Park Square, Umhlanga recently hosted their inaugural high tea fundraiser! - Not only did everyone get dressed up and raise their pinkies at this inaugural high tea to witness the R20 000 donation which was proudly handed over by the Park Square team to the Umhlanga Women’s Association (UWA)! The UWA mandate is to serve the underprivileged with sponsored feeding programmes, to leveraging Women in Business through networking and to develop the skills of our youth with mentorship programmes and overall, just lending their support to women. Park Square was the perfect venue to host this event, which was a huge success - from loads of sponsored giveaways, from stays at the Hilton Hotel, Sorbet hampers, jewellery courtesy J Hind, Dermal hampers, massage vouchers from Horizon Health & Beauty and not to forget the fabulous food & refreshments which were enjoyed by all who attended! The fundraiser’s MC was Darren Maule as well as a panel discussion with some local formidable women which included: Lauren Randall (Park Square Centre Manager), Peach Piche (Drinkerbell), Nandhitha (Nandy) Punwasi (Spar Pharmacy Owner), Leanne Vallabhjee (Spar Pharmacy Owner), Zama Mntungwa (Owner, Roast), Trisha Parshotam (Shareholder– Dragon Protection). CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
The Sun & Your Skin: Great Tips for Summer Skincare
For most of us summertime means fun times! Spending more time outdoors, enjoying the longer days and shorter nights, makes us forget that our skin often doesn’t feel the same way! The sun and the heat can take their toll and it’s on us to try to help our skin out. Gone are the days when we were young sprogs where we spent hours and hours in the sun and ended up with the worst sunburn ever. Now, even when going to the shops, hanging up the washing, sitting under the awning, there are some very important tips to help keep wrinkles at bay, minimize UV damage and aging spots - especially with the UV being that much stronger. Here are some guidelines from Granny Mouse Country House & Spa’s Manageress that will definitely keep you safer from the elements while enjoying the long summer days. • Sunscreen – wear it every day all year round and be sure it’s a minimum of SPF 30. Don’t forget your hands, feet, ears and lips. Reapply every couple of hours is also a must and more so if you are hanging out by the pool and swimming. Even though it's our first tip on this list, make sure sunscreen is the last step in your skincare routine. • Lighten your skincare routine - the heat and humidity of summer means you can swop out a heavier cleanser in favour of a gentle, foaming option. • Wear protective clothing - start with a hat, because those harmful rays reach your scalp and your ears when you leave your head unprotected. And remember, caps are not nearly as effective as hats with broad brims, because as they leave your ears exposed. Don’t forget sunglasses. Besides looking good, you'll ward off those little wrinkles at the corners of your eyes. They come from too much time in the sun. You'll protect the whites of your eyes from damage and block that eyeball-searing ultraviolet (UV) light. So, grab those shades before you head for the beach, or the park, or anywhere outside -- whether it’s bright or cloudy. • Keep moisturizing - Unlike winter, when your skin is …
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Park Square Keeps On Giving With Dear Santa!
Umhlanga’s Park Square will be on top of their game this December with their “Dear Santa” campaign! As we know, the festive season is a time for giving, and with Christmas almost upon us, Park Square have rolled up their sleeves and are ready to give back! Lauren Randall, Park Square Centre Manager, says, “The need for generosity is possibly greater than ever this year, as for a growing number of people the increase in food costs and rising unemployment is just too much, which results in a festive season that is stressful and certainly not jolly.” Between November 28th up until December 16th, all you have to do is head to the Park Square website, complete the entry form, letting us know who deserves assistance. It could be for yourself; someone you know or a Non-Profit Organisation that you support or who you know is struggling. Stories will be read and verified, where possible, and the winners will be announced, via Park Square’s Social Media platforms, between the 13th and 24th December. Should you be happy for your story to be shared, these will be posted as well. To be eligible to win, you have to be 18 years and older, reside in the greater eThekwini area and not be employed by, or related to, any of the Park Square tenants or management. You have to be in it to win it. So let Park Square start “giving now” by filling in the entry form on their website https://www.parksquareumhlanga.co.za/Campaign and you, or someone you know or an NPO could be one of the daily winners. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
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A R300 000 Entrepreneur Business Start- Up Package Is Up For Grabs!
Last year saw the launch of the uMlazi Mega City Seed project where Nolwazi Cele of Umlazi B section and owner of Balloons Express who walked away with the R300 000 start up business package. To play its part in economic renewal in the city, uMlazi Mega City (UMC) is once again going all out to creating jobs as well as support and incubate local start-ups via an exciting competition, and now in its second year of this successful project planting the seed of entrepreneurship in uMlazi, the Centre is excited and looking forward to implementing this innovative incubation programme. UMC are looking for entrepreneurs with exciting new retail ideas to apply, where yet another lucky winner stands to win the opportunity to win space at the mall for a year (rent free), professional business consulting and a social media start-up package as well as mentoring and advice on how to register their new business. Together, the package is worth more than a whopping R300 000. This competition is open to those up-and-coming entrepreneurs’ residing within the uMlazi, Lamontville community or within a 15km radius of Umlazi. Entrepreneurs need to be over 18 years of age and must submit a copy of their South African ID, an innovative start up business proposal, visuals of the product/s and a profile which illustrates why you should win this once in a lifetime business start-up opportunity. Remember, the judges want to know all about your business, the growth and potential job creation opportunities as well as the scale of your business idea. Once UMC know all about your exciting new business concept, they can begin to design your unique retail space which will be positioned within the mall for a year rent-free. It will include an exciting creative graphic design featuring your special brand identity. They will also assist with social media content creation, boosting and posting on the uMlazi social media page which has over 20 000 followers for a month. The …
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It’s Going To Be A Funfilled Festive @ The Pav!
