• Bloemfontein
• Bethlehem
• Keimos-Upington
• Kimberley
• Kroonstad

• Aliwal
• Cape Town
• De Aar
• Oudtshoorn
• Port Elizabeth
• Queenstown

• Durban
• Dundee
• Eshowe
• Ingwavuma
• Kokstad
• Marionnhill
• Umtata
• Umzimkulu

• Johannesburg
• Klerksdorp
• Witbank

• Pretoria
• Pietersburg/
  Polokwane
• Rustenberg
• Tzaneen

DISCOVERING WHAT CWL IS ALL ABOUT

A lot of people think that the CWL is an organization which makes tea at funerals, Confirmations etc.
Although this is one of the ways we reach out to the community, it certainly isn’t our main focus.

Each branch may take on a project, particular to that branch, for example, Bothasig Branch has recently taken on Boucher House. This is a place in their area for abandon and abused children. Bishop Lavis has “Die Sonskyn Klub”, which is a place where elderly, lonely people can gather for the day, get a meal, learn crafts, or for example, have a dietician come to speak to them on nutrition.

Other examples are branches which take on a local crèche or Old Aged Home and support them where needed, whether financial or not.  Fish Hoek Branch makes up Trauma Packs and delivers them to the local hospital for rape and abused women. These women arrive at the hospital in a traumatic state, with nothing. Worse still, when a child has been raped. These trauma packs are there to bring a little comfort to the person. They comprise of, say, a cake of soap, face cloth, tooth paste, tooth brush, comb, hand cream etc. Children’s ones have perhaps a small toy, sweets or perhaps a colouring-in book and crayons. Many branches give their senior citizens an end of the year party, with each one receiving a gift.

Then we have projects which Diocesan Council take on. Some of these are on going and some are taken on for a limited time. The “permanent” projects are

• Holy Cross Orphanage – Stationery
• Nazareth House – Soap Powder
• Mater Domini Home – Various Needs
• Sisters Incorporate – Various Needs
• Phoenix Burns Unit – Help for those whose whole life has been destroyed by fire
• Cape Town Clothing Guild – This is an interdenominational effort with the CWL being part of it. It has been in existence since the 1800s. Each year members sew, knit and crochet clothing that is distributed to the needy. Only new items are accepted and once a year the enormous task of sorting and distributing, takes place. Last year, over 27,000 articles were distributed.

Example of a “once off” project, was when we paid for a crèche at Capricorn which needed mattresses for the children to sleep on. We supplied them, together with a cupboard, which they needed.

Each year, money is collected and given to the arch bishop at our AGM, for the Education of Priests.

These are just some of the things that the CWL are involved in.  My report on conference will tell you about the Denis Hurley Centre which the Durban Diocesan Council is involved in. Johannesburg diocesan council run an adoption agency.