A group of grade 10 learners from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch recently renovated a local flower shop outside of Eikestad Mall as a part of a Life Orientation (LO) task.
This was according to Liam Basson, a learner at Paul Roos who came up with the idea.
The nine learners involved repainted Die Blomstalletjie’s exterior, replaced the rotten wood, weeded the thatched roof and fixed up old shelves and chairs, said Basson.
The Paul Roos Gymnasium students worked like “a rugby team” to revamp Die Blomstalletjie, a local flower shop in Stellenbosch, as part of their Life Orientation project, said Gaye Barbour, owner of Die Blomstalletjie. PHOTO: Jess Holing
Getting to work
“The goal was to get learners involved in their own community,” said Emsie de Lange, head of LO at Paul Roos Gymnasium. They were given the opportunity to give their time, instead of just money, she said.
The learners were split into groups and tasked with choosing a person or object to assist in women’s month, said Basson. Basson’s group renovated Die Blomstalletjie on 9 August, when Women’s Day is celebrated.
The learners were given ladders, tools, paintbrushes and other equipment by Basson’s father who is a construction worker, said Basson.
“We only had five hours to complete the task, but we pushed through and had an amazing experience,” said Reuben de Wit, a Paul Roos learner who was involved in the project.
This will be an annual project for grade 10s, who are encouraged to make time to follow up and identify more work, said De Lange.
Die Blomstalletjie, a local flower shop in Stellenbosch, is now light, clean and loved, representing what it stands for, said Gaye Barbour, owner of the shop. This follows the efforts of a group of grade 10 Paul Roos Gymnasium learners to revamp the shop as part of a women’s month initiative, said Barbour (pictured above). PHOTO: Jess Holing
An informal ‘heritage site’
“It came out of the blue,” said Gaye Barbour, the owner of the shop.
Barbour had spoken to people about improving the wooden structure, which was built in 1970, but did not have access to funds to do renovations, said Basson.
The hut was unstable and in need of some tender loving care, said Basson, who explained that Die Blomstalletjie serves as an informal heritage site for the Stellenbosch community.
Good news is very important in these times.
The fact that the community came together to assist her was a very special experience, said Barbour. She sees the space as a symbol of community, Barbour stated.
“By the time we finished the project, we were all quite emotional,” said Basson. For many of the boys involved in the project, this was their first experience dealing with community service, he explained.
The learners were told that when you give something, it’s never about receiving praise for it, Barbour said. “But people should know that good things do happen. Good news is very important in these times.”
Gaye Barbour, owner of local flower shop, Die Blomstalletjie is known as ‘the prayer watchman of Eikestad’, because it has been there for such a long time, according to Liam Basson, a learner at Paul Roos Gymnasium who helped to revamp the shop for Women’s Day. PHOTO: Jess Holing