HELP FOR AACHEN CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 2

HELP FOR AACHEN CHILDREN

CHRISTCHURCH WOMEN’S SPECIAL EFFORT “We do appreciate what you are doing in Christchurch, and all the hard work that it entails for you. We are looking forward in great expectation to receiving all the nice things you said you were sending,’’ wrote the section leader of the “Save the Children” committee at Aachen, in a letter read by Miss M. G. Havelaar (chairman) at a meeting of the “Save the Children’’ committee held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon. Miss Havelaar, reporting on the special effort made to send Christmas parcels to Aachen, said that nine big cases, containing clothing, food. toys, and boots, and a hundredweight of cake had been dispatched recently, and it was honed that they would arrive in time for Christmas. The section leader could supply a list of families with a large number of children if sponsors could be found for them, said Miss Havelaar. The sponsorship fee since the New Zealand £ had been put on parity with the sterling was now only £lO 10s. instead of £l3 10s, it was reported. Since the United Nations appeal’ had ended, people were inclined to slacken in their efforts to help the children. The United Nations’ appeal had nothing to do with the “Save the Children” Fund, said Miss Havelaar, and in a letter she had received from the London headquarters of the fund recently she had been advised that there was still great need among the children, and the work would have to gq on for at least another year or two. One of the London administrators who was a probation officer had recently tried the effect of soonsorship on some specially selected needy cases. She had reported that the scheme had been proving a great help, and the grants of money made and the interest taken in them bv their sponsors were doing a great deal to raise morale. Sneaking of one child in particular, she said that the contact with New Zealand, at a difficult oeriod in his life, had made a definite impression on him which might bear fruit in the future. Miss Havelaar said she had recently been asked bv the Mavor of Nelson to give an address on th® work of the committee, and she might go to Nelson next month. She had a list of about 30 children—lncluding British. German. Greek, Finnish, and French children for sponsorship. Three nurses had recently sponsored a child each.

Mrs M. DaVis reported that another Women’s Institute group wac willing to sponsor a child. Miss White, representing the staff of Beath and Company, who are sponsoring four children. said that the staff had £lO5 in hand. Thev were sendine parcels to seven children in one familv also. It was reported that the Junior Chamber of Commerce had sent the committee £ll6 10s. proceeds from its recent ball. Three new members of the committee Mrs O T. J. Alners. Mrs S. Mair, and Miss White, were welcomed.