICS - PROBIOTICS - that is what we have here, pure natural refreshing BMS BIOTICS KOMBUCHA.

As you cleanse your GUT OUT
It will work for you.
It will guide you.
Relax and tune in.

Your Gut is a mini brain, 100 millions neurons from your oesophagus to your recturm. It is highly intelligent.

Listen to your GUT, IT IS YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS Mind, it knows what is good for you, it knows what is serving you .

Listen to your GUT, follow the guidance of your intuition and let us know how we can serve you with BMS Natural Probiotic Flavoured, refreshing KOMBUCHA .

Get your BMS Biotics Kombucha today and start LISTENING to that inner voice. Our selected flavours for the solar plexus chakra are:
Ginger
Lemon ginger
Pineapple ginger
Fennel
Please note we have numerous other seasonal flavors in stock too.

We are sending you so much love and blessings. Thank you for your continued support.

To get in touch with us you can
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WhatsApp Terry: 074 1661710 / Brendon: 06 78613310

More about BMS Biotics Homemade Kombucha

Many factors can lead to premature ageing, but luckily there are new treatments available every day to help your skin regain its youthful vigour. As you age, elasticity in your skin reduces and collagen is destroyed. A new treatment known as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) can treat the effects of aging by injecting platelets and other growth factors into the face, which stimulates cells to produce more collagen and elastin.

Dr. Saumya T. Gautam, an aesthetic medical doctor and co-owner of S&S Aesthetics - who is specialising in aesthetic medicine and advanced skin health, she is passionate about protecting and preserving the largest organ of the body, the skin, explains what PRP is and how this new treatment works.

While it may feel daunting having platelets injected into your skin, they are large cells that help the body clot and serve to promote healing and rejuvenation. Just like when you cut yourself, platelets rush to the injury site and stick together to form a seal that stops the bleeding. This property helps the body heal itself and also releases chemicals that attract other cells to the injury site to help with the repair.

And that is not all, platelets also contain growth factors that can promote tissue regeneration by stimulating cell growth and multiplication.

“PRP therapy is a new treatment that is becoming increasingly popular,” says Dr. Saumya. “This treatment involves taking a small sample of your blood. Using a blood centrifuge machine, the platelets are then separated from the rest of the blood cells. The platelets are then injected back into your skin using a very fine needle.”

She adds that PRP skin therapy is beneficial for the skin as it can help stimulate collagen production and improve the overall appearance of the skin. It can also help to improve skin tone and texture, as well as reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

PRP therapy can also be used to treat a variety of other ailments such as baldness, joint pains, sports injuries, erythema, hyperpigmentation, rosacea, and telangiectasia.

“Since PRP is made from your own blood, it is completely natural and safe,” she says. “Although the prospect of extracting blood and using needles to inject growth factors into the face may sound daunting, the procedure is actually quite simple, safe and relatively painless.”

How it works
For ease and comfort, a topical anesthetic is applied to the dermis to minimise any discomfort. After waiting for 20 to 30 minutes, once the area is completely numb, the patient is ready for the procedure to begin.

For patients who may be feeling uneasy around needles or experience anxiety at the mere thought of a syringe, the skin couture experts at S&S Aesthetics have the option of injecting the treatment using NanoSoft™ by Fillmed. The NanoSoft™ is around three times smaller than a normal injection needle. It improves patient comfort, minimises the risk of bruising and makes the rest of the aesthetic process so much easier.

“To ensure that the treatment is applied safely, we take every precaution and safety protocol is followed by our medical aesthetic experts,” explains Dr. Saumya.

If you want a more dramatic result, you can combine PRP treatment with micro-needling for even younger-looking skin. Micro-needling is a process that uses fine needles to create microscopic punctures in the skin, which can stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.

The micro-needling creates tiny channels in the skin, which allows the PRP to be absorbed more deeply. This can help to improve the overall texture and appearance of the skin, as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

“New advancements in technologies, like the 1NEED medical microneedling pen that we use - is one of the very few devices in the world to have a CE medical certificate for microneedling and microdermabrasion treatments - creates a far superior result,” she adds.

PRP facial treatments take around 60 to 90 minutes on average. This includes the time it takes to numb the face and prepare the PRP. The actual injection time is usually around 15 minutes. Most patients see optimal results after three PRP treatments spaced four to six weeks apart.

However, she notes that some patients may need more frequent treatment in order to maintain results.

Although the platelet-rich plasma facial is a new treatment, it shows great promise for those seeking a younger-looking complexion. The treatment is minimally invasive and can be done in a single session, making it an attractive option for busy people. In addition, there is little to no downtime after the procedure, which is another plus.

If you are considering this treatment, looking for advice or medical information on skin health you can go to www.sandsaesthetics.co.za or follow @sands_aesthetics.

Supplied.

Our monthly J Leslie Smith 2-4-2 Sponsored competition was held on Tuesday, 19th July and what a beautiful day for it! We had a great turn out on the day and were treated to a delicious carrot cake courtesy of Maggie’s Coffee Shop. The winners of the day were Koos Marais & Stephanie Crause, with the runners up being Steve Smith and Melanie Ross. Winners of the plate event were Kevin Palmer and Wendy Smith

Pictured here – Left to Right: Koos Marais, Lisa Nagel, Stephanie Crause.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Friday, 29 July: Woodstone Cafe Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00
Tuesday, 9 August: FUN DAY of Killer Bowls (4-3-2-1 Format) Pre-entries required. Start time 09h30
Wednesday, 10 August: Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips. Start time 13h15
Tuesday, 16 August: J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00
Friday, 26 August: Woodstone Cafe Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00

Regular days and start times are Tuesdays at 09h00, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 13h30.

Visitors are always welcome.

Coaching by registered coaches is available. Phone 0711643162.

Thank you to Stuart McLean and Dilys Drennan for rescuing these 'unwanted' chicks, and to the dedicated team at FreeMe Wildlife for doing such a splendid job raising them and settling them into their new home in an owl box on Belinda McLintock's property. Thank you Belinda for being such a good owl host, and for providing us with updates on the young owlets journeys to adulthood.

If you are not familiar with the work we do as part of the project, please take a look at our website. We don't just sell owl boxes! www.freemewildlife.org/shop

We would love to grow a support base for our work, so please consider donating to cover owl rescues and rehoming: www.freemewildlife.org/donate (use Owl as your reference so we know its for us)

Pictured here: Andrew (FreeMe Wildlife) arrived on site to settle the young owls into their new home. The owlets were taken out the transport box one by one and gently settled into the owl box.

Pictured below: Fortunately we had several owl box owners with empty boxes offering to be release sites for these youngsters. Since they were originally from the Underberg area, Belinda McLintock's unoccupied Barn Owl box in Himeville was selected as the right spot to become their new home.

This chick is 9 weeks old today!

After observing a few Wattled crane chicks I have definitely come to the conclusion that each chick has its own unique little character and personality!

These parents really have their hands full with this little chick. When they sense danger - a dog or predator, they will tell their chick to hide and then walk off in the opposite direction to draw the attention away from the chick but this little guy (or girl) definitely has a mind of its own!. Other chicks will hide and keep very still and not move. This chick will hide and almost seems to get bored as it will move from one clump of grass to the next, or pop it’s head up like a periscope, have a quick look around and then disappear. Just like a mischievous child. The parents are constantly talking to it and almost sound like the are scolding it!

More about Karkloof Conservation 

UWBC has been a hive of activity recently! We’re in the midst of a revamp and the clubhouse is looking young and fresh again! Also lots of planning going on for our Killer Bowls fun day on Tuesday, 9th of August when we’ll be treating 60 bowlers to a day of fun and games and prizes galore!

In the middle of all this activity we played our monthly Greendale Spar 3 Bowl Trips competition. Another great competition enjoyed by all. Congratulations to the winning team of Des Blackford, Melanie Ross and Peter Burton. The runners up were Mike Scheffer, Grace Mainprize and Calvin Anderson.

Thank you to our sponsors for a fantastic day!

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, 9 August: FUN DAY of Killer Bowls (4-3-2-1 Format) Pre-entries required. Start time 09h30
Wednesday, 10 August: Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips. Start time 13h15
Tuesday, 16 August: J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00
Friday, 26 August: Woodstone Cafe Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Pre-entries required. Start time 09h00
Regular days and start times are Tuesdays at 09h00, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 13h30.
Visitors are always welcome.

Coaching by registered coaches is available. Phone 0711643162

More about Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club

Celebrating women this August, SPAR KZN is excited to announce that an “in-person” 5km race will now take place in conjunction with the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge that is being hosted nationally on Saturday 3 September.

