Social responsibility

At Baynesfield Estate, we are deeply committed to our community and the environment. Through initiatives like Baynesfield Estate School, conservation efforts, support for local communities, and our collaboration with the Salvation Army, we strive to make a positive impact. Our dedication extends to fostering youth development, supporting education, and advancing agricultural research, ensuring a sustainable future for all. 

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Baynesfield Estate School

 

After years of planning, Joseph Baynes Estate proudly opened Baynesfield Estate School in January 2019. This English medium NPO school offers free education to scholars in the greater Baynesfield community, currently serving grades R to 4 and expanding annually up to grade 7. Led by Principal Milson Hailstones, the former head of Zakhe Agricultural College, the school implements the Highway Program to enhance reading skills, resulting in a higher level of education than many government schools. Enrollment has grown from 49 to 90 scholars, with a diverse student body and a dedicated team of educators. The school also supports 10 children from the Salvation Army Joseph Baynes Child & Youth Care Centre, ensuring they receive quality education.

 

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conservation & Bird Life sa

 

Baynesfield Estate, in collaboration with the local community, conducts an annual game count to monitor wildlife populations. Over the past 32 years, antelope numbers have nearly doubled, despite the persistent threat of poaching. The estate’s management is deeply involved in anti-poaching efforts, often at personal risk, with a particular focus on protecting the vulnerable oribi. The estate also monitors the endangered Blue Swallow during its nesting season, with assistance from Bird Life SA. Unfortunately, both oribi and Blue Swallow populations continue to face significant challenges, with numbers declining due to habitat changes and poaching.

 

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Work Experience Programme

 

Baynesfield Estate participates in a government work-integrated learning initiative for graduates, administered by the Future Farmers organisation. The estate employs and accommodates 10 students annually, providing them with valuable commercial on-farm work experience.

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Salvation Army Joseph Baynes Child & Youth Care Centre

 

In the early 1920s, Joseph Baynes entrusted the buildings of his former woollen factory to James Hay, the High Commissioner of the Salvation Army, with the wish that they be converted into homes for men and boys. The Salvation Army Joseph Baynes Children’s Home, now located on Trelawney Road in Pelham, continues to be supported by the Baynesfield Board of Administration. Situated in Pietermaritzburg, the Centre cares for 81 children, from infants to those of matric age, most of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This Centre maintains a historical link with Baynesfield Estate, as Joseph Baynes originally donated its first home to the Salvation Army in Pietermaritzburg. Every year, children from the home are treated to a special Christmas party at the Estate, in collaboration with the Natal Vintage Tractor Club, Baynesfield Woodworkers, and the staff and families of Baynesfield Estate.

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Community Support

 

The Nthembeni and Mtunzini communities are the closest to Baynesfield Estate, with most of the Estate’s employees residing there. The Company provides transport for staff to and from these areas. In 2019, when municipal water was cut off to the Nthembeni community, residents were forced to collect water from local rivers. In response, Joseph Baynes Estate established strategic fill points and transported water daily for nearly a month. Collaborating with NCT, the Estate then installed piping from natural springs to these fill points, expanding the system with additional tanks to benefit a larger portion of the community. The Estate also assisted NCT in setting up a water-reticulation system for the Mtunzini community after their municipal water supply was terminated.

For many years, Joseph Baynes Estate has supported Nelsrust Combined School, a fee-free state primary school located on the Estate. The Trust maintains the school, its grounds, and provides potable water for over 100 scholars from Grade R to Grade 7.

 

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KZN Youth Show

 

The KZN Youth Show is a youth development programme that brings together youngsters from diverse backgrounds to participate in the preparation and exhibition of cattle, sheep, and goats at the Royal Agricultural Show. A team from KwaZulu-Natal is then selected to compete in the National Youth Show. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 crisis led to the cancellation of both the Royal Agricultural Show and the National Youth Show. Despite this setback, the Trust remains the key sponsor of this important programme, ensuring continued support for the next generation of agricultural talent.

 

 

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Research Initiatives

 

Joseph Baynes Estate actively supports agricultural research on its properties and has established a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) to facilitate these efforts. The Estate has contributed to a Masters research programme at UKZN focused on the economic nutrition of growing pigs. This research aims to enhance feeding strategies for the Company and other pig farmers, leading to greater economic efficiency. The study is being conducted at the newly established Baynesfield Swine Research Unit, a grower house specifically designed for research purposes. This research unit is a collaborative effort between the Company and Swine Nutrition, a consultancy of pig nutritionists.