Cape Town - The Gatesville Neighbourhood Watch is appealing for help to spread some Christmas cheer among their seniors this December.
For several months now, the watch has been running a successful seniors club at Rylands Civic Centre, where senior citizens meet once a week to socialise, exercise and participate in arts and crafts classes.
The Gatesville Seniors Club, which was started in February, has 30 members, from 55 to 90 years old.
Watch chairperson, Fowzia Veerasamy, says they were worried about the mental health of seniors who sat at home and looked after grandchildren all day.
“They had no place where they could go and meet with other seniors. Some of them are also living in dire straights where they have to use the little pension they get to feed grandchildren and look after an entire household,” Fowzia says.
GIVE: Plea to give Gatesville seniors a hand
“Many of them are also affected by family members and children who are on drugs and this can weigh heavily on them. So the club gives them a little bit of an escape and we have seen a change in them.”
The watch will hold a Christmas party for the seniors on 13 December and are appealing to Capetonians to donate small gifts.
“It does not have to be fancy, but the seniors are so deprived of simple things that we as ladies take for granted, like perfume. Do you know these grandmothers cannot even afford a can of spray? They buy that big powder that stretches for months and that is their perfume.”