On Saturday 24th February, Pamela Heller-Stern will attend the Writers 2000 meeting at Rand Aid’s Inyoni Village Clubhouse where she will introduce and discuss two of her novels, ‘The Pink Slippers’ and ‘Who’s Knocking on my Door?’ as well as her writing career.

An ex-Cape Town resident who is now a Gautenger, Pamela has always been involved in fine art, writing and research. She lectured in English Literature at the University of the Witwatersrand at the tender age of 22 and completed her Doctorate there at the age of 25.

‘The Pink Slippers’ explores the life of Sister Beatrice, a St Augustinian nun and nursing sister in the context of the Cinderella myth.

‘Who’s Knocking on my Door: Could it be Death?’ opens with the dramatic story of a young South African soldier who fought in World War II and was shipped to Italy as prisoner-of-war.

Since her retirement 10 years ago, Pamela writes full-time. Her newly completed novel ‘Have a Heart’ will be published in the UK in June. She is also in the process of editing an historical novel on the Randlord era of Johannesburg to be published locally.

Pamela’s books will be on sale after the talk and she will be donating 10% of the sales to Writers 2000 for the purchase of books for Rand Aid’s Wedge Gardens Rehabilitation Centre in Lyndhurst.

Pamela first came into contact with Rand Aid last year when she was part of the Gardens of the Golden City organising team. Gardens at Inyoni Creek retirement village were among those that were opened to the public. The initiative resulted in a donation of about R80 000 to Thembalami, which is one of Rand Aid’s care centres. Pamela was interested to learn the extensiveness of Rand Aid operations and was taken on a tour of the various properties, including Wedge Gardens.

Founded in 1903, Rand Aid manages four retirement villages, two frail care centres, a treatment centre for people with substance abuse problems and a home for the deaf. Rand Aid has a strong welfare focus and provides subsidised accommodation, care or treatment to over 500 people on a daily basis at its Thembalami Care Centre, Tarentaal Village and Wedge Gardens. Support services include Cookchill, the catering arm that prepares 35 500 meals a month; the stores; central workshops and the laundry that handles mountains of washing each day.

The Writers 2000 meeting is at 1:30 for 2pm. Pamela’s talk is titled ‘A writer’s journey – cannon balls and church, Cinderella and pumpkin carriages at midnight’. Visitors pay R20, which includes tea.