St Anne's College Prize Giving was held recently. Professor PJ Schwikkard, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Univerisity of Cape Town, was the Guest Speaker at this year's Prize Giving.

Pictured here on the left are (from l to r) Mr P Berrangé (Chairman of the Board of Governors), Prof P J Schwikkard, Katie Polkinghorne (Head Girl) and Mr D I Arguile (College Head).

Pictured below are (from l to r) Mr P Berrangé (Chairman of the Board of Governors), Naledi Majola (Joint Dux), Prof P J Schwikkard (Dean of the Faculty of Law, UCT and Guest Speaker), Nicola Fourie (Joint Dux), Jessica Hayes (Dux Proximé) and Mr D I Arguile (College Head).

News supplied by St Anne's Diocesan College, a private girls school in Hilton, KZN.

A CLASS of Grade 7 Laddsworth Primary School pupils won R10 000 in the Midlands Liberty Midlands Malls' "re*think: Conserve Water" school art competition on the theme of water conservation.

The class's art work featured waste material and focused on "waterwise" behaviour and ideas for water conservation.

Pictured here are representatives of the winning class, whose names were drawn in a lucky draw. Standing with teacher Keri Maxfield who supervised the artwork and headmaster Gavin Lambooy is Vamile Gumbi. Kneeling are, from left: Danielle Confait, Caitlyn Veness, Lauren Knobel, and Rachel Newlands. 

News submitted by Laddsworth Primary School.

Small-to-medium-sized businesses can survive a recession if they act early – that is before their customers have committed to other vendors. Securing revenue during a recession is no different from any other time; the company simply needs to increase its marketing effort and scope to reach more customers. Here are some tips to increase your market share:

Create a strategy

If the company hasn't already, develop a marketing plan. If there is a plan, increase its activity by at least 25% to reach more prospects. Clarify the company's target markets and customer profile. Confirm that the company's value proposition solves a critical problem for that market, and that it is competitive in the market.

Publicise

Put the company's name in front of prospects. Ensure press releases are published regularly, letting prospects know about the company's recent successes, events, and activities. Use a separate release to target specific locations.Create a unique angle for the release that captures attention.

Publish articles

This is an easy and inexpensive way to capture attention for the company. We're in the information age and there are literally thousands of media outlets in search of interesting articles. The key is to write what prospects want to hear about, provide value, and include a clear call to action.

Ask for referrals

There is no faster way to find a new prospect than to ask an existing customer. They know you and your company and can easily predict whether any of their business partners would be a viable prospect.

Distribute electronic newsletters

Newsletters are a reliable way to maintain contact with customers and prospects because when prospects opt into the company's mailing list, the sales team can be sure that person is interested. Winning business is often a matter of timing. By keeping the company's name in front of prospects throughout the newsletter, chances improve significantly that the client will seek the company's services when he/she is ready to buy.

Public speaking

Speaking to groups is a proven method for generating new business. Offer expertise to industry trade shows, civic groups, or business organisations. If the company does not have a competent public speaker, send someone for training or join a local toastmasters group.

In short, the way to beat a recession is to creatively grow your market presence, not pull back. While many others diminish, this is your opportunity to move to the front.

Visit: www.actioncoach/patrickgreenaway.com

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: 033 343 2960

News article supplied by Patrick Greenaway of ActionCOACH Business Coaching.

It is with pleasure that Mendola announces it is open to Office functions, private gatherings, exclusive parties and Christmas Luncheons for 20 people or more, for the month of November and December. Lunches start from Monday to Thursday, 12 noon to 2 pm (or as arranged). The price of meals is from R165 per person, including venue hire, Christmas Crackers and Christmas Decor.

We are offering mouth-watering cuisine, excellent in-house wines and champers, friendly service and a wonderful atmosphere listening to muted tones of gentle music.

It is no secret that there are few venues that can compete with Mendola with the exquisite elegant decor and ambience that it provides.

Mendola welcomes you and your party of friends, to a piece of heaven in the Midlands, and to show how it is done the Mendola way.

Bookings are essential to save disappointment. Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or Phone +27 79 287 1619. Linda, Claire or Gill to assist you with your enquiries.

Grace College Matric pupils, Rory Mackenzie (L) and Marisa Lagrange (R) received national recognition for their respective essays. Rory participated in the National Bilingual Taalbond Exam under the auspices of Stellenbosch University where his English Essay was rated amongst the top in the country. Marisa entered the Afrikaans EKSPO competition with her essay "Anders, maar eenders" and was awarded a National Gold Certificate; the only gold in this category out of twenty participants who qualified on provincial level. We are immensely proud of their achievements and wish them well for the final exams and future studies.

News supplied by Grace College.

