TOCH WOMEN’S SECTION

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26945, 22 January 1953, Page 2

TOCH WOMEN’S SECTION

FOUNDER TO VISIT CHRISTCHURCH

Miss Alison Macfie, founder pilot of the women’s section of Toe H, will arrive in Christchurch from Nelson on Monday and will be the guest of Mrs John Deans, Riccarton. After her arrival in Wellington from England in the Ruahine on December 29, Miss Macfie visited her nephew and his wife in Hawke’s Bay and has spent some time ih Wellington and Nelson. On Tuesday, Miss Macfie will be accorded a Mayoral reception in Christchuhch and on Thursday evening she will be entertained at an evening social. She will meet members of the women’s section of Toe H in the city and in St. Albans and will devote much of her time to the interests of the movement. It was when nursing in 1917 at Poperinghe, Belgium, near Ypres, that Miss Macfie met the founder padre of

Toe H, “Tubby" Clayton, and was inspired by the wide objective of service of this movement, of which she has been an active member ever since. After the First World War Miss Macfie, who has received the award Associate Royal Red Cross, studied physiotherapy and taught it in London hospitals. During the last World War she ran “Woodwick,” a convalescent home for sailors.-in the Orkney Islands, where many naval men from Scapa Flow and northern ports, who were not ill enough for hospitalisation, regained their health in the somewhat rugged climate. Toe H women members in Britain number nearly 10,000, and there are 20,000 men members. The total New Zealand membership at present was between 500 and 600, Miss Macfie said. Many groups were giving quiet but worth-while service in the community, especially one which had made its chief work the welfare of wives and families of State prisoners. This is Miss Macfie’s second visit to the Dominion. She first visited Toe H branches here 23 years ago.