The Virtual Challenge was a compromise made due to the uncertainty of COVID regulations earlier in 2022, and as pandemic regulations have been removed, the organisers have added a physical event in KZN to make it a hybrid challenge. There are now three options to run the race: physically in Durban, virtually anywhere on a route selected by the entrant, or with any Park Run, which has partnered with the race.

The race organisers have designed a spectacular 5km route taking in the Durban beachfront and running on the famous promenade with the start and finish close to Suncoast. The run will get underway at 7am.

The usual race registration will take place between 10:00 and 18:00 on Thursday 1 September and Friday 2 September at Suncoast. Participants can collect their race packs and race numbers between 10am and 4pm. Entries combined between the Virtual and In-person events are limited to 10,000 athletes. Participants can still enter to run the Virtual Challenge on their own or with a Park Run, and to collect their race packs at participating stores in KZN.

Race Ambassadors, Raeesa Mahomed, Precious Mthembu, Lisa Bobbert, and Zinhle Ndawonde are training hard and will be out in full force with their family and friends on the day too. Participants can engage with them on the “SPAR KZN Womens 10 and 5km Race” on social media, where there are prizes to be won.

SPAR KZN will happily change out your virtual entry to the in-person event. To organize this, please contact our Race Office on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To enter our fun 5km run or find out more info visit https://sparwomensrace.co.za/durban5km

Pictured here: Going up, looking forward to participating in the upcoming SPAR KZN Women’s Race, SPAR KZN race ambassadors, actress and comedian, Lisa Bobbert, former Protea’s Netball star, Baby Proteas coach and teacher, Precious Mthembu, life coach, radio, TV and film personality, Raeesa Mahomed and The Sharks, SA Rugby and firefighting hero, Zinhle Ndawonde gets in some training. With the dawning of Women’s Month, SPAR KZN has announced the option of an ‘in-person’ event as well as a virtual race on Saturday 3 September.

Photo credit: by Val Adamson

Supplied.

UCSI is your community based information centre for law enforcement and private security companies about any vehicle suspects entering the uMngeni area.

We assist affiliated members with tracking missing vehicles.

CALL TO ACTION FOR MERRIVALE AND HOWICK WEST SUBURBS:
We have projects that could include a gantry in Merrivale and at Prospect road. But we can not build a gantry if we can not keep it operating. UCSI is looking for pledges from the local suburb communities to maintain the monthly operating costs.

July action on the cameras:

04 July
Hilton: A vehicle reported as stolen activated a camera which was loaded to the Response group and actioned. Thanks to AET security and Hilton SAPS a successful stop was made.

06 July
N3 Hidcote to Townhill A report of a stolen truck heading towards Pmb seen in Hidcote area. The community group was used to coordinate the team for a successful stop on Town hill. Well done to all involved. N3 Law enforcement, Hilton SAPS, AET and Magma.

07 July
Hilton; A vehicle reported as stolen, activated a camera was loaded to Response group and actioned. An AET member found and followed it towards Mpophomeni area. With assistance from Sompisi they managed to stop the vehicle. Mpophomeni SAPS assisted in getting vehicle impounded.

12 July
Howick Protest action: There are some vehicles possibly involved.

23 July
Hilton; A suspect stolen vehicle activated a camera and was loaded to the response group. This vehicle was been transported on a tow truck. An AET member contacted the company and received information that vehicle supposedly recovered and been returned. No further info. Vehicle not found in Hilton.

28 July
Merrivale; A suspected stolen vehicle was seen in cameras and loaded to group and actioned with a positive stop. Unfortunately this vehicle was incorrectly identified as possible suspect vehicle. This vehicle is legit and has been removed from the system.

30 July
Upper Dargle; Poaching incident, I loaded 2 vehicles that were found poaching in the Upper Dargle area.

UCSI would like to thank those community members that take time away from their families to go out into the chilly evenings to patrol the neighborhood. These Guys and Gals of the local CPFs are real Superheroes.

Be safe and vigilant at all times. If something feels "off" report it to your local CPF group, Security or SAPs member, no matter how small.
You could be saving a life that you will never know about.

How can you get involved in the UCSI?
Contact Deon from the UCSI by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or whatsapp 063 068 9652 for more information on how to join and contribute.

