The following Hilton boys have been selected for the KZN Midlands Tennis Team:  Kathu Nematswerani, Mudiwa Lllobell, Martin Kusel, Ross Jakins and Guy Brooks.

 

This Saturday, the 26th March 2011 there will be a Dinner and Dance at Brookfield Farmhouse. on the Hilton College Road. The tickets are R90.00 per person which includes a finger supper. You are welcome to bring your own drinks and join in a relaxing evening which begins at 18h30.

When last did you put on your dancing shoes just because you can?

Too long ago, right!

Dust off those shoes, grab your partner and call Leanne on 079 737 3097 to book. The cell phone is best as lightning damaged the landline at Brookfield Farmhouse.

Autumn has arrived in Hilton! Thundershowers, scorchers and some cloudy days may still interrupt until nearer the end of March when we anticipate the balmy days of my favourite season, 'The midsection of autumn'. A time when one comfortably warm, sunny day merges into the next.

In general this is a great time prepare beds for autumn planting. Prune Tibouchinas which enjoy this every four or five years, Bottlebrushes need reshaping and Bouganvilleas need any new shoots cut as they appear. If you have a prolific Bouganvillea 'Natalia' you can cut the mature flower spikes and hang them to dry, they are fun to arrange later when the winter gardens has less to offer.

You can divide overcrowded agapanthus and strelitzias. Cut back faded perennials. Pull out the old flowering stem of newly planted clumps and fill the gaps with compost. Maintain a regular feeding and watering programme for vegetables. Late bearing fruit trees would like a good feed once their last fruit is picked.

The chaos that is trying to keep up with your Hilton garden in summer is over. If you have no compost heap, now is the time to make one.

Compost will improve any soil type. Heavy soils are improved by separating heavy clay particles and lighter soils are prevented from draining too quickly and given structure. Compost helps retain moisture. It is made from organic material which breaks down into a rich source of food for plants. Dig compost lightly into the topsoil to rejuvenate beds or mix it with soil to be placed into planting holes.

Everyone is looking to ease the effects our lifestyle has on the environment and it's so exciting that the list of what can be added to the compost heap includes fallen leaves, prunings, lawn clippings and spent annuals should be collected, turned into compost and returned to the earth. Household refuse, such as peelings, tea leaves and eggshells are welcome additions to the compost heap.

To create your compost heap, choose a well-drained, partly shaded position close to a water source. Place the compost heap directly on the soil so that soil microbes can move up into the vegetable matter to begin the process. Start with a 20cm layer of rough, twiggy material (sticks and stems) to allow for air circulation. On top of this add a 20-30cm layer of finer garden waste material. Add water if the material is dry. A compost accelerator can be watered in to help speed up the composting process. Keep adding material and accelerator until the heap is 1.5m high (shoulder height). When complete cover with an old carpet, sacking or even sheets of corrugated iron to retain moisture but to keep out heavy rain. In 6 to 8 weeks the lower section will be ready to use, the heap can be turned over and more material added. Turn the heap on a regular basis. Move material from the outside, inside and from top to bottom. Compost is ready when it is dark brown, crumbly and sweet smelling. Keep the compost heap damp but not wet.

Compost bins can be used for smaller gardens. These are available in different sizes and the same principle applies for layering the material. A shredder efficiently cuts stems into small lengths which are easy to handle and deteriorate quicker. Encourage earthworms which assist with compost making. Wonderful Wormeries are fantastic for farming your own liquid fertiliser.

Protea Hotel, Hilton has named their elegant restaurant. Local lady Lynne Gay submitted Duke Ellington as her suggestion and the new name derived from Lynn's entry is exactly what Protea Hotel management were looking for. Lynn's husband is well known jazz loving musician John Gay so there are no doubts as to where Lynne got the inspiration from.

First runner up was Linda Ambler and Nolwazi Sekotai from Johannesburg won third prize. Well done to Lynne and a big thank you to everyone who made the effort to enter.

We can all look forward to the launch of the new restaurant at Protea Hotel, Hilton - Ellingtons!

Pictured alongside from left to right are Lynne and Linda with Bruce the hotels Food & Beverage Manager.

Keaton Bottriell a Grade 8 pupil at Hilton College has been selected by the KwaZulu-Natal Golf Union to play in the SA U 19 National Order of Merit Strokeplay Championships in Johannesburg (JHB 21 March) as well as the SA Stroke and Matchplay Championships at Maccaulvlei (5-9 April).  This is a fine achievement particularly since he is still only 14 years old.

