Marking 26 years of existence, the McGregor Heritage Society has kept the heart and soul of McGregor alive with its core principles: conservation, preservation and restoration. Under the society’s watchful eye the village stays beautiful and peaceful, and historic buildings and streetscapes are kept intact. The society prevents any development that will destroy the town’s cultural and architectural character. It also helps to restore old homes that add to its charm.

Having founded the Krans Nature Reserve, once a worksite for San people to make new tools, current members continue to manage this vital and recreational area.They also educate the next generation on the importance of indigenous flora and fauna.The society aims to embrace and enhance the reasons that attract visitors and house-hunters to choose “the village on the road to nowhere” as their preferred destination.

Paying tribute to the past while celebrating the present, the McGregor HeritageSociety Museum may be small, but has been declared one of the most fascinating by more than one enthusiastic visitor.

It’s situated in a suitably central position in the village, and forms part of theMcGregor Tourism office. Here locals and visitors can browse along the walls lined with exhibits and portraits and pictures of past events. Even as future exploration is mooted, tales of deeds that range from enterprise to preservation, conservation to restoration are recorded as reminders of successful village endeavours over the last 160 years.

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The Breede Centre was envisioned by local and ex-teacher Pieter Holloway who wanted to create a training centre with its own campus and facilities to provide skills training so that the young people would not have to leave the village.

Today the centre boasts training facilities focussing on practical skills for the local unemployed who are yearning for a better life. Courses range from long-term DIY and Cooking courses, to short-term courses such as Gardening. Needlework, Entrepreneurship and Computer Skills.The centre also offers afternoon and holiday activities for the local children as well as language and math support.

It is the first step that takes you on the path of your future success. First Step BalletMcGregor is the creative brainchild of Mary Corpe Silver and was founded in 2014. Mary, who was born in England, started performing at the age of three and made her first professional debut at the Theatre Royal in Brighton at the age of seven. After her studies an illustrious performing career followed, and today she has 40 years’ experience in teaching children dance and drama.

Her passion is to empower the youth and to help them reach their dreams. When she first arrived in McGregor she soon realised the need for after-school and holiday activities. So the ballet classes began. In the last few years the children have also been learning Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Singing, African dance, Life Skills, Poetry, Drama and Literature. They have won many awards and have been chosen four times to perform at the Baxter Fringe Festival. Some of the senior students have also taken their first ballet exam. First Step Ballet McGregor has changed these children’s lives. Their self-confidence and self-esteem have soared, and their grades and behaviour at school have improved. First Step Ballet teaches them discipline, determination, concentration, time keeping, kindness, and the drive to succeed in whatever they do. The hope is that this project will continue to grow for many years to come.


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Friends of Care McGregor Animal Welfare is a fundraising organisation that cares for injured and neglected animals in need. Friends of Care also hold educational outreaches. One of its most important functions is to create awareness about pet population control through regular sterilisation programmes. These programmes take place at their own sterilisation clinic at Ouplaas.

Friends of Care also provides flea and tick vaccines at weekly clinics. The organisation also runs educational programmes under the Happy Pet, Happy Heart banner to educate animal owners on how to treat their pets humanely and provide adequate shelter for them.A veterinary team from the Cornerstone Veterinary Practice visits every six weeks.Under its charity wing, the John Moore Foundation, they perform sterilisation procedures on animals in need.


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In 2001 Dr Johan and Annemarie van Zijl of McGregor responded to a request from the SPCA to provide shelter for two badly neglected donkeys. The two fellows arrived and were named Vaal and Japie - Vaaljapie being an Afrikaans term fore
veryday wine.

Soon it became evident that there were many other donkeys similarly in desperate need of food, water, shelter and care. The dream of a donkey sanctuary was born. Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary was officially opened to the public in November 2007by its patron, singer-songwriter David Kramer. Today the sanctuary provides a permanent refuge for abused, neglected and elderly donkeys.

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