You are welcome to donate monthly or once off yearly.

Affiliated members have access to ask for assistance in any reported crime involving a vehicle.

The UCSI will issue Section 18A certificates for CAPEX and OPEX donations of any amount.

Stay safe – we got this!

Yours sincerely
Deon Tegg Operations Manager UCSI
063 068 9652

The UCSI Board of Directors
Themba Ndulini (Chairperson), Krish Ramkuber and Terence James

As the week ends we look over our shoulders at frosty mornings past and rainy ones ahead as we share more ideas on how you can LOVE LOCAL FIRST and LOVE LOCAL REAL HARD, read this weeks Howick newsletter. If you resonate with the concept of supporting small businesses more often than not, please choose to subscribe to our newsletter so we can help you to support the awesome entrepreneurs in Howick and surrounds. Your local love keeps small Midlands businesses banging on! #LovelocalRealHard

Highlights this week include;

A focus on KetaMIND; new hope to those with resistant depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, post partum depression and chronic pain conditions like CRPS (RSD), fibromyalgia, neuralgia and migraines.

MrD Food Howick is looking to employ the services of qualified drivers with their own vehicles or motorbikes. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Find a friend with a surplus of Seville oranges to make your own chunky marmalade, it works best in this recipe. Alternately, head across to Rotunda Farm Stall for a jar of their locally produced and very delicious Seville Orange Marmalade. This is a small batch, it will make one standard oven tray, so it will probably not last long in the pantry. 

Marmalade Breakfast Rusks

2 cups Self-raising flour
1 ½ cups Oats
½ cup Sunflower Seeds
½ cup Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Marmalade – if you are making the marmalade yourself, chunky cut marmalade will be best
1 cup Buttermilk
2 Jumbo Eggs
125g Butter melted
1 tsp Cinnamon & 1 tsp Ground Ginger (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C

Mix the self-raising flour, oats, sugar, seeds, spice and salt together in a large bowl.

In another bowl whisk marmalade into melted butter, add eggs and whisk, add your buttermilk and mix.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until you get a thick dough-like batter. If it is a bit dry, add a splash more buttermilk. A sticky batter is good but do not overmix.

Place your rusk batter into a rectangular baking tin that has been lined with baking paper. The tin size should be roughly 22cm x 30cm with a 3 to 4cm rim. Spread evenly in the tin.

Bake for 40 or 45 minutes and until a light golden brown.

Once rusks are cooked through, remove and allow to cool on a rack. Slide or tip over onto a supporting rack with care so they do not break apart. After about 30 minutes, or when the rusks are properly cool, place on a large cutting board. Cut rusks to the size that you prefer. Place these on the rack that fits in your oven pan, allow for a gap in between each rusk.

Dry out overnight in a 60C oven or for 3 hours in a 100C oven. Turn them over once if you can. If you cut your rusks thick they will need a longer second bake/drying time.

Electric oven user note: If you are using an electric oven loosely cover with tin foil at the start of baking to prevent the top surface from over browning, remove this foil after 20 minutes of baking.

Gas oven user note: For a gas oven, bake in a double layer oven tray or line the tin with 2 layers of paper or use cardboard for the bottom layer. In a gas oven there is no need for a foil cover on top. When you dry the rusks during the second bake, wedge a wooden spoon between the oven and the oven door.

Next up – all of the above with a few hand broken pieces of Chocolate Sensations Belgian dark chocolate!

SOUTH AFRICAN EXPEDITION TEAM REACHES THE TOP OF THE WORLD

Nine months and close to 35,000 kilometres after setting out from Cape Agulhas on the southern tip of the African continent, the South African-based Kingsley Holgate expedition team has reached Nordkapp in Norway's Arctic Circle.

Two years in the making, it is the first 'Hot Cape to Cold Cape' transcontinental expedition to travel the entire length of Africa and Europe in recent years, and the 40th geographic and humanitarian odyssey for the renowned explorer and his experienced team.

Speaking from Nordkapp, a jubilant Kingsley said, "At the latitude of 71 degrees north, this is the most northern extremity of Europe you can drive to. Here, 300-metre-high sheer cliffs plunge down into the Arctic Ocean, which stretches to the North Pole.

