Auntie Beryl Williams feeds the less fortunate people in Phumlani Village as part of her birthday celebration.
A Lotus River community worker celebrated her birthday by feeding nearly 200 needy people.
Beryl Williams turned 55 on Sunday and decided to bring joy to the less fortunate of Phumlani Village.
She approached sponsors and used her money for the event.
“Many thanks to Pick n Pay in Constantia for always going beyond the call of duty to support and participate in our communities,” says Beryl.
“I sponsored all the food party packets, ice lollies, cooldrinks myself and the shop donated cakes, doughnuts and rolls.”
The people were served chicken akhni followed by ice lolly party packets and juice.
“It was a great pleasure to host my birthday party for almost 200 kids and adults.
“To see the joy on their faces was enough for me. Most of those kids told me that they had never ever had a birthday party before.”
Beryl has been feeding needy mense in Phumlani Village and Riemvasmaak for 25 years.
“(PnP founder) Mr Raymond Ackerman is my role model followed by his son Jonathan Ackerman and of course my mother,” she says.
“When I started to work at Pick n Pay in Constantia in 1984, I noticed what Mr Raymond Ackerman was doing, he always had charity runs.
“And my mother would drive to Nyanga and Gugulethu for her soup kitchen and what my mom fed them we also had to eat. It was our tradition which I still practise.”
The unemployed woman runs her soup kitchen with her husband who is also not working: “Everything depends on our pockets but we managed to feed people.
“Every day I can say thank you Lord for the blessings and grace because I can put food on the table and I will always try to get something together for my kids in Phumlani.
“They have a thing by telling me it’s someone’s birthday, then I buy them something and we sing together.
“We support and participate in our communities and I will always practise that and not only talk about it. My passion, my pride, my mense.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za