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CTV News
14 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
‘Fills a critical need': YWCA Lethbridge opens new long-term transitional housing program
Officials at the YWCA Lethbridge and District hope a new program can help support women and children who are looking to move beyond crisis but still face safety and stability barriers. The YWCA launched its Hope program Wednesday afternoon. 'It's that medium phase, it's that second stage where individuals that are fleeing domestic violence or have experienced gender-based violence are able to move into more stable and grounding spaces where they can truly recover,' said CEO Jill Young. The program is the first-of-its-kind in Lethbridge and will offer life skills supports and case management to women and children fleeing domestic violence. The YWCA renovated one of its floors to include individual spaces and a communal kitchen -- doubling the number of beds available. Young says the length of stay in the program will be between six to 18 months, compared to the 21 to 30-day stay at the Harbour House Emergency Shelter. 'When you've already experienced a lot of various barriers in your life – including going through a very traumatic experience – being able to jump straight into market housing can be extremely difficult, so this really fills that gap,' Young explained. 'We are able to provide that long-term stability and allow that recovery to happen.' She says once individuals join the program, space within the Harbour House will become available, allowing for more women and children to access resources and emergency supports. YWCA Lethbridge and District YWCA Lethbridge and District. The City of Lethbridge provided nearly $600,000 in capital and operational funding for the program through the federal government's Reaching Home program. 'This project represents a critical housing need in our community with transitional beds,' said Andrew Malcolm, City of Lethbridge community social development general manager. The Hope program will be able to support between 12 to 18 women and children at a time, according to Young. In 2024, the YWCA Lethbridge and District provided more than 20,000 services and supports to women and children. The YWCA will begin to accept intake referrals for the program, with capacity expected to be reached within a month. 'This is not a women problem, this is not a gender problem, this is a people problem, and we need to continue to address and face what is happening in our community and across Canada,' said Young.
Business Mayor
17-05-2025
- Business Mayor
World's cheapest long haul holiday is perfect for families – with no jet lag, jaw-dropping animals and perfect beaches
HEADING back along the dusty track towards our cottage, we gaze at the darkening sky, so clear it's littered with twinkling stars. Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes ahead makes us stop still. 7 Camps Bay suburb feels like a cross between Cannes and a fancy California town, with its white sandy beach, backdrop of Table Mountain and restaurants lining the beach Credit: Getty 7 To sample some of Cape Town's finest bottles, we headed to the historic town of Stellenbosch, set among the vineyards of the Cape Winelands Credit: Getty 7 The Cape Town waterfront Credit: Getty Two beady eyes emerge, followed by a set of stripey legs slowly plodding on to the trail in front of us. 'There are some zebras on the path,' my partner whispers. Not your usual walk home, but that's South Africa for you. This is a country so packed with wildlife that it is not uncommon to see exotic creatures such as baboons and ostriches feeding at the side of the road, or taking an evening stroll in front of your hotel room. Luckily, zebras are a gentle breed and the ones we encountered seemed entirely disinterested as we weaved around them to our cottage. It was a typical evening on our two-week road trip through Cape Town this Easter, a first proper bucket-list holiday with our six-year-old. We flew on Norse Atlantic Airways, the affordable airline whose budget prices meant we could fly Premium Economy on our overnight flight and stand a decent chance of getting some sleep. Everything in Cape Town is so accessible that we landed at 8.30am, got our hire car, checked into the hotel and were on the glorious Camps Bay beach in swimsuits by 11.30am. Camps Bay suburb feels like a cross between Cannes and a fancy California town, with its white sandy beach, backdrop of Table Mountain and smart restaurants lining the beachfront. Better still, the one-hour time difference meant we had no jet lag, so we could get stuck in straight away without the need to sleep it off. The famous mountain was the first adventure spot on our list. And it made for a great family day out thanks to the rotating gondolas that slowly spin to offer panoramic views on the ascent to the top. Best Value Winter Sun Long Haul Destinations You will also see plenty of cute dassies (a type of large rabbit, native to these parts) that can be spotted scurrying across the rocky landscapes or munching on plants . Once there, the flatness of the peak meant there was a vast area to explore, with circular two-hour hikes across the top. Easter is a great time to visit, because that's Cape Town's autumn, meaning it is relatively crowd-free at this time, with 20C to 29C temperatures. The next stop on our road adventure was Kalk Bay, a cute little boho town where ramshackle restaurants and hippy boutiques line the seafront. At