Memories of Derek and Mavis Cook

by Liz Carmichae

We received a lovely memory from Rev. Dr Liz Carmichael MBE, Emeritus Fellow, St. John’s College, Oxford, of the work she did in South Africa in the early 1990’s in preparation for the first democratic elections. Mavis Cook featured in these memories supported by Derek.

Mavis was a very efficient Secretary to the Midrand Local Peace Committee (LPC) under the National Peace Accord in late 1992 or 1993. Prior to the formation of the LPC, Mavis had been working with Roger Oxlee, who became the Chair of the Midrand LPC. It was the taxi wars that brought the Midrand LPC into contact with Liz Carmichael. Roger was instrumental in many of the emergency meetings that sometimes ran well after midnight, with Mavis keeping meticulous minutes.

Mavis was always cheerful and game for anything.

When Thabo Mbeki, as Deputy President, closed the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RPD) in favour of the macroeconomic trickle-down theory that underlay his GEAR policy (Growth, Employment and Redistribution), training at the grassroots level in community development was needed. Roger, Liz and others founded an NGO that offered such a 2-day basic programme to which permaculture was later added. Mavis, backed by Derek, was the secretary for this NGO. Derek helped with the financial reporting. Mavis served as Secretary for some ten years. This NGO did a lot of good work in Gauteng and also extended its work to the Eastern Cape and elsewhere.

When Liz Carmichael became Chaplain, Fellow and Tutor at St. John’s College, Oxford in April 1996, she kept her flat in Kew as well as a car that Derek and Mavis kept running for her until it was stolen and thereafter would ferry her to and from the airport. We would like to thank the Southern African Region for the warm updraft that has been sent to us in Stuttgart, where we have begun the path of preparation for ordination. We are borne upwards and strengthened by your financial support and the goodwill it expresses.