Photograph Supplied

Have you got your tickets for the evening of entertainment and fun with the Blarney Brothers to be presented at St Anne's College in celebration of St Patricks day?

Tickets are priced from R120.00 per person and you are welcome to take along a basket full of your favourite snacks. A cash bar will be available. The fun begins at seven on the evening of Saturday the 19th March 2011 so arrival from half past six will be perfect.

You can wear something green or get crafty and put together an outfit that fits in with the theme.

Toni Woodgate is taking bookings and you vcan call her now on 033 343 6100 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This will be an evening full of FUN, Irish Luck and good times.

Many of the Cowan House past pupil boys and girls spent a fun evening at Cowan House last Friday.  They enjoyed playing sport in the Multi-Purpose Indoor Centre and on the school fields.  They were able to catch up with each other as well as some of the staff.

Photograph and Copy Supplied

Diana of Jewellery by Diana has drawn the second semi-finalist in the Treasure Hunt and congratulations goes to Devon White pictured on the left. Devon owns Stepping Stones Bemer Treatment Centre and Wise Eye Reading Academy, a growing concept which can dramatically improve your childs reading skills and thereby overall performance in all areas at school.

The Treasure Hunt competition will run for four more weeks, so pop in see if you can find the gem of the week. Then enter in the store and you could be off to Jewellery by Diana for an indulgent shopping spree worth R1000.00 in jewellery from Jewellery by Diana!

The second prize is an R500.00 kids jewellery party and third prize will be a R200.00 jewellery voucher.

Drop by Jewellery by Diana at The Quarry Centre and submit your entry as soon as you have found the rosy pink stone nestled in a secret location.

You could be one of the next four finalists still to be drawn!

UPDATE - The 2011 Maze had a short season due to wind damage, we look forward to news of the 2012 maze at Piggly Wiggly!!!

Mazes offer various challenges for different age groups and we'd like to share below what Piggly Wiggly say about their Maze.

'...join us in getting lost in the Biggest Maize Maze in SA.  (Actually the second one, as we did the first biggest maze last year.)

The Maze is an excellent opportunity for teaching your students life skills.  We have found that the manner in which the students tackle the maze, is representative of the way in which they tackle life situations. 

Did they run headlong into the maze?  Did they study the map beforehand, ensuring they could find their way out easily?  Did the panic when they took a wrong turn?  Did they get angry with themselves, with their
friends, with the designers of the Maze? 

These questions are very relevant to each and every person dealing with life situations, and the Maze offers educators the opportunity to highlight these.

In order to assist us in planning your event successfully, please would you let us know as soon as possible whether you will be joining us.  We require dates & number of students, and whether you would like us to provide a light snack and juice/bottled water for your students.  Booking ahead ensures a care-free event.'

The great news is that all HiltonVillage.co.za browsers who print this article and take it along to Piggly Wiggly will enjoy one of the following benefits...

1. Take two children along and you will enjoy a free cappuccino
2. Take four chilfdren along to enjoy two cappuccinos OR one cappuccino with a scone if you are an adult alone
3. Groups of ten will only pay for nine. . . great for school groups or parties.

The season is limited so don't wait too long before you book.

Well done to the following children who achieved well at the recently held KZN Level 1 Championship Gala in Durban. 

They are (Left to Right)

Leah Kriel ' Gold 50m Freestyle & Bronze 50m Butterfly
Lauren Knoble ' Gold 100m Breaststroke & Silver 50m Breaststroke
Kay Bilbrough ' Bronze 100m Butterfly
Declan Mc Donald ' Gold 50m Breaststroke & Silver 100m Breaststroke
Julia Jarvel ' Bronze 50m Butterfly & Bronze 50m Freestyle

Well done, Laddsworth is proud of you and congratulations from HiltonVillage.co.za!

 

Jewellery by Diana has drawn the fourth semi-finalist in the exciting Treasure Hunt, the lucky lady is Lois Stephenson. If you have not enterd yet for this week you still have time to do so. Pop into the shop and hunt for the treasure. The stone you'll be hunting for could cool you down on these hot days we are having!!!

The closing date for your treasure hunt entries will be next week, Friday the 1st of April 2011 so get cracking and you may be one of the two semi-finalists Diana is waiting to announce.

Well done to Lois Stephenson.

On Friday night the 18 March 2011 the Memorial Hall was transformed into a "Roman Garden" fJasonShieldandPennyJacksonor the Hilton College Matric Dance. The boys looked smart and the young ladies elegant. It will be a night which remains in their memories for quite some time.

Pictured alongside are Jason Shield and Penny Jackson.

