Ever been curious about what happens to the iconic aged wooden huts removed from Muizenberg Beach?
With Christmas drawing near, the Beach Hut Trust has come up with the idea to give a new lease of life to the aged wood in the form of a recycled Christmas tree.
Angela Gorman, founder of the Beach Huts Trust, said the idea came about when she saw all the wood lying around during the refurbishment process of the new colourful huts.
“I absolutely love Christmas and being South African. Not feeling comfortable with the plastic tree and false snow I’ve always looked for alternative ideas.
“Seeing the beach hut wood lying around I thought it would just make the most beautiful Christmas trees which it has done and we found two wonderful guys who have been able to make them for us.”
Shafiek Solomons (37), a resident of Montague Village in Lavender Hill, is creating colourful 1,4 metre and 2,4 metre Christmas trees.
“It can take us up to two hours to create a tree, depending on its size and the condition of the wood.”
The father of seven started his own business almost two years ago and does renovations and painting for a living.
“I am running a business called Solomons and Sons and I am busy working on the beach huts as well.
“So far we have made 22 trees; the smallest being 1,4 metres and the largest was 2,4 metres.
“There are a lot of people who are happily buying the trees.”
He added that they remove any rotten pieces of wood and old nails before starting the process.
“We take the matching colour woods and then we remove the rotten pieces and nails. It depends on the wood, how long the process would take.
“The wood is very old, it could be even older than me, around 50 or 60 years old.”
According to Gorman, Solomon’s talents are endless.
“Shafiek Solomons has been with us since the beginning, since we did our first ever hut. He was the painter that was employed by a company that later retrenched him. He then approached us and asked if we had any painting work and we said start a company and we will employ you, and we have.
“His talents are endless and he is making Christmas trees together with Anthony Cockburn who I found by chance. He was doing other wooden things that I happen to buy and I said to him, would you be able to make some Christmas trees for us and he said he would love to and the rest is history.
“We are trying to make as many as possible before Christmas.”
- To find out how and where to purchase the recycled Christmas trees contact Angela via angela@beachhuts.org.za
