FRIENDS OF THE HOSPITAL

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25672, 8 December 1948, Page 2

FRIENDS OF THE HOSPITAL

JNEWS FOR WOMEN

ANNUAL MEETING The mending of hospital linen, the j knitting of comforts for patients, the establishment of a creche for the care of children whose parents are visiting patients in hospital, the adoption of the children’s ward and all that is enj tailed in catering for the needs and ; comfort of the small patients, the visiting of aged patients in the hospital, and the visiting of the sick at Burwood Hospital, the sanatorium and the Jubilee Home are but a few of the activities that have kept Friends of the Hospital busy during the last year. At the annual meeting of the organisation, held last evening in the Public Hospital, the president (Miss Mary McLean) congratulated and thanked members for their work and thanked the Lady Superintendent of the Hospital (Miss Grace Widdowson) for her attendance at the meeting and for the vision she had given members. Conveners of the various committees, she said, had certainly done a good job, and members had got the courage, patriotism, energy and goodwill for the work. While they had got that the work would continue to go ahead. It was stated that as many as 50 children had been taken care of in one afternoon at the creche, and that women of the Ne\v Brighton group were continuing their got>d work at Burwood Hospital as nursing aids, 42 women being employed during the year, giving from one week to one year’s work. An appeal was made for extra, helpers at Christmas and New Year. A bus ride arranged for inmates of the Jubilee Home had been thoroughly enjoyed by the old people, some of whom had not been out of the home fos years. During the year special gifts made to the Christchurch Hospital had included a trolley of books, bookrests for women patients, and the sum of £2O towards toys for the Christmas trge in the children’s ward. Hats and walking sticks had been given for men at the Burwood Hospital, and magazines, sweets and comforts had been distributed by visitors to the sick. Some of the articles made by members of the toy making circle and the knitting circle were shown at the meeting, and at previous meetings the beautiful garments and covers made by the sewing circle for the children’s ward have been shown. About 1000 articles have been mended by the mending circle. President Re-elected Miss Mary McLean (president) and Mrs M. Morten (secretary) were unanimously re-elected, and other officers appointed were: treasurer, Mrs Goodall: committee, Mesdames Keith, Gay, Hammett. Dunham, Drake, Priest, Lang and E. McLean; delegates to National Council of Women, Mesdames Hammett, L. J. Hunter, and Cameron Smith; conveners of committees: sanatrium visiting, Mrs Cameron Smith, and associated with her in the work Mrs Gay; children’s nursery, Mrs K. Hunt; children’s ward sewing circle, Mrs Dunham; Jubilee Home visiting, Mrs V. J. Drake; knitting circle, Mrs Keith; toy making, Mrs E. Coombes; sewing (mending) circle. Mrs V. J. Drake; Burwood Hospital visiting, Mesdames K. Hunt and L. J. Hunter; Eurwood nursing aids, Mrs E. MeMcLean; care of pensioners in hospital, Mrs Thornton. K. O. H. (Kingdom of Heaven) actions was how Mrs (Brigadier) Searle described the work done by Friends of the Hospital in a short address on “Service.”

Appreciation of the service of the treasurer, Mrs L. J. Hunter, who has retired from that office, was placed on record.