LIBRARY LAUNCH (2013)
Click on the words above to read about and see photos of our Library Launch during 2013.
LIBRARY PROJECT AT WALMER ESTATE PRIMARY
Tuesday 8 March 2011 was a very special day at Walmer Estate Primary School (WEPS). We had special visitors at school from the Waterfront Rotary Club: Michelle Whitehead, David Catling, Jenny Howard and Karin Lawrenz. They came to administer the induction of our very own Early Act Club at WEPS Primary. Mr Edrees Diedericks of Berry and Donaldson also attended, since we awarded 26 learners with Behaviour and Academic Bursaries – sponsored by them.
After all formalities were concluded, we discussed some of the needs of the school. Ms Howard then proposed to assist us in obtaining a container, which would be developed into a school library. We obviously welcomed this suggestion, since we do not have a library; neither do we have any spare rooms to use towards such a development. Mr Catling took it upon himself – our school’s liaison with WRC - to see that this idea would become a reality.
After a number of further meetings with the WRC and myself, they finally managed to secure a container for our school. This was delivered to our school on 6 June 2011.
David and his team then started to investigate the costs involved in turning this huge steel box into a library. He would often visit me to discuss proposals, developments and the astronomical costs involved in realizing this project. He always assured me not to worry, since “we (WRC) will find the necessary funds...”
To us just having a group of people thinking about us and trying their best to make a difference was already wonderful – since we’ve become so used to asking and begging for donations and assistance, that we’ve decided to stop sending hundreds of letters to companies in order to get some funds to keep the school going.
The day when the (would be library) container was delivered to WEPS was a great day. This was the day that our dream of one day having a real library for the benefit of all the (disadvantaged) learners at our school (who are mostly from Khayelitsha, Cross Roads, Langa and Gugulethu) would become a reality. We were all very excited at this prospect.
Here are some pictures showing the delivery of the huge container on 6 June 2011:
David Catling and his fellow rotarians have finally managed to secure some funding towards the renovations of this container, as the first stage towards turning this huge steel box into a functioning library for the benefit of all our learners.
Here are some pictures:
The builders emptying the container to start the process.
Here Mr David Catling from Waterfront Rotary proudly shows
how they start fitting the window frames.
Mr Kamish (Principal) watches how the windows are being finalized,
and the burglar bars fitted.
David Catling shows how proud he is of a job well done (below):
After painting the interior (Mr Creighton), Mr Salie proudly shows off the shelves which were fitted and painted by himself and Mr September:
Miss Estelle (WRC) is proud to assist with the arrangement of the first books in our new library. These books were donated by various organisations, which include the Leap School in Pinelands and the Bookery in Cape Town.
Carol Jaars eagerly observes while being trained as a librarian by Estelle Esterhuysen:
Estelle running one of several workshops (training new librarians at neighbouring schools) in our new container library.
It's clear that we still need lots of books, so anyone with donations towards books or equipment towards our library are welcome to contact us at school, or David Catling at WRC.
For a Timeline account of the process by Mr David Catling of the Waterfront Rotary Club, follow the link below:
