Despite the Iffy weather we manage to get two sessions of social bowls in this past week. If you have never bowled in mizzly weather, it’s like bowling on a green where your slightly wet bowls pick up every bit of wet grass and it looks like you’re bowling in a sea of coconut.

Competitions
Each year our members have the opportunity to play for club trophies and we play all the traditional options like singles, pairs, trips and fours…. But this year we launched a new “2 Bowl Trips” competition for a brand new trophy. On Saturday 20 January we had one of the biggest turnouts for a club internal competition in a long while. There were some very close matches and in the end 6 teams went through to the next phase of the competition, which will run to a conclusion in the next week or two.

By the time this report goes to press the J Leslie Smith & Co competition will have been played and the results of that competition will be in the report next week. The brand new Teams-In 2 Bowl Trips competition sponsored by Woodstone Craft Café and The Treatery as a support-sponsor, starting on Friday morning 26 January @ 8.30am, now officially has 14 teams coming from all over PMB and the Midlands to play. Much excitement looms for this competition.

Club Activities
The coaching and PR team are putting together plans to launch couching and fun bowls on a Friday afternoon from the beginning of February. Notices to follow in the next few weeks.

Regular Times Are:
Tuesday mornings Tabs in by 8.15am (Civvies)
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons Tabs in by 1.15pm. (Club Colours)
Visiting bowlers are welcome to join us at these tabs in times.

Umgeni Waterfall Bowls Club. 

Visit Harvard Electrical Wholesalers before the end of January to get in on these specials. 

The new Grade 1 pupils of Howick Preparatory School already hard at work in Mrs Tooms class on their very first day of their school careers.

News supplied by Howick Preparatory School.

Bowling is back into full swing for 2018. Even though some bowlers are still on vacation there is an air of expectancy that 2018 is going to be a special year.

Competitions
Our year kicked off with our first competition which was played on Wednesday 10 January and was our trips competition sponsored by HALFWAY TOTOTA HOWICK. There were some keenly fought contests that went down to the last bowl of the day. Congratulations to Ed Sharp, Balf Balfour and David Riall who secured the HALFWAY TOYOTA HOWICK first prize. The team of Peter Burton, Graeme Cameron and Mark Taylor won the Dr ALAN SARA sponsored second prize. Massive thanks to Margie Wheelwright of Halfway Toyota Howick for being present to hand out prizes and for having the awesome Toyota Fortuner on display for players and visitors to view. Special thanks also to Dr Alan Sara for his continued support of this much loved game.

The SUPERSPAR Greendale competition was played on Saturday 13 January with the Ed Sharpe, Pat Bailey and Grace Abrahams taking the honours. The second prize was won by Alan Wells, Ken McDonald and Bev Vorster. We also had lucky draw prizes sponsored by 68 On Main Restaurant which was won by Stella Gardiner and Piet van Rensburg as well as a new Sporting Chance prize sponsored by Rene Stokes of Classic Cut, which was won by Barry Fairbrother. We once again thank our amazing sponsors for their support of our club. The J Leslie Smith & Co competition will be played on Tuesday morning the 23rd of January with tabs in at 8.15am. We will also be launching a brand new Teams-In 2 Bowl Trips competition on Friday the 26th of January and this competition will be sponsored by Woodstone Craft Café and The Treatery as a support-sponsor. Members please take note that this IS NOT a tabs in comp. You have to enter a team to play in this competition

HOT OFF THE PRESS… Congrats to Peter Burton, Eric Simpson and Alison Toms for winning the clubs Mixed Drawn Trips Title with a handsome 20 – 11 victory. (Special mention of the efforts of Tony Gage who played in Eric’s absence). A warm welcome to Ann Marnoch & Pat Bailey who recently moved to Howick and officially joined the Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club family.

Club Activities
The coaching and PR team are putting together plans to launch couching and fun bowls on a Friday afternoon from the beginning of February. Notices to follow in the next few weeks.

Regular Times Are:
Tuesday mornings Tabs in by 8.15am (Civvies)
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons Tabs in by 1.15pm. (Club Colours)
Visiting bowlers are welcome to join us at these tabs in times.

News supplied by Umgeni Waterfall Bowls Club. 

Monkey Magic – Natal Midlands knows that everyone deserves celebration! And so, we offer you the solution to planning and hosting your next special occasion. Make your next celebration a joyful and not stressful occasion.

