CHILDREN OF EUROPE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26123, 27 May 1950, Page 2

CHILDREN OF EUROPE

URGENT APPEAL FOR SPONSORSHIPS

Miss M. G. Havelaar, chairman of the Christchurch committee of the Save the Children Fund, has received appeals for immediate sponsorship of 10 children, three in England, six in Germany, and one in France. In addition, sne has lists, supplied by responsible officials, of -the names of many more children in Greece, Italy, Germany, and France who are in dire straits.

The English children, for whom immediate help is asked, are a child of a former member of 'the Merchant Navy who is now incapacitated, a boy of 12 whose father died of tuberculosis and ”4iose mother has had a nervous breakdown, and a girl of eight whose mother is ill and whose father died of tuberculosis.

The appeal for the French girl, who suffers from asthma, came from the central office of the fund in Geneva, which said the case was urgent. The six children in Germany for whom relief is asked are all fatherless.

These details were given to a meeting of members of the committee of the fund held yesterday in the Mayoress’s room, City Council Chambers. A list of names of 20 children came recently to the committee from Greece. In almost every case, the children were ill and were living with their families all in one room.

Miss Havelaar reported that recently *he staff of a large business concern in one of the suburbs of Christchurch had offered to send parcels every month to four displaced children and three other firms had agreed each to sponsor a child. It was reported that many letters had been received from grateful recipients of help in Greece, Finland, Germany, France and Britain. It was announced that the Catholic Women’s League would sort and pack all clothing to be sent overseas to destitute children.

It was decided that the annual meeting of the Save the Children Fund would be held in the City Council Chambers on Friday. June 23. The Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) will preside and each member will be asked to bring to the meeting a tin of milk to be sent overseas.