The Complicated Goodbye!

We started with a “Hello” and ended with a complicated “Goodbye”

Mrs Jill Rawlins announced at the start of the year that she would leave Pevensey to go and enjoy her retirement on the South Coast in KZN. This put a lid on five wonderful years of service to Pevensey, where her contributions to the Home craft Workshop will continue to shine. So at the end of March, Pevensey Place marked her departure with a farewell lunch with the Residents and a dinner with the staff members and some Management Committee members who could make it.

The Goodbye started with a tea. Over the last 5 years, Mrs Rawlins worked so closely with the Monday Ladies; that amazing set of ladies who dedicate their time to come to Pevensey every Monday afternoon  to work and mingle with our residents. So these lovely women organised a farewell Tea Party for Jill,on the 18th of March, which was such a huge surprise for Jill and a pleasant time for our residents. We applaud the fact that it usually is a difficult for people to keep a secret at Pevensey, but this tea event was an exception. Jill only got to know about it when a the very last minute.

Then followed a farewell lunch with the residents, which was on the 26th of March. We all gathered in the dinning hall where the Director, Mr Jan Niemand highlighted the impact that Jill’s work had on the residents, and how she turned around the home craft workshop into such a warm and meaningful place for our residents. For this the Director thanked her, and mentioned that it was a sad thing that Jill had to leave, but she had a right to take her retirement. All things come to an end. Even good things. In her speech, Jill high told the residents how she was going to miss them all, particularly those she worked closely with in the home craft workshop. And how her heart will forever be with Pevensey Place. Tears were shed, as reality set in. Mrs Rawlins was stepping into her retirement.

The following day was to host another farewell event for Mrs Rawlins. Pevensey staff members gathered at Mr Niemand’s house to bid Jill goodbye. What a special dinner it turned out to be. Pud Turner, Trish Anderson, Chrs Mattssen and Lel Mattssen represented the Management Committee team. Great food and drinks where shared, punctuated by great conversations. For me, this was the perfect way to bid Jill goodbye ( because she really is a chatty girl )

Thank you Jill Rawlins, for all the years. Thank you for serving the residents well. We live in a world where we all are hungry to be served, and when we find people who say “yes” to taking up positions where they provide service to others, we have to get off our seats and applaud them. Adios Jill. may you enjoy the next chapter of your life.