About Volmoed

The Volmoed Trust was established in the early eighties as a place that would minister to people who felt battered by their life's experience. Today it serves the wider community as a facility for conferences and courses while still being accessible to individuals and families who simply need to get away from it all.

The property has always been known as Volmoed (meaning full of courage and hope) and the valley first came to prominence as a place of healing during the 18th century when a leper colony was established here. Today we have a regular rhythm of prayer with the Brothers of St Benedict’s Priory, who have relocated to Volmoed from Grahamstown, and Guests are welcome to join them. We also have a Chaplain who is available for pastoral care.

For your enjoyment, we have created walking trails on the property and most houses are equipped with fireplaces for your winter wellbeing. An internationally recognized cycle track runs through Volmoed and up into the Valley passing through many of the wine estates that form a part of our valley.
There are of course many other activities in and around Hermanus such as kayaking, horse riding and quad biking to name a few.

You can learn more about the history of Volmoed in The Volmoed Journey by John and Isobel de Gruchy, available for sale in the Volmoed office.

More administrative information: Two of our trustees Bernhard Turkstra and Henry Gibson retired in 2020.
Our chairman: John de Gruchy Director: Tony Schnell.
Our other trustees: Alyson Guy, Edwin Arrison and Mike Clark.
Council to the Trustees: Siyabonga Vonco, Serghay vd Berg, Daniel Ludik, Wilma Jakobsen and Roger Steward.

Patrons:
Rev. Dr Lionel Louw,
President of the Western Province Council of Churches,
Minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Formerly in the Department of Social Work at University of Cape Town

Dr Mary Burton
Human Rights Activist
Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner
Formerly President of the Black Sash

Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela
Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma
Director, Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest
Stellenbosch University

NPO Reg: 062 705