CHILDREN'S ESCORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 239, 8 October 1940, Page 11

CHILDREN'S ESCORT.

AN AUCKLAND GIRL.

WAR WORK IN ENGLAND.

Varied have been the experiences of Miss Winifred Dromgool, who has arrived in Auckland as an escort to a number of British children under the Government evacuation scheme. Miss Dromgool is an Aucklander, who went to England on a holiday about two years ago. She had always taken a keen interest in matters pertaining to physical culture, and while in London studied various branches. This training came in useful when ehe was able to take the children for exercise on the way out, and was a contributing factor in her selection as an escort.

When war broke out Miss Dronigool offered her services for war work in the Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence. Volunteers, she explained, were required to do anything whatsoever that needed doing. Part of her work was to call on business men and canvass for rubbish, particularly waste paper, and arrange for special vans to collect it. Apart from a great deal of knitting, making up parcels and canteen work, they were called upon to assist in the making of white overalls for soldiers to wear over their uniforms in the snow during the Finnish campaign. All sorts of jobs were done by this service and the members, she said, wore a bottle green uniform with the letters W.V.S. embroidered on a single pocket.

. When volunteers for escorts were asked for, Miss Dronigool applied for the position. The women were specially selected, one of the first requirements being that they had to be good sailors. They also, she said, had to have a knowledge of child welfare, and proof that they had dealt with'children before. The escorts are expected to return to England, and when Mise Dronigool -goes back she will continue her work in the Women's Voluntary Services.

Interesting experiences on the vovajic out were related by Miss Dronigool,* who said that the children behaved wonderfully under all circumstances. They were a very happy party; the escorts were strangers to the children, who were mostly strangers to each other, and everybody worked together most successfully.

Miss Dronigool, who ie a daughter of Mrs. K. L. Dromgool, of Ellerslie, is enjoying her brief visit to her home town, but looks forward to returning to England and carrying on her war work.