Happiness, social integration, and social acceptance can contribute to the flourishing (high levels of well-being) and ukuphumelela (becoming victorious) of individuals and communities 🌲

On Saturday, December 3rd, 2022, Friends of Valkenberg Hospital Trust and Oude Molen Eco Village’s Community Food Garden collaborated to host the FRIENDLY MARKET & FESTIVAL on the Hospital’s sports fields 😊

Visitors met our connected communities and enjoyed a day of belonging, goodness, and merriment as we headed into the festive season and a new year 🌳 

The collective outdoor event included communal activities that support recovery & contribute to:

Reducing Stigma 🎗️ Increasing Understanding 🌱 and Raising Awareness 💚

The personal and social growth day was also a festivity of Food 🍲 Music 🎼 and Movement 🤸💃🕺 

​Those who participated and shared their social contribution: promoted mental health & wellbeing; raised funds to support recovery, and; experienced a day of community fun 🤗

The Friends of Valkenberg Hospital initiative was established in 1994 by Mrs. Francoise Robertson, wife of the then Head of Department of Psychiatry, Professor Brian Robertson. Stuart Saunders was an early supporter of this initiative and became the first Chairperson of the Trust, which he helped establish in 1997. The Trust identified as their first project the building of new admission wards, but towards the end of 1997, the Provincial Department of Health proposed the closure of Valkenberg Hospital. The Trust felt that the proposal was unsound and mounted a campaign to keep Valkenberg Hospital open. At the end of the successful two year campaign the Department of Health agreed to keep a downsized hospital and to support the building of new admission wards. Stuart Saunders virtually raised the necessary funds single-handed by knocking on the doors of major funders. Only when the funds were secure, did Stuart Saunders feel free to resign, in 2001. Building commenced in 2002. After a number of delays, the state-of-the-art new admission wards were officially opened in 2006. These wards stand today as a tribute to Stuart Saunders’ care and concern for people living with mental illness. 

All donations made to the Friends of Valkenberg Trust are exempt from donations tax and qualify the donor for deductions from taxable income in accordance with the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962. Please let us know if you would like a Section 18A tax certificate enabling you to claim a deduction from personal or corporate taxable income.The Friends of Valkenberg Trust serves the patients of Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital of which more than 75% are Black South Africans, as defined by the BBBEE Codes of Good Practice. This means companies may qualify for SED points on their BBBEE scorecard. Let us know if you need the documentation to apply for these points. 

TRUSTCHAIRPERSON 1997 – 2001

PATRON 2013 – 2021

Photo taken on the occasion of the FOV 25th Anniversary AGM, 2019: l to R, Stuart Saunders, Hugh Amoore Treasurer, Francoise Robertson Founder, Fadia Gamieldien Chairperson, H-R Sanders ex-chairperson, Brian Robertson Trustee 

Spring has Sprung! Donated ANY unwanted goods to the Friendly Shop and support recovery from mental illness at Valkenberg. We take almost ANYTHING as we have a variety of different projects that also draw from the goods people donate clothing, shoes, art supplies, games and toys, furnishings and that weird ornament that Auynt Phyllis gave you last birthday

#Newsflash# 

Many Friends recovery groups have been put on hold in order to protect our service users as well as volunteers from the spread of Covid 19.  We encourage all to try and replace panic and anxiety with creative ways of connecting with and supporting those around us as well as the vulnerable in our community.