Our parties are custom designed, and we pay careful attention to detail – we care about making your wishes come true. Monkey Magic – Natal Midlands offers; fun kiddies parties, beautiful baby showers, personalised milestone birthday celebrations, special engagement parties and even fabulous “occasions-in-a-box”. We would love to be a part of your next celebration.

We can take care of the entire celebration for you, or just create some of the elements, it’s all up to you. Looking for: a jumping castle, piñata, team-building challenge, personalised banner, photo board, balloon art, entertainment? No matter what you would like, we will do our best to source it for you – saving you time, frustration and money.

We have lovely venues for your next celebration- either at Celtiskloof Lifestyle Centre, Howick or at Piggly Wiggly Village in Dargle. Bringing you a variety of spaces and facilities to suit your needs. And because your party is designed with you, and your wishes in mind, no two parties are alike – making your celebration completely, uniquely yours.

Monkey Magic – Natal Midlands understands that money for celebrations is not always easy to come by. It is for this reason, we offer you the flexibility to work outside of our standard packages, to build the party you desire, within your budget. Alternatively you can tell us your budget amount and we can give you options of what can be done for that amount, while still creating a special occasion.

While Monkey Magic is a nation-wide franchise, Monkey Magic – Natal Midlands is located at Celtiskloof Lifestyle Centre, Howick. It was founded in January 2017, by Howick locals Shari Cade and Shan Cade, who aim to provide happy and special occasions to all who choose to use their services.

Have a look at the Monkey Magic – Natal Midlands Facebook and Instagram pages, to get an idea of the kind of work we can do for you, or book an appointment to discuss your ideas.

Monkey Magic - Natal Midlands is available for parties in Howick, Hilton and PMB. Please bear in mind that parties take time to organise and create, so please book well in advance. Booking in advance also ensures that the date you require is available.

So, if you are looking to celebrate, look no further than your local service provider. Ask us for an obligation free quote today.

We are looking forward to making your wishes come true.

News supplied by Monkey Magic-Natal Midlands.

A very active bowling week with all tabs in games played this past week. This week’s competitions included a surprise fun day competition sponsored by Warwick Wealth.

Competitions
Along with many helpers, our Competition Secretary, Colin Burden organised a fun morning of “Bowls Golf” on Wednesday the 6th of December. Now that might sound confusing but it was most definitely fun. There were a total of 10 prizes up for grabs with John Withers & Julia Strachan walking away with the top prize. Ex Springbok Bowler and Warwick Wealth Specialist Stuart Milligan was present to hand out prizes. Kudus to Warwick Wealth for their continued Innovative Sponsorships of bowls at countless clubs like ours around the country.

We also played our SUPERSPAR Greendale / Giovision competition on Saturday 9 December with some keenly contested matches finally won by the team of Mike Scheffer, May Blackford and Neil Wright with second prize going to Lyn Durant, Clark Logan and Stela Gardiner. Our 68 on Main vouchers were won by Enid Bush and Piet Van Rensburg and the SUPERSPAR Greendale lucky draw was won by Jenny McHendrie. Big thanks to our sponsors for their support of our club. Our next club competition will be the J Leslie Smith & Co which will be held on Tuesday 19 December with tabs at 8.15am

Club Activities
We will be holding our end of year Christmas Function on Saturday 16 December in the form of a bring and share tea. Tabs in as usual at 1.15pm after which we will have our Tea. Members are hereby reminded to please bring a plate of eats for the tea as well as contributions for the Christmas Hamper. Hamper contributions must be given to Lyn Durant and preferably before Wednesday the 13th.

Social Bowls 

Our Newbie Couching Sessions will be announced once the planning calendar for 2018 has been finalised.

Regular Times Are:
Tuesday mornings Tabs in by 8.15am (Civvies)
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons Tabs in by 1.15pm. (Club Colours)
Visiting bowlers are welcome to join us at these tabs in times.
Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club is the place to be.

News supplied by Umgeni Waterfall Bowls Club.  

The last thing you want is a positive break-in while you are away on holiday. Here are a few things you can do before leaving for the holidays.

1. Alert your alarm company
Just switching on your alarm and jumping into your car is not sufficient. First ensure that your alarm is working, and then let your alarm company know that you will be away.