Congratulations to the following players from St Anne's Diocesan College who have been chosen to represent KwaZulu Natal Water Polo at the 2013 SA Schools Water Polo Championships Tournament to be held in East London during December.

Pictured from left: Naomi Forrester-Smith (U15), Dom Riley (U19B), Camilla McCormack (U16), Sally Fowler (U19A), Emma Lunde (U16), Brady Wiseman and Megan Rebstein-Dovey (U14)

News supplied by St Anne's Diocesan College in Hilton, KZN.

Cruise into 2014 knowing your stationery requirements and those of your school children are paid for and sorted!

Belinda at Cartridge Smart right here in Hilton has compiled a comprehensive list that includes quality back to school stationery items for all grades, so you can order all your stationery on a single form or use one per child and Belinda will pack it up for you accordingly.

Stationery orders must be in by Friday 22nd November 2013 and proof of payment is acceptable by fax or email as indicated on the order form which you can view or print here.

Congratulations to the following Hilton boys who have been selected for the various KwaZulu-Natal Water Polo teams to represent the province at the inter-provincial tournaments in December.
• U18A: Dale Russell, Niall Wheeler, Chris Saunders
• U17A: Oliver Rees
• U16A: Brynn Enslin, Charles Thornton-Dibb
• U14A: Ryan Griessel

We wish them well and it is a fine achievement and honour to represent the province.

Pictured above are Ryan Griessel, Brynn Enslin, Niall Wheeler, Charles Thornton-Dibb, Oliver Rees, Chris Saunders, Dale Russell

Photograph by Matt Dahl.

News supplied by Hilton College.

Dave Prentice, local accountant, fly fishing enthusiast and daring adventurer is throwing off his kit in public once again! Previously dave went fly-fishing and swam in an icy river to complete his inaugural Polar Bear Challenge for CINDI. Now Dave is baring his physique along with a horde of other men for a totally different reason. He has been challenged to enter the DAREdevil Run.

Dave says, 'It's only open to men 7 years and older and you are only allowed to run in a Red Speedo provided by the organisers. Needless to say I, along with my 8 year old, Samuel, will be running. I have also got William Gearing involved.

By all accounts the event is great fun. The essence is that being in a Speedo is not cool. It's uncomfortable to be seen running in one in peak hour traffic but nothing in comparison with the pain and discomfort testicular and prostate sufferers go through. Most of the runners have the slogan "Running for my balls" painted on their bodies!'

Well done Dave, we hope a whole bunch of Hilton men join in, if you are up for the challenge let us know and email pictures!

Marina Miller, owner of Positive Purpose Life Coaching responds to the question, 'Who am I?'

'I am a business woman, wife and mother of 3 wonderful boys. I have been married for 30 years and live in Merrivale Heights, KZN, which is halfway between Pietermaritzburg and Howick, and have done so for 21 years.

I believe that each person has whatever he/she needs within themselves to be truly happy, peaceful, content and fulfilled. We as people, just don't always seek for it, or we are too scared to dream. So with encouragement and challenge you can grow through life and live life to the full.

I have studied and qualified through New Insights as a life coach, after I was coached through the 13 session program, and this has been a very rewarding journey which I embarked on.

My eldest son died in a motorbike accident on his way home from school in 2006 at the age of 17. This was by far the most challenging and life changing experience of my life. Suddenly your priorities change and you become aware of how you live your life and you realise how precious it is to really live a constructive life. The growth which has taken place within me since that day in 2006 has been amazing. I have a wealth of life experience and the death of my son has provided me with the qualities needed to be a Life Coach of excellence. I have learnt so much through this and I have huge compassion for the difficulties that people experience in life, whilst I still understand that we have what it takes to overcome those difficulties.

I have 2 more precious boys whom are studying at the moment and I am fortunate enough that they are studying from home.

I am passionate about people and I felt that I needed to give back to society, the things I have learnt in such a hard way, and I have realized that giving away kindness and being compassionate are amazing qualities within any person.

It was 5 years after the death of my son that I knew for sure that I was now ready for change from within myself, about how I live my life. I then went to see a Life Coach and halfway through the course I realized that this was what I needed to do and help others discover this amazing journey of coaching. I realized that I can make a difference by helping people to live the lives they want.

I enrolled for the 2 year course and I qualified as an Elite New Insights Life coach. Now I am fortunate enough to help others to be the best they can be and live the lives they want!

I did the Advanced Training course as well, which has been of amazing value in my life.

As I am coaching and I see people drawing from within, to reach their true potential, by building on their strong qualities I feel enriched and inspired. Coaching is awesome and I am loving every minute of it!!!'

HiltonVillage.co.za wishes Marina huge success with her life coaching journey. You can still grab a seat at a Forgiveness Workshop she will be co-presenting with Cherri Forsyth this weekend. Just 5 spots are still available. Call 082 801 8961 to book.