the town's upmarket Harbour House restaurant, we dined on seafood and good wine for the price of a Pizza Hut meal in the UK — all while watching seals swimming in the harbour. Our accommodation was the charming Chartfield Guesthouse, staying in a huge two-bedroom apartment. It was bigger than my house back home, and cost only £94 a night. Kalk Bay is a prime spot for visiting the endangered African penguins of neighbouring Simonstown. There must have been around 100 on the town's shoreline, Boulders Beach, when we visited, swimming in the sea, waddling about or protecting their nests. That wasn't our only wildlife encounter in the area, though. Kalk Bay is also close to the 17,300-acre Cape Point Nature Reserve, with its sweeping ocean views and 200ft cliffs, where we spotted ostriches and baboons, among other creatures. Aside from its excellent wildlife, Cape Town is known for one thing: Wine. To sample some of its finest bottles, we headed to the historic town of Stellenbosch, set among the vineyards of the Cape Winelands. Here, we checked into the Evergreen Manor and Spa, a quaint property that felt like the home from the Anne Of Green Gables novel, and an outdoor pool to relax in after a day's wine tasting. Stellenbosch is the perfect base for exploring the region's family- friendly vineyards. We saw whales, sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals on our morning at sea, with our favourites being the bronze whaler shark and colony of Cape fur seals. At the Warwick Wine Estate, we relaxed on the lawn with a gourmet picnic, while my boy was more than content in the playground and water fountain. Another brilliant spot for the whole family was Soetmelksvlei, an immersive farming experience that recreates an 1800s farm, on the grounds of the Babylonstoren wine estate. We sat at the kitchen table of the manor house while the cook rustled up snacks, and learned how the staff churned milk. From here, we made our way to the coastal town of Gansbaai, aka 'great white shark capital of the world', to go on Marine Dynamics' Big 5 Marine Safari. We saw whales, sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals on our morning at sea, with our favourites being the bronze whaler shark and colony of Cape fur seals. The team on board were outstanding, too. I've been on plenty of marine-life spotting trips and never experienced that level of care. 7 The city skyline at sunset is a sight you'll always remember 7 A stunning view across Cape Town for our explorers Credit: Supplied Our hunt for Africa's animals continued afterwards, with a stay at the De Hoop Nature Reserve, an 84,000-acre area that is home to free-roaming zebras, baboons, ostriches, mongoose and eland. Because of the non-predatory nature of the animals, guests are free to walk among them. Which is how we found ourselves bumping into a dazzle of zebras on our way back from dinner. It was an eventful night. Apparently the baboons also snuck into the restaurant kitchen to steal some bread that evening. We'd already been warned about keeping the windows of our cottage closed when out, as the cheeky primates liked to break in for snacks. I could hardly blame them for wanting to have a nose around. The De Hoop Collection cottage we stayed in was gorgeous — spacious and designed in a country-chic style, all chintz curtains and huge squishy sofas. It was the perfect warm-up for our penultimate destination, where we splurged on a three-night safari at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. It is one of South Africa's largest privately owned nature reserves, with around 150,000 acres of land and a handful of 5* lodges, as well as the all-important 'big five' — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, among others. A whirlwind 14 days with so many memories made, that it felt like five holidays wrapped into one. My favourite wildlife spots had to be a herd of elephants and pride of lions, and both came within a few metres of our safari truck. But we had so many encounters, from giraffes and hippos to Cape buffalo, zebras, springboks and hyenas, that we felt truly spoilt. As we did by the hospitality at Sanbona, where we stayed in the 12-suite Gondwana family lodge. The hours between the morning and evening game drives were spent eating delicious food, sunbathing, swimming in the pool and playing one of the many board games, which are free for guests. Given we had packed so much in, it felt only right to spend our last 36 hours in Cape Town chilling. And there was no better place to do just that than the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront Cape Town, a 5* hotel in a prime coastal spot with far more reasonable rates than most of Europe. Last year, South Africa's tourism minister touted the region as such great value that 'British visitors can afford our 5* hotels'. 7 A bird's eye view of penguins at Boulders Beach Credit: Supplied 7 Luckily, zebras are a gentle breed and the ones we encountered seemed entirely disinterested as we weaved around them to our cottage Credit: Getty And the city was crowned the world's best-value long-haul destination in the Post Office Travel Money Report. Pitched up on sun loungers, we drank delicious wine — fancy stuff at just £4 a glass — while our son played with the other kids in the infinity pool, as dolphins played in the ocean 20 metres away. If it sounds like the trip was a dream from start to finish, it really was. A whirlwind 14 days with so many memories made, that it felt like five holidays wrapped into one.
The Irish Sun
16-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
World's cheapest long haul holiday is perfect for families – with no jet lag, jaw-dropping animals and perfect beaches
HEADING back along the dusty track towards our cottage, we gaze at the darkening sky, so clear it's littered with twinkling stars. Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes ahead makes us stop still. 7 Camps Bay suburb feels like a cross between Cannes and a fancy California town, with its white sandy beach, backdrop of Table Mountain and restaurants lining the beach Credit: Getty 7 To sample some of Cape Town's finest bottles, we headed to the historic town of Stellenbosch, set among the vineyards of the Cape Winelands Credit: Getty 7 The Cape Town waterfront Credit: Getty Two beady eyes emerge, followed by a set of stripey legs slowly plodding on to the trail in front of us. 'There are some zebras on the path,' my partner whispers. Not your usual walk home, but that's South Africa for you. This is a country so packed with wildlife that it is not uncommon to see exotic creatures such as baboons and ostriches feeding at the side of the road, or taking an evening stroll in front of your hotel room. Luckily, zebras are a gentle breed and the ones we encountered seemed entirely disinterested as we weaved around them to our cottage. READ MORE TRAVEL REVIEWS It was a typical evening on our two-week road trip through We flew on Norse Atlantic Airways, the affordable airline whose budget prices meant we could fly Premium Economy on our overnight flight and stand a decent chance of getting some sleep. Everything in Cape Town is so accessible that we landed at 8.30am, got our hire car, checked into the hotel and were on the glorious Camps Bay beach in swimsuits by 11.30am. Camps Bay suburb feels like a cross between Cannes and a fancy California town, with its white sandy beach, backdrop of Table Mountain and smart restaurants lining the beachfront. Most read in Family Seals swimming Better still, the one-hour time difference meant we had no jet lag, so we could get stuck in straight away without the need to sleep it off. The famous mountain was the first adventure spot on our list. And it made for a great family day out thanks to the rotating gondolas that slowly spin to offer panoramic views on the ascent to the top. Best Value Winter Sun Long Haul Destinations You will also see plenty of cute dassies (a type of large rabbit, native to these parts) that can be spotted scurrying across the rocky landscapes or munching on plants . Once there, the flatness of the peak meant there was a vast area to explore, with circular two-hour hikes across the top. Easter is a great time to visit, because that's Cape Town's autumn, meaning it is relatively crowd-free at this time, with 20C to 29C temperatures. The next stop on our road adventure was Kalk Bay, a cute little boho town where ramshackle restaurants and hippy boutiques line the seafront. At the town's upmarket Harbour House restaurant, we dined on seafood and good wine for the price of a Pizza Hut meal in the UK — all while watching seals swimming in the harbour. Our accommodation was the charming Chartfield Guesthouse, staying in a huge two-bedroom apartment. It was bigger than my house back home, and cost only £94 a night. Kalk Bay is a prime spot for visiting the endangered African penguins of neighbouring Simonstown. There must have been around 100 on the town's shoreline, Boulders Beach, when we visited, swimming in the sea, waddling about or protecting their nests. That wasn't our only wildlife encounter in the area, though. Kalk Bay is also close to the 17,300-acre Cape Point Nature Reserve, with its sweeping ocean views and 200ft cliffs, where we spotted ostriches and baboons, among other creatures. Aside from its excellent wildlife, Cape Town is known for one thing: Wine. To sample some of its finest bottles, we headed to the historic town of Stellenbosch, set among the vineyards of the Cape Winelands. Here, we checked into the Evergreen Manor and Spa, a quaint property that felt like the home from the Anne Of Green Gables novel, and an outdoor pool to relax in after a day's wine tasting. Stellenbosch is the perfect base for exploring the region's family- friendly vineyards. We saw whales, sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals on our morning at sea, with our favourites being the bronze whaler shark and colony of Cape fur seals. At the Warwick Wine Estate, we relaxed on the lawn with a gourmet