"We arrived in the midst of an unseasonal Arctic storm with howling winds, thick mist, freezing rain and near-zero temperatures. But despite the severe conditions and over 270 days of hard travel since leaving Cape Agulhas, it was a momentous moment for the entire team as we proudly flew the South African flag at Nordkapp's famous Globe monument, which marks the 'top' of the world."

To give the occasion some African flair, the team built an isivivane (stone cairn) on the Nordkapp cliffs topped with pebbles from Cape Agulhas, and symbolically emptied seawater collected from Africa’s southern tip where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, which has been carried in the well-travelled Zulu calabash.

As with all Holgate expeditions, this Defender Transcontinental Expedition was also a journey of purpose. Travelling in three expedition-kitted new Land Rover Defenders, the six-member team conducted humanitarian work that assisted some 300,000 people along the expedition’s route through Africa.

The crossing of Africa was not without challenges. “When we started from Cape Agulhas, cross-border travel was extremely difficult because of Covid-19 restrictions,” explained expedition leader and logistics expert Ross Holgate, Kingsley’s son. “Add to that, wars and uprisings across the breadth of North Africa meant that for the first time in decades, Africa was pretty much off-limits to overland travellers.

“We had to re-route to avoid the civil war in Ethiopia and travel through disputed territories between South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan. In doing so, we inadvertently became the first expedition in 30 years to cross Africa from south to north through the two Sudans.”

Reaching Europe, the expedition traversed Greece, North Macedonia and the Western Balkan countries of Kosovo and Serbia, including a re-route through Montenegro, to reach Hungary and Slovakia. Avoiding the war in Ukraine, the team took roads less travelled through eastern Poland close to the border with Belarus and into the Balkan states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. They then crossed the Baltic Sea and traversed the length of Finland, before crossing into Norway at the most northern border point in Europe.

“We’re a team who delight in achieving geographic goals,” continued Ross Holgate. “The challenges of these past nine months were all the more worthwhile when the three battle-hardened Defenders finally reached the cliffs of Nordkapp and ‘Shova Mike’ Nixon, who cycled much of the route from Cape Agulhas, arrived on his gravel bike in the freezing Arctic mist and rain.”

"What has been an overwhelming experience of this journey is how ordinary people in every country we’ve journeyed through, no matter their age, nationality, culture, race or religion, just want to live in peace,” concluded Kingsley. “The expedition’s Scroll of Peace and Goodwill is full of hundreds of heartwarming messages.

“That’s one of the best things about expanding your horizons through travel and adventure; it gives one hope for the future.”

Pictured here above;
The Kingsley Holgate expedition team celebrates the culmination of their nine month, 35,000 kilometre journey from the southern tip of the African continent to the most northern point in Europe by flying both the South African and Norwegian flags at the famous Nordkapp Globe monument.

Pictured here below;
A jubilant Kingsley Holgate expedition team on arrival at Nordkapp, the geographic end-point of the first 'Hot Cape to Cold Cape' transcontinental journey in recent years.

Supplied.

The 24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, has announced its programme for its first live festival since 2019, which takes place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN from 30 August to 11 September 2022.

The theme of this JOMBA! centres around “the (im)possibility of home”, and offers dance and theatre fans a treat of 13 days of world-class contemporary dance and performance from both local and international dance-makers. Artists hail from Mozambique, Switzerland, Reunion Island, India, and of course, includes the very best that South Africa has to offer. This edition offers a powerhouse of performances, workshops, after-performance Q & A’s, panel discussions, virtual screen dance, and the return of the JOMBA! youth dance platform that continues to support the growth of Durban’s young dance communities.

“We are thrilled and relieved to be finally presenting our much-loved festival – live and in-person, while keeping some works and events online to include those not able to attend,” says Artistic Director and Curator, Dr Lliane Loots. “This year, through the theme “the (im)possibility of home”, we have set out to interrogate a series of dance offerings that negotiate heritage, culture, nostalgia, and identity, which explore a sense of belonging and how this persists, changes, and transforms through time – and what a time (both local and global) for this moment!”

Within this theme, Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe will be honoured as the 2022 JOMBA! Legacy Artist. “This year marks a 30-year history of Mantsoe’s career as a dancer and choreographer and we can think of no better way to honour this incredible icon in South Africa’s historical dance trajectory than to celebrate with him,” says Loots.