With this being the summer holidays, the best time of year, giving us plenty opportunities to spend time with those we love. This festive season is also about giving thanks and gratitude, as well as the time for giving! The festive season is so named (possibly) because it's a time of year associated with being festive decorating, gathering with loved ones, and having get-togethers! Holiday traditions are an important aspect of building a strong bond between family and our community, with Pavilion Shopping Centre’s mandate being that of not just celebrating our community but supporting them as well. There are loads of activities this festive season that will keep you entertained this December! To titillate your festive taste buds, the Centre brings you the Candy Cane Christmas Village Market, that will be held undercover in Parking B (outside Entrance 5) whereby visitors to the mall can support local vendors selling gifting, festive décor, artisanal homemade gifts and crafts, a festive light experience and characters that will keep the family entertained. In addition, you can enjoy live music; with a kiddie play zone and plenty of food to enjoy while you shop. Enjoy all this entertainment between 5pm – 10pm from 15 – 23 December for only R60. Of course, what would the season be without having a photo with Santa to add to your mantle? Throughout the year, The Pav has supported many initiatives and now during this festive season, they have partnered with the St Martins Children’s Home, where volunteers from the organisation will be on hand to assist with gift wrapping and offering personalised baubles for sale, making for a perfect gift. All proceeds will be used to support St Martins Children’s Home. To add a bit more festive excitement, the Pavilion Shopping Centre will be hosting the South African Conservationist and YouTube sensation Dingo DInkelman in the food court area, who has put together an interactive and entertaining exhibition for the …
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Tucking Into Taptuck!
Having launched in 2017, TapTuck is revolutionizing the way tuck-shops and schools operates and providing moms time to get on with the endless list of what they have to do. We all know that healthy food is important, and here are some reasons highlighted by registered dietician, Kelly Francis, who consults with CEO, James White of TapTuck on why foods served at schools should be healthy. Supporting good health is super important for kids each day, and for most of us we encourage and cook up meals with the five basic foods groups, so it goes without saying that kids at school are probably eating more than half of their daily calorie intake at school. “The tuck-shop however, is an area where parents have little or no control. A school tuck-shop is a wonderful concept, which if stocked with healthy meals can be a great help to busy parents, remain a novelty for children, contribute to nutrition education and most importantly the long-time health of its little patrons”, says White. The body is the most fascinating machine of extremely complex design, but more important, is its ability to convert food into energy for form and function. It is no mistake that all foods comprise of different nutrients and therefore offer a variety of benefits. Achieving optimum nutrition requires including all available (and essential) nutrients and thereby, including all types of foods. The word ‘moderation’ is well used but perhaps not well understood. The phrase “everything in moderation” is the key to achieving a healthy diet and the fine balance between enjoying food and over-indulging. Healthy weight maintenance requires an energy input of less than or equal to our energy output. While this may seem obvious to some, it also means that eating too much of a healthy food can be detrimental, as all foods have an energy value. “Value” is the word we should focus on, and it should be the word that determines food choices. As a rule of thumb, 90% of the energy you consume …
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Something Borrowed, Something Blue!
The famous wedding rhyme dates back from the Old English rhyme, "Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe." These objects were considered necessary for brides to incorporate into their wedding dresses or carry with them on their wedding day, with the belief that they would bring good and happy marriages. This reportedly dates back to the Victorian era from Lancashire, a county in England, signifying a fresh beginning, and hopes for a happy marriage. The oldest written reference is in an 1871 issue of St. James Magazine. • Something Old is meant to represent the best of a couple's non-married life and the intention to bring that into their marriage. This often includes a piece of jewelry that would have been previously worn by the bride's mother, grandmother, or aunt. • Something New, being that of the new life the couple will be starting together and includes everything from new clothing to an accessory. • Something Borrowed is a bit more superstitious. This would be an item borrowed from someone who is happily married and, therefore, passing on that good luck. It could be anything from a necklace, bracelet or even a hair clip. • Something Blue is a colour that is known to be representative of “fidelity and love’s purity.” It was also a popular colour to wear prior to the white wedding dress trend. Tavares says it's meant to represent an item to “baffle the evil eye.” This could be the garter, or even shoes. • A sixpence in your shoe dates back to the Victorian times, where the father of the bride would place a sixpence into the brides left shoe, symbolizing good luck, longevity and prosperity for her life. This one seems to have slipped away from many modern day weddings, but some grooms have had cufflinks featuring coins to subtly carry on the tradition. Wedding traditions are best celebrated in gorgeous venues, surrounded by your loving family and friends. The themes may vary from wedding to …
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Taptuck Has Your School Solutions Covered!
