News

After the conference break, the Rotary Club of Wynberg resumes its weekly meetings on Thursday 14 May at WPCC Rondebosch. We welcome Natasha Franchitti — Chairperson of the Friends of Maynardville Park and co-founder and director of Archi Tech (Pty) Ltd — as our guest speaker.

Maynardville Park is one of Wynberg's most treasured green spaces — home to the famous open-air theatre and a community anchor for generations. The Friends of Maynardville Park are dedicated to the preservation, maintenance, and promotion of this heritage site, working to keep it safe, beautiful, and accessible to the public.

Natasha brings both professional depth and community passion to the topic. As an architectural technologist and director of Archi Tech, she understands the built environment and what it takes to protect heritage spaces. As Chairperson of the Friends group, she has led advocacy on urban green spaces, community safety, and the importance of public-private partnerships in maintaining local landmarks like Maynardville.

Visitors and guests are welcome. The evening includes dinner — please RSVP so we can plan numbers.

The annual District 9350 Conference, held at Gene Louw Primary School in Durbanville, brought together Rotarians from across the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Namibia, and Angola. The club's Thursday meeting of 7 May was cancelled so members could attend in full.

The three-day programme opened on Thursday evening with a Meet & Greet at Durbanville Golf Club — fellowship, wine tasting, and snacks. Friday's full-day Assembly covered district business and presentations, followed by a Mayoral Reception with a spitbraai and line dancing. Saturday was Conference day, running from morning through to the Grand Finale dinner — fancy dress compulsory.

Wynberg members dressed up, showed up, and made the club proud. Then came the awards: