Deryn has always been there to support me and give me ideas how to go about solving issues I’ve had in the 30 years I have known her. This has particularly been the case in the last 5 or so years when I have seen her grow and change in the way that she has approached her outlook to life and put mechanisms and processes in place to achieve her goals. This in turn has enabled her to share the knowledge and learnings in a practical way that I could use as valuable starting point to get me thinking and go away and explore new options and develop new strategies. Recently Deryn has provided me with some very useful tips and strategies of how I can develop my own unique branding and marketing strategy to start up my Accounting Practice.

Grant Larney- Brisbane, Australia

Deryn has been active in my life since 1993 when she was the facilitator of a very successful Divorce Recovery course at the Methodist Church in Boston Bellville South Africa. She helped a whole group of us through the trying times of a divorce; she continued to support us with a weekly meeting for months on end until we were able to face life after divorce. The workshop sessions we did covered our emotions and how to move on, as well as to how to help our children. It included handling all the responsibilities that come with the way forward as a single person. During the time that I suffered from anxiety and depression she was the first to visit me in hospital. She offered several such courses in spite of having her own household and family.

Deryn is a gentle lady who cares about people and not only as a Christian but as a friend she continued to be there for us. She kept contact with me even though she had moved to the UK.

I have been following her interests and lifestyle on Facebook over the years and regard her as a capable and compassionate lady.

Denise McLoughlin -Cape Town, South Africa

In March of 2013 Terry and I came to the United Kingdom, the Lord prepared various events providentially for us before we even thought of leaving our beautiful country of South Africa. My son and his wife to be, offered us temporary accommodation, sharing their small one bedroomed flat in Bedford UK. He also nudged us into Providence Baptist Church in Bedford. One of the deacons at Providence Baptist Church asked me If I knew Deryn, the manager at Dorothea Court, and as I replied in the negative, he proceeded to give me her particulars. As she was a fellow South African we were keen to communicate and soon called and arranged to visit. Over tea and cake and visiting various topics based on South Africa it was finally time to say good bye. In parting, Deryn asked casually, if we would consider taking up accommodation in Dorothea Court, to which we replied that we would keep it in mind. We soon found the small flat we were sharing, was becoming less and less appealing for us as two separate families. We approached Deryn in May 2013 and asked her if her offer was still valid. She confirmed that it was and invited us to take residence in one of the flats. We moved in on 1st August 2013 and have been staying there to date. Deryn, knowing that we had nothing in the line of furniture, arranged for our dwelling to be furnished with all the necessary luxuries like curtains, arm chairs, dining room table, stove, fridge, washing machine, kettle and cutlery. She did this out of the kindness of her heart and asked for nothing in return. The Lord is good, and we thank him for placing Deryn in our path and encouraging her to be such a blessing to us. She was always there to answer questions, give guidance, advice and moral support when things were not looking so good and to remind us of what a wonderful and powerful God we serve. Sadly, the time came for Deryn to retire and move out of our lives. We thank the Lord for his mercy and grace in placing Deryn in our lives at the right time and the right place, precisely when we needed her most. She was one of the miracles God blessed us with.

John and Terry Barnard, Bedford UK

Deryn, you can scarcely realize the phenomenal blessing you have been to me personally over the past three years since that day in May 2014 when my parents moved in.  Actually, it was before that because I kindly remember you giving me a hug when I first brought my parents to register their flat.  Little did I know what adventures you would help us navigate. You created a wonderful, loving, faithful environment for my parents to live in.  You have a clear direct approach whilst maintaining compassion and human touch with staff and residents alike.  It’s been a colossal privilege to work with you in the care of my parents, and I am grateful for what you taught me about dementia.  You are a diamond of unique quality.

Judith Hamilton, Bedford UK

All I can say is without your love and help and the Lord in my life I don’t know how I would have managed through my divorce. Divorce with two small children to consider was extra tough, I stepped out in faith but needed guidance. With David’s death it was just me and no real help like the last time; lots of friends but I went to pieces. It has taken a year to recover. People think they can do it with no help just pills but it just leads to depression. With divorce it’s worse it’s rejection and being crushed by being told it’s all your fault, my self-worth was gone.  What you did is give new hope and make people realize they are worth something. They are loved by others and by God. Death is so final if you loved as I loved David it’s very hard to come to terms with, never being able to see him again. With divorce you still see the person and have to forgive in your heart, so you can be the person God wants you to be. Anger can destroy you, with help one can see things in a new light that we are also not perfect, only God’s grace and friends like you help us.

Edith Meredith – Cape Town South Africa.