There will be a live performance of Mantsoe’s new solo work KOMA, the screening of his short dance film CUT (part 1) made during lockdown and his two-year process (2021 and 2022) of working with Durban’s FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY and the long journey to making CUT (part 2) – which will premiere at the festival, and he will present a masterclass.

South Africa’s doyens of contemporary dance - the controversial and critical dance-makers – Mamela Nyamza (pictured here top left) and Nelisiwe Xaba feature with Xaba opening this year's festival in a collaboration with Swiss dance maker Marie-Caroline Hominal in a work intriguingly and simply titled Hominal/Xaba.

The deeply interrogated and thoughtful Mamela Nyamza offers her newest work GROUNDED. performed with her son Amkele Mandla, in which she offers us a look into her South Africa where democracy superficially seems to be in a working condition, but actually has small cracks not easy to see.

In partnership with the Goethe-Institut South Africa, JOMBA! will host the inimitable Mozambican dance-maker Edna Jaime in her remarkable solo Um Segundo (One Second).

Fana Tshabalala (pictured below - photo credit Val Adamson), the 2019 JOMBA! Mellon Artist in Residence, makes a welcome return with his Broken Borders Arts Project to premiere his latest solo work Zann, which he began creating as part of the 2019 residency. 



Three new works by Durban choreographers/dancers - Sandile Mkhize, Tegan Peacock, and Pavishen Paideya will premiere at the festival. All three were given grants to help push their creation of new local work in the JOMBA! EDGE mentored platform.

The JOMBA! YOUTH OPEN HORIZONS (formerly the Youth Fringe), will feature a host of local dance talent at The Stable Theatre.

The virtual offerings include the JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES, OPEN HORIZONS and an online panel discussion.

In the JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES platform Mozambican choreographer and dancer Pak Ndjamena, who collaborates with photographer and filmmaker Ivan Barros, has been commissioned to make a screen dance offering One Step at a Time; while Reunion Island’s Didier Boutiana and his company SOUL CITY present a dance film titled Le Sol Oblige (The Earth Obliges) a humbling and beautiful look at the relationship of the individual to ideas of home and land, and to community. Mantsoe’s Cut (part 1) features online here too.

JOMBA! OPEN HORIZONS (formerly the JOMBA! Fringe) continues to support dance-makers working in film. A jury will select six films to showcase from a call for submissions earlier this year, and the top three will be announced after the viewing.

The festival closes with a virtual conversation between Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore, India) and artist Simon Senn (Switzerland) looks at the dance work of this amazing centre and the incredible project between Senn and Bharatha Natyam dancer Rohee Oberoi.

There are three open workshops (dancers over 16 only) for dancers and dance-makers, an industry-related session entitled JOMBA! Forging Futures, and the much-valued JOMBA! KHULUMA online writing residency will feature write-ups, interviews and reviews. More details to be announced soon.

Live performances take place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (UKZN), the Stable Theatre (one performance and free) as well as virtual/online (free) .

Tickets for Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre performances are R80 full price, R65 – students, scholars and pensioners. Booking is through Computicket.

Supplied.

Most people are accustomed to making appointments for regular checkups as part of their medical care. Annual physicals, dental checkups and vision tests are all commonplace, but not many pay as much attention to their hearing.

How often you have your hearing tested depends on your age. While a check up every 3-5 years is recommended for those aged between 18 and 40, annual checkups/tests are recommended for:
* people over 60 years of age
* people who are regularly exposed to loud noises
* people with hearing loss

While most hearing loss is caused by ageing, without routine hearing tests, there’s a chance that a hearing problem could go undiagnosed for months or years.

If you’re in need of a hearing screening, comprehensive hearing test or a hearing device, contact Butlin Hearing.

Call Claire in Howick on 033 330 3966, or Mark in Pietermaritzburg on 033 342 2330 to book your appointment, and let Butlin Hearing welcome you to the world of sound!

Happy Mandela Day!! For our second day of our monthly #PACT clinic we were at Woodview Primary school in Phoenix. Lotus FM were doing live broadcasts all day and the donated goods came rolling in! We had a hectic day of steri's as we needed to do 6 dogs that we couldn't fit in yesterday, and still managed to do 24 cats and radio interviews in between!! Dr Lee is a machine!!

Well done PACT on educating people on the importance of getting your pets sterilised and for organising and fund raising for the monthly clinics.

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