Cotlands to move to a new property COTLANDS, one of the leading organisations in the early childhood education sector, is gearing up to relocate to its new offices in Ormonde. This is where it is set to continue advancing its objective of taking playbased early learning opportunities to marginalised children. Cotlands chief executive officer Jackie Schoeman said the organisation will be saying goodbye to its historic home of 65 years in Turffontein at the end of April. “Cotlands’ Turffontein property has housed thousands of children over the past seven decades, but since the shift to community based services we no longer require such large premises. Although we are sad to say goodbye to this grand old building, which has been our home for so many years, it makes economic sense for Cotlands to move to smaller, more suitable office space,” Schoeman said. The new offices, located at 9 Data Crescent, Ormonde, will also be home to Cotlands Toy Library. The library provides educational toys and other materials to children in communities through lending services to parents and children, as well as day care and ECD centres. Schoeman said the Turffontein children and community members who receive Cotlands services will not be losing out as a result of the relocation. “The mobile toy library will continue to serve the.community and we will continue to offer our early learning playgroup programme in Turffontein,” Schoeman said. She said last year Cotlands reached 11 363 vulnerable children nationally through its noncentre based playgroups and toy libraries. “Education prepares all learners for their lives after school. While further studies and future careers may seem far off, the stimulation and development opportunities they receive are crucial to their future. “Early childhood education is inextricably linked to how these children will perform as adults. Cotlands passionately works to increase access to early learning opportunities because we believe it will create a more prosperous South Africa,” she said.