Well known for many reasons, but at its core the most heart-warming of all is the fact that Worcester first and foremost values the principle of caring for the community and all of society. This principle is what necessitated the town and essentially formed the foundation on which all the other care-centred initiatives were built to make this South African town the Country’s Care Capital.
With a simple instruction given to the magistrate of Tulbagh in 1818 to find a suitable area for a new magisterial seat to serve the Breede Valley community, the town of Worcester was established. Now the largest town and administrative capital of the Breede Valley local municipality, it also is the regional headquarters for most central and provincial government departments, as well as large private companies. Its commercial centre, industrial areas, world-class amenities – including medical, retirement, rehabilitation, social development, educational and training facilities – as well as the wide range of economic and agricultural activity with various types of farming, make Worcester a very independent town. It also boasts the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden, various nature and game reserves, the Worcester Wine and Olive Route, the Hugo Naude Art Centre, the Golden Valley Casino, Golf Club, and many more modern-day conveniences as part of a country lifestyle. The neighbouring villages of Rawsonville and De Doorns surrounded by commercial farms, lifestyle farms and smallholdings are very popular too, and Touws River forms the most northern border of the Breede Valley municipality.
Worcester was laid out according to a definite plan with parallel streets. The main street, High Street, ends against the Drostdy, the most important building initially. Town planning shows a neo-classical influence and the architecture followed suit. Many houses have Cape Dutch and Victorian characteristics. In 1850 the importation of corrugated iron began and many houses were provided with verandas. A large number of gabled houses have been retained.
However, what the close-knit community of Worcester is most proud of is the way in which we embrace disability. There is no disgrace or disrepute in having a disability. It is human. We do not disregard or disrespect. We care. We conquer. We adapt, innovate, rehabilitate, uplift and persevere. The deaf, the blind and any other kind of disabled person will not be marginalised by society. The care and responsibility for the disabled does not lie only with his/her family. Therefore Worcester is the proud home of National Institute for the Deaf (NID), Innovation for the Blind (IB) and the Association for People with Disabilities (APD).