picnic, while my boy was more than content in the playground and water fountain. Another brilliant spot for the whole family was Soetmelksvlei, an immersive farming experience that recreates an 1800s farm, on the grounds of the Babylonstoren wine estate. We sat at the kitchen table of the manor house while the cook rustled up snacks, and learned how the staff churned milk. From here, we made our way to the coastal town of Gansbaai, aka 'great white shark capital of the world', to go on Marine Dynamics' Big 5 Marine Safari. We saw whales, sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals on our morning at sea, with our favourites being the bronze whaler shark and colony of Cape fur seals. The team on board were outstanding, too. I've been on plenty of marine-life spotting trips and never experienced that level of care. 7 The city skyline at sunset is a sight you'll always remember 7 A stunning view across Cape Town for our explorers Credit: Supplied Our hunt for Africa's animals continued afterwards, with a stay at the De Hoop Nature Reserve, an 84,000-acre area that is home to free-roaming zebras, baboons, ostriches, mongoose and eland. Because of the non-predatory nature of the animals, guests are free to walk among them. Which is how we found ourselves bumping into a dazzle of zebras on our way back from dinner. It was an eventful night. Apparently the baboons also snuck into the restaurant kitchen to steal some bread that evening. Pride of lions We'd already been warned about keeping the windows of our cottage closed when out, as the cheeky primates liked to break in for snacks. I could hardly blame them for wanting to have a nose around. The De Hoop Collection cottage we stayed in was gorgeous — spacious and designed in a country-chic style, all chintz curtains and huge squishy sofas. It was the perfect warm-up for our penultimate destination, where we splurged on a three-night safari at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. It is one of South Africa's largest privately owned nature reserves, with around 150,000 acres of land and a handful of 5* lodges, as well as the all-important 'big five' — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, among others. A whirlwind 14 days with so many memories made, that it felt like five holidays wrapped into one. My favourite wildlife spots had to be a herd of elephants and pride of lions, and both came within a few metres of our safari truck. But we had so many encounters, from giraffes and hippos to Cape buffalo, zebras, springboks and hyenas, that we felt truly spoilt. As we did by the hospitality at Sanbona, where we stayed in the 12-suite Gondwana family lodge. The hours between the morning and evening game drives were spent eating delicious food, sunbathing, swimming in the pool and playing one of the many board games, which are free for guests. Given we had packed so much in, it felt only right to spend our last 36 hours in Cape Town chilling. And there was no better place to do just that than the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront Cape Town, a 5* hotel in a prime coastal spot with far more reasonable rates than most of Europe. Last year, South Africa's tourism minister touted the region as such great value that 'British visitors can afford our 5* hotels'. 7 A bird's eye view of penguins at Boulders Beach Credit: Supplied 7 Luckily, zebras are a gentle breed and the ones we encountered seemed entirely disinterested as we weaved around them to our cottage Credit: Getty And the city was crowned the world's best-value long-haul destination in the Pitched up on sun loungers, we drank delicious wine — fancy stuff at just £4 a glass — while our son played with the other kids in the infinity pool, as dolphins played in the ocean 20 metres away. If it sounds like the trip was a dream from start to finish, it really was. A whirlwind 14 days with so many memories made, that it felt like five holidays wrapped into one. GO CAPE TOWN: GETTING THERE: Norse Atlantic flies from Cape Town to Gatwick from $197pp (£148). Gatwick to Cape Town fares are from $249pp (£187). STAYING THERE: Rooms at the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront Cape Town cost from R5500 (£299). See Evergreen Manor And Spa has rooms from R1470pp (£61), based on two people sharing. See Rooms at De Hoop Collection cost from R2950pp (£123), based on two sharing. See OUT & ABOUT: A Marine Dynamics whale and bird watching tour, with a chance to see the Big Five, costs from R2145pp (£90). See
