FORWARD MOVEMENT PLANNED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21733, 16 March 1936, Page 7

FORWARD MOVEMENT PLANNED

Extension of Activities ■ twjsm . —-i. . IMPORTANCE OF TfflS YEAR’S APPEAL

A street appeal will be made on Wednesday for funds fof the Young Women’s Christian Association. It will be an appeal of no ordinary importance, because on the generosity of the community’s response will depend the success of a special plan the association has evolved for the improvement and expansion of its work. This plan is known as the forward movement. It provides for the extension of the facilities of the association, particularly by the renovation of the Choral Hall, and for the . transfer of some of its activities into the suburban centres. This reorganisation of its work is considered essential because of changed conditions since the depression. The association is confidently hoping to have the support of the public in its effort to maintain itself abreast of modern requirements. Through the long years of the depression the association has ministered to needs of girls and young women in the city, but like every institution which is engaged in philanthropic work it has been financially embarrassed during those years. A sharing of its public appeal day in 1934 and the lack of any kppeal at all last year have brought the association face to face with a deficit. This, together with an amount required for the improvement of facilities at the Choral Hall, leaves the associa- . tion in need of £ISOO.

It is intended on Wednesday to aim at collecting £IOOO from the street appeal. The public has been generous in the past, and it is confidently hoped that it will be again, especially as the assistance sought is chiefly for the expansion of the association’s activities and Its service to young women.

The appeal is organised by a committee headed by Mrs F. M. Warren, president of the association in Christchurch. Miss J. Stevenson, New Zealand organiser, has been in Christchurch for some time working with the committee and with Miss D. P. 'Brodie, general, secretary in Christchurch.

tion at all. A deficit of £784 has accumulated.

In addition to this £784 required for the deficit there is another £SOO needed to meet this year’s requirements, and as well as this £<sso for levelling the floor and renovations in the Choral Hall. This makes a total of £1534. .

The annual budget deficit of the local branch of the association is £SOO, and it has been usual to raise this by means of a street collection. In 1934 the association was obliged to share its street day with the Young Men’s Christian Association, and last year it had no collec-

The levelling of the sloping floor in the Choral Hall is to be done to provide adequate facilities for the girls’ club work, for bazaars, bridge parties, and dances. If renovations are made the hall will be more suitable for letting and produce more revenue to reduce the

deficit. It is hoped to have this work done before Easter, so that club work can proceed in the hjall without great delay. The hall has an interesting history. It was built about 40 years ago for religious meetings and was known as the Temple of Truth. It was later bought by a company and used as the Choral Hall for musical entertainments. This venture did not pay, and in 1913 the hall was taken over by the Young Women’s Christian Association, when it

bought the >&lock' on .'Which its headquartersjriow .stand. ~ „ u The forward movement Is an effort to develop the facilities and work of the association ,to meet modern ndeds. A meeting of young women from business houses in the city has «been held and it has been decided to form'a council to organise for a forward drive to raise' iuhds and create interest in the club activities. Of the association.

i The forward movement provides for the decentralisation of the club work. Centres will be formed in the suburbs nearer the homes of the girls, and these will be organised by a salaried secretary. The headquarters in Madras street will be known as the Latimer Club, for the senior girls, those over the age of 18. It will be used for committee meetings and conferences, and It is hoped to make it a centre of social life in the city.

Programmes of work suited for all types of professional and business girls and those in industrial work are being ,planned. They will embody the development and improvement of the three sides of the blue triangle, the symbol of the associa-tion-body, mind, and spirit. In addition to physical culture, there will be educational studies. This development will allow the association to adapt itself to new conditions, a capacity for which has always distinguished it. It has been planned by Miss Brodie, who has Ad valuable experience in Young Women's Christian Association work in London and in, Egypt.