Be kind and support our children

Be kind and support our children

Writer Hedda Mittner

Having hung up her Country Market hat, Liza van Coppenhagen recently donned a new one with the opening of a charity shop for Hermanus Child & Family Services (HCFS) in Victoria Square named ‘Be Kind’, right next to the Eatery and opposite Hemingways. The shop is crammed with second-hand goods, ranging from books and bric-a-brac to clothing, linen, toys and stationery.

The focus, however, is clearly on babies and young children. There are cots and car seats, baby clothes and shoes, blankies and softie toys. “We’ve had amazing support from the public,” says Liza, “and more donations arrive every day. That keeps the shop interesting as you never know what you’ll find here – and the goods are so well-priced that they just fly off the shelves!”

Raising funds for Hermanus Child & Family Services (formerly Child Welfare) is a cause close to Liza’s heart and she was approached by board member, Claire Hugo, to get the shop off the ground. “I’m just the facilitator here,” says Liza, “and Asiphe Mbuku is the one who will eventually be managing the shop.” Nineteenyear-old Asiphe, who matriculated last year, has herself been cared for and protected by HCFS during her childhood and is now ready to brave the adult world on her own.

Click on the newspaper below to read the full story (see page 15).