2. A presence and proactive activity
Try to ensure that there is some activity in and around your home. Whether you have a friend or family member making regular “pop-by” visits to feed your pet or have someone staying the night. The little bit of activity will keep criminals at bay. You can also have a light, TV or radio on a timer to go on and off periodically during the night – giving the impression that there is someone home.

3. Social media
Don’t advertise your travel plans on any social media; rather share the details and upload photo’s when you get back.

4. Hold your post/mail
One of the most noticeable signs that there is no one at home is a pile of post and newspapers in the letterbox at the end of your driveway. Consider hiring a post box and tell the media company to put a hold on your daily newspaper. Failing that, get someone to collect your post and newspaper on a daily basis.

5. Lighting and fencing
Ensure that outside lights are also on a day-light timer (or motion sensor) and that the foliage is cleared along your fence line. Many verges are overgrown at this time of the year, and do create a security hazard as criminals can easily hide away.
What you also need to consider when away from home:

1. Beware of remote jamming. Always check that you have locked the car with your remote by actually double checking – try the door handle and ensure that it does not open.
2. Keep your keys handy when returning to your car – you don’t want to be fumbling in your handbag looking for them and then not be alert to your surroundings.

3. Keep your handbags and wallets close to your body.

4. When driving, keep your handbags, wallets and other valuables out of sight, preferably locked in the boot of your car.

5. ATM withdrawals – stand close to the machine and keep your pin protected. DON’T let anyone disturb you. If you feel uncomfortable, cancel the transaction and retrieve your card. Report the incident to bank officials immediately.

6. Don’t draw attention to yourself if you have a lot of cash on you.

7. Carry pepper spray - this is useful when warding off an assailant.

8. Carry a whistle – if this is on your key ring it is useful and easy to access if you have your keys in your hand.

9. Try to go out with a “buddy” or let someone else know you are going out and when you are likely to return home.

Have a safe festive season and enjoy the special time with family and friends. Remember, KSS work 24/7 and are available to assist with any emergency.

+27 (0)33 330 5911 / 5915 / 5918 / 3141 / 2419.

News supplied by Knight Security Solutions.

A very quiet and relaxed week with rain once again dominating the proceedings. The consolation is that the Midlands is looking lush and green.

Competitions
No competitions were played this past week. Our next competition will be the Halfway Toyota Howick competition which will be played on Wednesday 13 December with tabs in at 1.15pm.

Club Activities
We will be holding our end of year Christmas Function on Saturday 16 December in the form of a bring and share High Tea. Tabs in as usual at 1.15pm with play until tea, after which we will have our High Tea. Members are hereby reminded to please bring a plate of eats for the tea as well as contributions for the Christmas Hamper. Hamper contributions must be given to Lyn Durant and preferably before Saturday the 16th.

Social Bowls
Our Newbie Couching Sessions was again washed out on Friday afternoon. Due to the fact that we had two washed out sessions during November, we will continue our luck again this Friday. Club members are also encouraged to come and have some fun bowls while the newbies are being coached. Refreshments will be on sale after the session.

Regular Times Are:
Tuesday mornings Tabs in by 8.15am (Civvies)
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons Tabs in by 1.15pm. (Club Colours)
Visiting bowlers are welcome to join us at these tabs in times.
Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club is the place to be.

News supplied by Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club. 

Join Author, Penny Haw for some monkeying around  and a reading from her book, NICKO - The Tale of a Vervet Monkey on an African Farm.

Where: Nuts about books and Toys.(Shop3/4 Mare Street, Howick)

When:   Wednesday 20 December 2017.

Time:     11h00.

RSVP: 084 555 4384.

Based on the tru story of Alice Kirk's adventures with Nicko and friends in the KZN Midlands, the book is written for children and animal lovers of all ages.

Penny, who is Alice's granddaughter, will introduce the characters, explain how to speak vervet monkey, read from the book and answer your questions.

News supplied by Nuts about Books and Toys.

As long as you're over 60 enjoy our entire range of delicious, home-made convenient meals at a discounted price EVERY Tuesday!

T's & C's apply. Offer available in all 3 stores Howick, Hilton & Hillcrest.

"Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat." - Guy Fieri

News supplied by The Cookhouse.

