The Gelvan Park Frail Aged Home has one less financial cost to worry about, thanks to a R100,000 donation by the Consulate-General of China.

The money has already been used to install flooring in one of the wards and buy medical mattresses and a month’s supply of adult diapers.

The cost would have had to come out of the home’s dire finances had the donation not been made, board chair Dennis Bellairs said.

“Words cannot express enough gratitude for the contribution. It had made a significant difference.”

The donation was facilitated by ANC MP Cedric Frolick during a visit to the home earlier in 2019.

“When I came here with (former ANC MPL) Christian Martin we were taken through the plans that the home has in place to improve its state and the expensive nature of running a facility like this,” he said.

“When I interacted with the Consul General’s office on a number of other issues he came back to me to offer a contribution to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay, asking me to indicate where it was needed.

“When that contribution came up, the first thing that came to mind is that we have the responsibility to look after our elderly,” Frolick said.

He recommended the Gelvan Park Frail Aged Home and Unique Kidz, a dance programme in the bay.

The Consulate General of China donated R30,000 to Unique Kidz.

“This investment being made by the Chinese government is not only in line with our developmental objectives as an ANC government, but also that of China,” Frolick said.

The handover ceremony at Gelvan Park Frail Aged Home was attended by Frolick, Bellairs, Consul General Lin Jing, Mayor Mongameli Bobani, Metro Police Chief Yolande Faro and Patriotic Alliance Councillor Malon Daniels.

“Children are our future, therefore we need to take care of elderly and the homeless kids to ensure they believe they matter in society,” Lin said.