Freelance Guild member Ali Lea, who moved to South Africa last year having previously lived in Italy, has furnished and prepared a cottage at her new home to offer Bed & Breakfast stays.
“The dinky stone cottage in our garden hardly ever gets used, so I came up with this idea in the hope it doesn’t go to waste and do something useful with some of my time,” says Ali. “It’s separate from the main house, so visitors can be as independent as they like.”
Ali has decided that any B&B stays will support two worthwhile causes – the Guild’s Charitable Trust, which supports members in need of practical or financial support, and the Elgin Learning Foundation in South Africa. This non-government, non-profit organisation serves disadvantaged communities in mainly rural areas of the country through education, training and development. The organisation’s initiatives and programmes aim to eradicate poverty in all its forms.
As for the cottage that is now open for business, Ali says: “We’re located in the beautiful Elgin Valley, 45 minutes from Cape Town airport and a further 10 minutes to Cape Town itself. There is glorious mountain walking and mountain biking in the area, wine estates to visit, and whale watching. I hope we’ll get to welcome some fellow Guild members here.”
Contact Ali (see Guild Year Book) or visit the My Padwebsite for more details