The Good Health Group is a recently formed group based in Howick. It is for individuals who want to take charge of their health and well-being. It has been initiated in order to support and empower people who want to take a more holistic approach and play a more active role in maintaining good health and/or in recovering from a particular health challenge. Emphasis is placed on the body-mind connection. At each monthly meeting a health practitioner is invited to present on a topic that has been chosen by members of the group. Q & A and/or a discussion of important points follows the presentation. Stephanie Joyner Dietician, a registered dietician will focus her presentation on: Promoting the health of your digestive system.

Meeting Date: 8th Feb 2018 (Thursday) Time: 17:30 – 19:00 Place: 15 Riley Crescent, Howick.

Healthy refreshments will be served. Please RSVP for catering purposes and, if you would like to know more about the group, contact Alistair Mork-Chadwick on: Ph: 033 – 330 7973 / Cell: 072 – 365 5875 / Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

News supplied by ALISTAIR MORK-CHADWICK Counselling Psychologist.

SA Guide-Dogs Association would also like to extend the best wishes to the Howick community, all the family and new friends who came to visit the Christmas Lights on Drew this year. A total of R8600 was raised and will go toward the training of a guide-dog puppy for KZN.

At S A Guide-dog Association we train dogs to work with visually and physically impaired persons as their tool to independence.
It takes us on average 2 years and a R100 000 to train one dog, the person who becomes a recipient only pays R5.00.

Thank you to all who supported this imitative, may your 2018 hold only love and laughter.

The attached photograph is of Cailin Hills who will be starting Grade 1 at Howick Preparatory School on Wednesday, 17 January. She is pictured with her father, Sean Hills who is a past pupil of Howick Preparatory, and her mother Laura Hills. Not only is Cailin very excited about starting Grade 1 but parents Sean and Laura are just as excited as Cailin is the oldest of their two daughters and they are very proud parents to be joining the Howick Preparatory family.

Photograph (L-R): Sean Hills, Cailin Hills, Laura Hills.

News supplied by Howick Preparatory School.

I would like to send a great big shout out to say thank you to a wonderful Howick resident!

My family and I were staying at Beverley Cottages, Impendle, for the Christmas weekend.

On Christmas day our vehicle would not start, and we managed to push start it. The car was “revving” and didn’t sound very healthy.

We called Eddie from ‘Eddies Motors’. I disturbed his Christmas lunch and yet he was amenable and concerned. Later that evening he called to say that he would come out to the farm on Boxing day to assess the problem.

I desperately needed to travel back to Johannesburg on the 26th December to get to work.

Eddie drove to Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, after Christmas, to purchase a car battery as he couldn’t get one in Howick and then drove out to Beverley Cottages. It was a holiday and yet he was willing to give up his time out of the goodness of his heart. He drove out to us and fortunately it was a flat battery in the car causing the problems. He then followed us to the Highway to make sure that we didn’t have any issues.

It is wonderful to realise that there are people out there who care and in the Christmas spirit make things easier for others out of the goodness of their heart.

Thank you, Eddie for outstanding service, to people you didn’t know.

We really appreciate your help.

Best Regards,

Berenice Thorne Bryanston Johannesburg

Think Fun logic games provide hours of fun while exercising the brain!

Pop into Nuts About Books & Toys at Shop 3/4 ,3 Mare Street., Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 3290.

Dynalogic Computers will be closed from 22 December 2017 until Tuesday 2 January 2018.

Pop into Harvard Electrical Wholesalers to take advantage of these specials. 

At the Howick Preparatory School Prize Giving held on Monday, 04 December, 112 pupils from Grade 4 – 7 were awarded certificates for obtaining ‘A’ aggregates. Amy Hulett received the DUX award and has been awarded a Major Scholarship to Epworth in 2018.

Congratulations to Lara-Lyn Connellan who received the Sports Girl of the Year award, Robbie Lawrence who was awarded the Sports Boy of the Year award as well as the MO Norton Award for ‘Good Fellowship’, the Jimmy Gorman Shield for ‘All Round Student of the Year’ and a certificate for obtaining 6 ‘A’s.

Well done to Rita Cox who was awarded the Speech and Drama trophy, the Monique Shaw trophy for ‘Excellence and Perseverance’, the Howick Travel trophy for Natural Science as well as a certificate for obtaining an ‘A’ aggregate.

Attached photograph (L – R): Lara-Lyn Connellan (Sports Girl); Amy Hullet (Dux), Robbie Lawrence (Sports Boy) and Rita Cox (Speech and Drama).

News supplied by Howick Prep School.