Loi Krathong or Loy Ka thong, is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and certain parts of Laos and Burma (in the Shan State). Loosely translated is means "Floating Crown" or "Floating Decoration", and is derived from the tradition of making buoyant decorations which are then floated on a river.

Loi means float while Ka thong refers to a lotus shaped container which can float on water.

Traditionally Ka thongs are made of the layers of the trunk of a banana tree or spider lily plant. These days styrofoam or bread is usually used. The bread is most eco-friendly in river systems as within days it will be eaten by fish. The governments have banned Styrofoam in river systems as it can take many years to decompose. These Ka thongs are elaborately embellished with banana leaves, incense and a candle. As they are placed on the water a small coin is placed inside and revellers make a wish. This celebration coincides with the annual sky lantern festival.

Loi Ka thong is celebrated on the eve of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November and in Hilton, Taste of Thai is bringing us the Loy Ka thong experience on the 3rd November 2013.

Expect discounts on sushi, 10% off the table bill and entertainment by Erin Fourie! Sounds like a very festive day to enjoy. Book early on 074 180 9450 or 084 022 8679.

Staying connected and relevant to your children in this new look world of technology is a challenge for many parents. Ensure that you take conscious, positive steps to understand it. Building strong relationships with your children and setting boundaries will help you through this new era. This was some of the good advice from parenting expert, Nikki Bush, who presented "Bridging the Digital Divide" to many parents invited by Singakwenza as part of their Talking Parenting series which encourages parents to be informed, enlightened and effective (www.singakwenza.org).

Left to right: Sthembile Magwaza (Singakwenza Trainer), Julie Hay (Singakwenza Director), Nikki Bush (Creative Parenting Expert), John Huggett (Deputy Headmaster - Cordwalles) and Sarah Giles (Training Leadership Consulting)

The Hilton Bowling Club was re-opened yesterday after the annual green treatment. Due to some major work still in progress in one corner, only four rinks will be used for the next week or two. For this reason it has been necessary to cancel the Jaxx Roll for October. Our sincere apologies to all who are affected.

Six rinks will be prepared for the Queen's Cup competition to be re-played on Saturday this week. A new draw for this event will take place on Thursday evening.

The draws for the Open Singles and the Nominated Mixed Pairs will also be done on this week, with play set to commence on Sunday. Entrants should arrange their matches as quickly as possible. Please check the board for the cut-off dates for each round. A marker must be used for all the singles games.

The off-season social on Friday last week was a great success, and we all enjoyed being entertained by Vince Seale.

We even managed some dancing, believe it or not!

Thanks once again to all involved in the organisation, and those who attended.

Here is a question on the Laws of Bowls. Look at Law 52 on page 59 of the booklet. Does this mean that skips (and others) may not "give a foot" to help their team mates to aim? Send your comments to Derick at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (No prize offered)

Duties: The roster for duties will resume next week.

News supplied by Hilton Bowling Club.

Prech is two months into owning Jewellery by Diana and while she misses her mentor Di Veness, she is finding customers increasingly ask for her and is grateful for their support.

Working alongside the helpful and supportive Janet, their focus is currently on new designs and stock for the Christmas season. In the evenings Prech also makes time to study through UNISA as she pursues her goal of achieving a diploma in Business Management. Previously Prech chose to study teaching and then had a change of heart months back when she switched to Business studies, in what later proved to be a most suitable move.

Prech says, 'With all the Christmas and year end functions coming up during the festive season, I look forward to helping accessorise little black numbers and other party outfits!'

Pictured above left is Janet and on the right is Prech, owner of Jewellery by Diana.

It has recently come to light that criminals are becoming more cunning in their plans to trick unsuspecting ATM users out of their funds. A new device has been discovered, images and discriptions below, which have been found in Shopping Centres, petrol stations and convenience stores all over JHB. Please be aware of these and do not consider this to be something that you will not be a victim of, chances are, they may already have your details without you even knowing. To view the document click here.

For a safer Hilton join up with HCPF/Hilton Bobbies Project.

Article supplied by Hilton SAPS.

I hear this type of comment so often as I go through the financial planning process with my clients. But most of these clients are already over the age of 50 and my response to them is, even if they had, they probably would have waited another 20 or more years before taking any steps to follow my advice.

The unfortunate reality is that, in this material world full of bright shiny things which are continuously and aggressively marketed via so many sources, it is almost impossible for a 20 something year old to visualise a life in retirement. They join the consumer world and spend what they earn and very often spend more than they earn and so they start the downward slide into the "debt trap". After all can one really compare the feeling of "personal success" when discussing one's new vehicle purchase, i-phone or plans for a trip abroad with that of discussing your financial plan over dinner with friends?

