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Good morning, Parents, Guardians, Families, Heads of Department, and members of the Sunfield Board.
Welcome to our 2026 Annual General Meeting. I hope to connect personally with as many of you as possible after the meeting—please do come say hello; I would love the chance to catch up.
The past year has flown by as our team worked tirelessly to keep Sunfield thriving seamlessly. Now in my third year as General Manager, much of my focus has centred on the Schafer development and our broader capital projects. It has been a dynamic year marked by deep purpose, steady progress, and achievements that truly reflect the vibrant spirit of our home.
Our strength lies in our people, and we have enjoyed a remarkably stable and dedicated team this year:
Mar Louise is fully entrenched in her role, bringing warmth and stability to her team.
Sharon and Debbie have settled wonderfully into our daily medical routines, ensuring our residents receive gentle, attentive care.
Stephanie has proven to be a brilliant and valuable addition to our administrative team.
Marosil has been a wonderful find for our Arts & Crafts Creative Workshop, sparking vibrant artistic expression among residents.
Through funding from the Department of Social Development (DSD), we are delighted to welcome Ayanda as our new Social Worker.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to my HODs and to Graham for their unwavering support, deep commitment, and hard work throughout the year.
Feedem has been with us for 18 months now, with their current contract running through January 2027. Partnering with Feedem has streamlined our operations and brought great consistency. We continue to optimize this partnership to maximize value from Woolworths and Checkers food donations, keeping meal costs contained without compromising quality. A special thank you to Graham from Feedem for embracing these operational refinements so enthusiastically.
The Durban bus service remains a lifeline for our regional families, especially given ongoing highway roadworks. We have established preset transport dates for the year while maintaining the flexibility to adjust schedules based on parent feedback.
Both our DSD and Department of Health (DOH) grants were up for renewal this year. The DOH has formally confirmed the continuation of funding, and we are awaiting formal confirmation of the new Transfer Payment Agreement (TPA) from the DSD following a successful collaborative joint audit by both departments.
Following our study trip to the Western Cape last year, we have actively empowered our workshop champions as we transition into our updated facilities:
We are blessed with dedicated volunteers who regularly teach Woodwork and Sewing. We are structuring our new coffee shop and bakery to grow into a viable commercial enterprise. Meanwhile, our upcycling workshop is gaining momentum through a wonderful partnership with Singakwenza, producing early childhood development toys and games.
Our residents are thoroughly loving the completed workshop spaces, and our team is hard at work finalizing the remaining three areas.
Tim Smeeton continues to open his dairy farm to our residents every Thursday. Rotating groups fortnightly gives every resident hands-on exposure to farm life—an absolute highlight of their week. Thank you, Tim and Ali, for your enduring warmth and generosity.
We maintain our fortnightly stall at the Amber Glen market alongside regular visits to the Care Centre. We also hosted residents from The Ambers for our annual concert, which enjoyed a warm turnout despite the chilly weather.
A true Midlands treasure, our shop draws a full parking lot every Friday. Heartfelt thanks to the Friends of Sunfield (FoSH) under the guidance of Barbara Higgins, Les Thurtell, Pam Christie, and our fantastic team of volunteers whose dedication—and the community’s generous donations—make the shop such a triumph.
We continue to cherish our close ties with Howick Preparatory and Howick High School, whose students generously volunteer at our May Fair.
Our partnership with Club 21 hasn’t quite unfolded as we’d hoped. Over the coming weeks, we’ll thoughtfully review the relationship to decide the best way forward for Sunfield.
Our residents have shone brilliantly on regional, national, and international stages this year:
Virtus World Swimming Championships (Bangkok 2025)
Three of our top swimmers had the honor of representing South Africa in Bangkok from 19–31 August 2025. We are immensely proud of Hylton Heggie, Jenna Higgins, and Savanna Haselau for their world-class dedication and sportsmanship.
SASAII National Summer Games (Mbombela)
Representing KwaZulu-Natal from 22–27 March 2026, Jenna Higgins, Savanna Haselau, Hylton Heggie, David Coates, and Hayley Bull delivered outstanding performances in the pool.
Table Tennis Para-Games (Durban)
Accompanied by Kamani, three of our Down Syndrome residents competed with incredible spirit:
National Special Olympics (Rustenburg)
Six swimmers—Jenna Higgins, Savanna Haselau, Emily West, Gail Hutchensen, Carol Mileham, and Hylton Heggie—were selected for the National Special Olympics (27–31 August 2026). While the absence of open-water events meant Savanna could not travel, the team performed exceptionally well. We are thrilled to share that Emily West and Jenna Higgins have been drawn to represent South Africa in Chile next year!
We continue to invest in sustainable energy, water security, and facility improvements to ensure Sunfield remains safe, beautiful, and efficient:
Expansion of our solar installation continues to yield measurable utility savings. At Desmidt, we installed a large solar-powered heat pump system to replace two aging geysers. We also completed the swimming pool relining and began upgrading our borehole system with new filtration and pressure pumps to secure long-term water independence.
Renovation of the laundry building is underway. Once complete, it will feature upgraded laundry facilities, staff changerooms, a staff dining area, and a resident gym.
Sheila Worrall and her gardening team have done extraordinary work around the new Schafer building. With entrance modifications complete, Sheila is planning a full redesign of the main entrance. Deepest gratitude to David and Sheila for the immense time, vision, and tender care they pour into our grounds.
Sincere thanks to Howard for his steadfast guidance across numerous technical projects throughout the year, and to Murray Burger for vigorously contesting our municipal tariff classifications with the local council.
To manage costs effectively, we engaged local handyman Ray Greene on an ad-hoc basis. Ray’s expertise and flexibility allow us to maintain our properties promptly without incurring heavy overheads.
Our annual May Fair was a resounding success, raising R60,000 thanks to incredible backing from our community and the Sunfield Shop. We look forward to replicating this success at our upcoming Christmas Lights event.
Thanks to the proactive efforts of our marketing team, Sunfield’s reputation as a premier residential facility remains strong. We welcomed 7 new residents over the past year and currently have only 4 vacant beds, putting Sunfield in a remarkably healthy financial position.
Three years ago, our Board Chair, David, pledged to get the Schafer project off the ground. His relentless drive to secure capital, combined with Laurie Kohrs’ phenomenal fundraising partnership, achieved what many thought impossible.
Sunfield will be forever grateful to David and Laurie for their visionary leadership and devotion.
To our Board, our extraordinary staff, our loving parents and guardians, and our generous community—thank you for your trust, partnership, and guidance over the past year.
It is a privilege to serve this special home, and I look forward to steering Sunfield into an even brighter, more sustainable 2027.
Sincerely Yours
Don Tully
General Manager
Have any questions? Call or email our General Manager, Don Tully.