Message from Hilton & Julia Thorpe

We were honoured to have Dr Stott’s daughter Julia, her husband Hilton and son Ralph with us for the celebration. Julia shared fondly about her dad’s impact in the community.

“My father firmly believed that good nutrition created good health and this was the foundation The Valley Trust was built on. Many local folk had turned from their natural and healthy lifestyle and adopted refined foods, resulting in malnutrition and disease. Through education in good eating habits and encouragement to grow good, healthy food, he made great strides in building up the health of the thousands of patients who passed through the Botha’s Hill Health Centre. He established a blueprint that became widely used in many rural areas of KZN and beyond.

Over the years, TVT has become a star in community development. I would like to congratulate S’bo, Keith Wimble and all those who have gone before them for steering TVT through all the challenges of running a big welfare organisation in difficult times. May your light always shine.”

Hilton then shared his recollections, stating, “Halley was a wonderful man, a committed idealist but also a realist who had his feet firmly on the ground, a wonderful combination”. He further described Dr Stott as a compassionate man who felt deeply about other people’s needs and a long term thinker who wanted to solve problems that led to disease.  According to Hilton, Dr Stott also had the courage to go into the rural Valley of 1,000 Hills when white people did not ordinarily do so.  “He used his position as a medical doctor to win the trust of the community and from there include teaching about nutrition and other aspects of good health,” he concluded.