The slideshow also includes Ilyaas Mayet and Kirsty Gourlay, Patrick Drummond and Catherine Smart, Tebogo Mongalo and Michaelo Richmond, Mitch Harding and Sarah Cannon as well as Alex Platt and Tammy Scott.

Cool Winds Play Centre have an awesome holiday programme planned for your 3 to 12 year olds. The fun begins daily from 07h00 until 14h00 on the 4^thand ends on the 29th of April, excluding public holidays. Your children can remain at Cool Winds Play Centre until 17h30 as they will be supervised and entertained by qualified staff after the scheduled activities have been done.

Activities include a broad range of art and crafts, Boere sports, a Scavenger Hunt, construction as well as water and bubble fun. Give your child the opportunity to meet and socialize with new friends.

At R80.00 per child, including food, this is a seriously attractive option for keeping bored children stimulated in a secure environment. Booking is essential so call 033-3434659 or 033-3435410 to secure the dates that your kiddies will want to attend.

Emil Schwarz who matriculated from Hilton College in 2010 has been selected for the South African U 20 Rugby Squad.  Emil who played 1^st XV Rugby at school since Grade 10 at Hilton College and who represented KwaZulu-Natal at the U 18 Craven Week in 2009 and 2010.  In 2009 Emil was also chosen for the SA U 19 Rugby team who played test matches against France and Namibia.  Hilton College is proud of his achievements and looks with interest to his future rugby playing career.  Emil is currently a member of the junior Sharks team.

 

Photograph supplied.

Introducing our Hilton Cares campaign. This is the first in a series of articles which will focus on local people, groups and organisations who humbly work behind the scenes to make someone's life a little easier. Although the challenges faced may seem too big for one to singularly make any impact, in this article we aim to inspire you to get involved in a small way, because it has been proven that each and every single tiny contribution can culminate in a giant shift towards a better future for many.

The first project we would like to draw attention to is Never Neverland Creche.

Some background information has been shared by Jane Evans, 'Zandile has been running the Never Neverland creche since she was 21 years old.  She started her education at a local farm school and was selected for a bursary to Howick High.    She has always loved children and saw the need for a cr??che within her own community.  There are currently 40 children at the creche ranging in ages 2-6 years, many of them are HIV positive.  The community of Cedara is extremely poor, there is massive unemployment so there is very little revenue for the creche from school fees.  There is also extremely limited funding from the government.  The creche can only exist through donations.

Hilton pre-primary has taken Zandile under their wings and every Thursday she attends classes with them so that she can gain experience to pass on to the kids in her creche.  Zandile gained her National Qualification in early childhood development.  She runs the little school in a most professional manner. Each day of the term is carefully planned for both education and play.  Her bookkeeping is meticulous.  Each donation that comes in is receipted and the whole operation is completely transparent.  She has a board of governors chosen from the community and each financial decision is discussed and weighed up.

Zandile is a strong young woman totally committed to the care of the children.  She has organised a mobile clinic to visit the creche once a month so that the kids get regular treatment and screening.   She provides a daily meal for each child (and more often than not for the unemployed and elderly in her community too).  Zandile also runs a youth club once a week for the community's teenagers.  She raises funds through organising cultural functions and jumble sales. She is one of the most inspiring and positive people that I have ever met, nothing gets her down, she always has a big smile and hands out plenty of hugs to her beloved kids.

The next jumble sale is on April 19th so we are looking for donations of food, clothes, kitchen ware and anything else that folk can donate instead of throwing away!

Donations can be left at Hilton Travel at the Lower Quarry.

Laddsworth Primary School held their annual Junior Primary Gala on Wednesday 9th March. Everyone had an opportunity to participate and not to be outdone on the creative front a few parents dopted their own fun race garb, much to everyones delight.

Colour, fun and creativity were rampant on T-Shirt Painting Day at Hilton Pre-Primary. The little folk enjoyed free hand painting, stamping and even tried out some stencils, as humble t-shirts went from white to wonderful. Quite a few of the big folk could not resist getting stuck in too!. You can all be proud of  the art work produced, well done Hilton Pre-Primary!

Laddsworth Primary School held it's Senior Primary Inter-house Gala on Friday 25th of February 2011. The event was well supported by parents and grandparents who enjoyed the tea garden as much as the swimming. The final result was a draw. Congratulations to everyone behind the scenes and upfront who played a role in engineering the smooth running of this annual event. To the swimmers and supporters a roaring cheer!

Enjoy the images shared in the slideshow below.

Photography by Keri Maxfield