Having kids’ means sending them off to school, and with them the school uniform that goes through it all - from action games during lunchtime, to art class or a messy science session and throw in a little drama lesson too. It also goes without saying, these economic times have been tough in recent years, which haven’t been helped by the fact that the prices of a school uniform and other school-related items seem to have sky-rocketed. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly challenging to manage the costs of uniforms or similar, especially if you have to buy the kids brand new school uniforms at the beginning of every school-year or when they grow out of jerseys or shoes (which is sometimes every few months!). “Luckily, with our innovative TapTuck app, parents can now download and log onto the app to purchase affordable second-hand uniforms for their children, as and when needed”, says Emma Fowler of TapTuck. The whole idea behind the TapTuck app (amongst other benefits) is to provide schools and parents the platform where second-hand school uniforms can be purchased at an affordable price but also so convenient, with delivery and cashless payments, saving you time and money as well as helping to generate additional revenue for schools so they can provide even more for your children. So, once you have got the deal, herewith tips from the TapTuck team on how to look after your children’s uniforms to ensure they last. Tips to keep your child’s school uniforms neat and clean: One should take good care of one’s school uniforms, so that you don’t have to keep on replacing items as kids wear uniforms daily, also, it is essential to maintain a consistent cleaning schedule for these items. Furthermore, the individual colours and fabric of your child’s uniforms require the use of a laundry detergent that can remove stains, provide a deep clean, and help protect the garments too. If you’re wondering how to clean and take care of your child's school …
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Why one should create a water feature in your garden!
A water feature makes a beautiful, multipurpose addition to the garden. Placed in a visible location, its soothing sounds imbue a sense of peace and tranquility. Creating a sanctuary and sense of serenity at home is more important – especially what our resilient Province has gone through these past two years! The team that looks after the Granny Mouse Country House & Spa gardens would like to inspire you to invest in a garden water feature, it could be a birdbath, or a bubbling fountain or even a pond - basically any type of water feature that will attract wildlife and help to remove pollen or pollutants from the atmosphere. You would be contributing to the birds, insects, frogs and other wildlife who appreciate fresh water year-round, but especially in our hot, dry summers. With proper pond size and depth, koi and other fish can provide hours of enjoyment. Beneficial wildlife attracted to your water will help control many undesirable insects like “the mozzie”! If your garden is on a slope, imagine having a small stream with a small waterfall or a wildlife pond, pebble beach maybe; to provide easy access to the water for local wildlife. If you have a patio a container pond, using a sealed container carrying pond plants would also look amazing. There are a lot of additional benefits to having a water feature in your outdoor living space. It adds to the relaxing effect of running water to your home. It is a great focus for your landscaping. Water features also create a wonderful entertainment space during the warm seasons. It gives you more gardening options by adding water plants. Best of all, building a water feature benefits the environment. A self-sustaining water feature is an ecosystem. A water feature benefits plants and wildlife, not just in your yard, but throughout your surrounding area. It creates a safe habitat for fish, frogs, turtles, dragonfly larvae, beneficial bacteria, and a myriad of other wildlife. It also can serve as a …
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Pumla Vilakazi – inspired to grow small business
“When Xolani, who taught himself carpentry through YouTube, comes to the workshop every day to produce a furniture piece for a client, I just marvel. We are changing lives one by one,” says Pumla Vilakazi, CEO and co-founder of the South African School of Practical Skills trading as SASOPSBIZ. A policy specialist, coach and trainer, social entrepreneur and development specialist – not to mention a driven business leader – Vilakazi has her heart firmly set on developing emerging entrepreneurs to become the lifeblood of South Africa’s struggling economy. She co-founded the SASOPSBIZ group in 2017 to help realize her dream of contributing to entrepreneurial revolution in the country. Well renowned for her expertise in strategy, business modelling and policy development, she has also been involved in developing entrepreneurial networks and ecosystems. She is passionate about assisting dynamic start-ups in structuring their ideas into commercial reality. She recently ventured into supporting Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the furniture manufacturing space through establishing SASOPS Furnlab which seeks to migrate informal furniture manufacturers from the periphery of the economy to the mainstream. Ms Vilakazi’s entrepreneurial spirit and skills set stem from a childhood grounded in entrepreneurship. She hails from Umlazi Township where she says her family was firmly rooted in the informal trading which is, in effect, a repository of entrepreneurship. While her uncle was a mechanic, her father built shacks, ran a tuck shop and farmed. Her mother wove baskets and her brother handled everything from panel beating and towing to running a tavern and shisanyama. “I grew up in a home of informal trading. I saw how it was able to set my family apart from other households. One day, I was attending a session for unemployed graduates hosted by the MEC for Agriculture at the ICC. I cried. The room was full and I could see the dreams, the hopes of many …