The Graham & Rhona Beck Development Trust

Monday, 5 December, 2016
Graham Beck
Through the Graham &Rhona Beck Development Trust (GRBDT) Graham Beck Enterprises has contributed significantly to the development of the local communities within the Langeberg Municipal region (situated in the Robertson Wine Valley) in the areas of Education, Skills Development, Arts, Sports as well as in the Healthcare/Wellbeing and Housing requirements of our own employees.

Education

The Company recognizes the critical role that education will play in the transformation of South Africa as we want to participate and become increasingly competitive in the global economy. 

Education and skills development is provided for the benefit of children of all ages including Early Childhood Development, Pre-Primary Schools; Primary schools; High Schools and Adults education in the form of bursaries and skills development initiatives. Early Childhood Development includes aftercare facilities which are responsible for aftercare (including holiday activities and learning) for 90 children between the ages of 5 -13 years. Daily meals are provided for all the children of the crèche and aftercare. The Anna Foundation assists the teachers of both the crèche and aftercare with curriculum development and support via their 3 R’s programme.

Currently the GRBDT financially assists children of all the employees of Graham Beck Enterprises with school fees which includes hostel fees as well as a school bus service to take children from the farm to the school and back on a daily basis. Bursaries are furthermore provided for studies at Bridgehouse Private School in Franschhoek. 

Bursary Scheme

The objective of the Graham &Rhona Beck Development Trust Bursary Scheme is to recruit and select bursars for full time study at accredited Tertiary Institutions. The Trust seeks to attract talented youth from our community to acquire the appropriate skills, knowledge and qualifications and full-time bursaries are awarded annually according to the employment needs of the company and the community we serve. All our full-time students are viewed as potential employees – depending on vacancies being available after successfully completing their qualifications.

The comprehensive bursary for tertiary education covers the following: tuition fees, accommodation, travelling, meals, book allowance and experiential training (if needed and available).

Another vital service which is supplied is Career Guidance (in the form of study skills, psychometric assessment, career counseling, information sessions and job shadowing).

Conservation Awareness

The Graham and Rhona Beck Development Trust also promotes Conservation Awareness. By teaching our community that the physical environment is fragile and indispensable, we can begin fixing the problems that threaten it and protect scarce resources e.g. water conservation.

By financially supporting the RooibergBreederiver Conservancy (region from Goreeshoogte outside Robertson to the Nuy Valley including the Langeberg and Rooiberg Mountains, and the Breede River to the south) the Trust assists the area in their aim to support sustainable resource utilization, as well as the conservation of fauna and flora and their habitats in the RooibergBreede River Conservancy for the benefit of present and future generations (through active participation, communication and education).

Financial assistance for schools

The GRBDT also focuses on improving school governance structures and teacher development (including school infrastructure development). The GRBDT has financially adopted some of the more impoverished schools in the area to address problem areas. Langeberg Secondary School in Robertson as well as some of the primary farm schools are currently being financially assisted. 

Skills Development

The Graham &Rhona Beck Skills Centre (established in 2008 on the Graham Beck Robertson Estate) provides essential training opportunities and important life skills to a community which has in the past lacked adequate resources and facilities to generate this type of enrichment. The groundbreaking Skills Centre (the first of its kind in this region) has been designed and planned with a holistic approach in mind, operating as a rural facilitation and skills training facility aimed at developing the human resource base of the Breede River Winelands area.

Skills development has been identified as one of the most important requirements in developing people in order to alleviate poverty and contribute to economic growth in South Africa. The Graham &Rhona Beck Skills Centre equips trainees with valuable skills to compete in the open market, while stimulating personal growth and improving their self confidence. The Centre acts mainly as a facilitator matching training supply and demand.

Sport and Recreation 

Arts, culture, sports and recreation are part of the soul and history of the nation. The company recognizes this and seeks partnerships with various organizations that are involved in this area to identify opportunities for the benefit of our local communities. 

Music

The Graham &Rhona Beck Development Trust (GRBDT) together with other role-players in the music arena established a music academy for the youth since public schools for the mainly previously disadvantaged do not accommodate music as a subject. Together with the financial assistance of the GRBDT the tuition in music includes: the teaching of various music instruments, music theory, forming of bands and district choirs and participation in concerts and festivals.

Together with the establishment of the music school and academy, the need to also establish a prestige community youth choir was envisaged. In June 2014 local youth between the ages of 14-18 formed a community choir to showcase the vocal excellence of our area, develop constructive ways to use leisure time/counteract boredom, develop life skills, perform at social functions and participate in local competitions and fundraising events. The GRBDT supports the choirs by assisting with transport and practicing facilities. 

The LangebergAd Libitum Youth Choir and concert Band (towards which GRBDT sponsors R500K) have improved in leaps and bounds. The Ad Libitum Academy of Music’s Jazz Ensemble recently had the opportunity to perform at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town as part of the prestigious annual Cape Town Big Band Festival. They also had an opportunity to perform at the annual Achoired Taste showcase held in Cape Town alongside some of the best choirs in the country. Graham Beck Wines and the GRBDT were significant sponsors of this event. 

Sports

The GRBDT supports the development of youth through the participation in constructive and creative activities associated with sports. This in turn develops potential in a particular skill, improves and increases self-esteem, constructively utilizes leisure time and promotes problem-solving methods. Sports currently being developed at Graham Beck Enterprises are Dominoes, Soccer, Cricket, Rugby and Netball. 

Dance

The Agapé dance group practices weekly and regularly performs at church and community functions. Participation in the dance group enhances character building, discipline, positive self-image and social behavior for these youngsters.