About Woodside Sanctuary
Woodside Sanctuary was established in 1955 by Vernon and Norah Veale following the birth of their son, Barry Robin Veale, who was born with Spina bifida.
Since then, Woodside Sanctuary has provided a safe haven for children and adults with:
Profound disabilities
Mental Health needs
Acquired brain injuries
Physical/ medical disabilities
Sensory impairments
After 68 years of care, love and service to the profoundly disabled, Woodside Sanctuary’s doors face imminent closure through lack of funds.
Patricia Veale is on the left alongside Paul Kasango, a current member of the Executive Committee, and member of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg, New Dawn. Next to Paul is a past Matron, Uschi Wellman and the Operations and Programme Administrator, Minah Leatswe, with the General Manager, Kirsten Williams on the far right.
Read more about the Woodside Sanctuary Board, and the wonderful staff who make it all possible, in the Annual Report 2024 PDF 1.4 MB
Hello, I’m Patricia Veale.
In 1955 my parents, Vernon and Norah Veale, founded Woodside Sanctuary in Johannesburg, South Africa, when their first baby, the brother I never met, was born with Spina bifida. He lived for just five months.
During that time my parents joined with a small group of concerned parents who had children with diverse disabilities, recognising a need for specialised, lifelong care for loved ones, unable to be cared for in their own homes. And so Woodside Sanctuary began.
The inaugural meeting of Woodside Sanctuary was held in 1955 with parents and other interested persons, involving Rotary and Round Table. Round Table No. 3 of which Vernon was a member, played a very significant role in the early years with their active community work. From day one, Rotary was a great help and there has been a Rotarian on the Woodside Sanctuary committee without a break ever since. Vernon was a Rotarian and Past President of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg.
Under Vernon’s Chairmanship, the committee successfully raised sufficient funds through campaigns with the help of people like the Monday Club, Round Table, and Rotary – which enabled them to establish a viable, well-staffed home for 23 mentally and physically disabled children by 1958, and from then on, growing with quiet development over the years.
Many children are now adults, having lived at Woodside for over 60 years, and know no other home. Today, Woodside is home to 84 residents (3-67 years of age), a place of love and hope for these most vulnerable people, and a place of learning to uplift skills in the community in the care of those living with disability. I am devastated that it will be lost unless financial support is raised, and soon!
I live in Australia now, but am still connected to and visit Woodside when I can (that’s me next to one of Woodside’s biggest personalities, Heidi, in the photo above. Heidi came to Woodside when she was a fragile two weeks old, she’s now 61).
I am a Rotarian with the Rotary Club of North Sydney Sunrise and honoured that they have endorsed, and that Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) have registered my project.
Please join me in offering a helping hand to these incredible residents and staff at Woodside Sanctuary by donating and sharing awareness with your friends and networks.
Donations are tax deductible, collected and distributed through Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS).
Children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities who are unable to remain with their families due to their special needs, live at Woodside Sanctuary.
Today, Woodside provides full-time holistic, residential care to 84 people with severe/profound intellectual disability, and respite care for relief to families, incorporating 24 hours/day nursing, rehabilitation and stimulation programmes that help each individual reach their full potential for best quality of life.
For these residents, nothing could be more devastating than the doors closing on the only home many of them have ever known, where they are loved, encouraged and cared for.
The average functional age of Woodside’s residents is 3 – 7 years, not at sheltered workshop level, nor able to self-care.
Woodside’s School/ Learning Environment is largely activity/ stimulation based. Learning Support spans Remedial Teaching, Stimulation (OT), Physical therapy, and Social Connectivity (classroom and 1:1).
The School plays an integral part in the stimulation and emotional well-being of residents who love to spend time in the ‘classroom’, being very proud of any project, even if it takes a few months or years to complete.