Statistics show that few people are adequately prepared for retirement. Even if you belong to a company sponsored pension fund it is unlikely that there will be enough in the fund for you to survive once you have retired. It is vitally important to take ownership and control of your retirement plan and start saving towards a stress free, happy and secure retirement from the day you start earning an income.

How do you start saving for retirement?

A perfect starting point is to join a retirement annuity fund or RA as they are more commonly referred. Anyone, whether they are employed, self-employed or a member of a pension or provident fund, can join an RA and make contributions to it.

How does an RA work?

The "new age" R.As are extremely flexible and allow you to make monthly or annual contributions and even suspend contributions should you lose your job or having financial difficulties and then start up again, all the while offering a wide range of investment funds for you to select to be invested in.

What about tax?

Your contributions to an RA are tax-deductible up to the greater of

• 15% of non-retirement funding income (income other than your monthly salary), or
• R3 500 less any current contributions to a pension fund, or
• R1 750

The above limits will increase substantially in 2015 and I will explain this in detail in an article closer to this date.

What benefits are payable by a RA?

• You cannot access your RA savings until you reach the age of 55 years: Unless the total value of your RA savings is values at less than R7 000 or you have emigrated and the SA Reserve Bank recognizes your emigration, you cannot access your RA savings until you have reached the age of 55 years.
• Disability benefit: If you become permanently disabled before age 55, you can receive a disability benefit. The options available regarding your disability benefit are the same as for the retirement benefit - see below.
• Retirement benefit: This can be taken at any time after you reach age 55 and you don't need to link it to your retirement from your employer. You can take a cash portion of up to 1/3rd of your RA savings, but the balance must be used to purchase a pension. However, if your total RA savings amount is less than R75 000, you can take the total in cash.
• Death benefit: If you die before your retire, your savings in the fund are paid as a death benefit to your dependants and/or nominees. They can either use the benefit to purchase a pension or take all or a portion of the amount in cash.
• Tax consequences: It is vital to remember that there are tax consequences whenever you take cash out of an RA Make sure you completely understand the tax consequences prior to completing your retirement forms or you may be in for a nasty shock.

What are the advantages of an RA?

• Subject to specified limits, your contributions are tax-deductible so effectively you are getting SARS to help you save!
• You can add life assurance and disability cover to your RA policy – but in my experience this can be an expensive way of having insurance so make sure your financial adviser has done a proper cost comparison.
• You can increase or decrease the amount you contribute, making them very flexible.
• Your savings amount in the RA is not seen as part of your estate. If you go bankrupt, your RA will be safe from creditors and the value of your RA is not subject to estate duty on your death so it can often be effectively used in estate planning.
• Another major benefit is that the investment growth in an RA is not taxed so you, the investor, get the benefit of compounding your gross investment returns over the entire life of the RA Initially, on smaller amounts, this benefit may not seem like much. Over time, however, it is a huge advantage if you compare this to other investments i.e.: unit trusts wherein returns will be taxed at your own rate of tax, which could be anything from 18 percent up to 40 percent. That's quite a large slice off the top of your savings!

Which RA should you join?

RA's have historically left much to be desired regarding transparency of costs. However, the RA's of today, like all other financial products are required to be transparent in their cost structures. Be sure you understand the costs of your RA and do not feel awkward about asking your financial planner to explain how the cost structure works and what fees she is earning. The fees you are charged can have a major impact on the long term net investment return on your savings and you owe it to yourself to not only understand the fees but be satisfied that they are competitive for the product and services you are receiving. The market out there is competitive, so your best option is to consult an independent, qualified and experienced financial planner who will help you to identify, clarify and document your goals and objectives and then determine which RA product will be most likely to give you a realistic prospect of achieving them.

When should I start?

If you are serious then you need to start now! i.e. today, not tomorrow.

Submitted by Janine Player CFP®
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TO celebrate its 110th anniversary this year, Laddsworth Primary School in Hilton has held a commemorative event of some kind each term. To mark the start of Spring and celebrate the anniversary, the school recently planted 11 indigenous trees along the boundary of the sports field, once for each decade of the school's history.

Pictured on the left are Grade 5 teachers Jenny Raubenheimer (left) and Di Smythe and Grade 5 pupils help to plant a Broom cluster fig, one of the 11 indigenous trees planted along the boundary of the sports field.

Grade 1 pupils help to put soil onto a White stinkwood, one of the 11 indigenous trees planted along the boundary of the sports field in the photograph below on the left and Grade 6 boys scatter soil onto a Waterberry/Umdoni, one of the 11 indigenous trees planted along the boundary of the sports field in the photograph below on the right.