AID TO NEEDY CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27072, 22 June 1953, Page 2

AID TO NEEDY CHILDREN

WORK OF CHRISTCHURCH COMMITTEE

The sixth annual report of the Christchurch committee of the Save the Children Mmd records the continued success - of the committee in obtaining sponsorships and other help for destitute children in England, in the war-ravaged countries of Europe, in Korea and other countries. Great strength has been given to the movement, the report shows, by the splendid support given by committees formed in Timaru, Dunedin and Invercargill. Nearly 700 children are now sponsored by North Canterbury including Christchurch, and by the three southern branches. ’ . “The increased cost of packing cages, stationery, and postage, added to the necessity of having to employ some part-time professional clerical help—all these have made our expenses for the year very much greater, than we would like them to be,” says the report. But though the expenses have increased they amount to less than 13 per cent, of the committee’s income, which for the year ended May 30 was £7478, the expenses being about £l2O. Mrs W. F. Willcox, who sorts and packs all goods to be sent overseas 'or the committee, reports that 53 large cases of goods have been sent during the year to headquarters in London. This is 18 cases more than were sent last year. The cases contained 3000 garments for adults and children, dozens of pairs of shoes, hand-knitted socks and mittens, blankets, quilts, sheets, rugs, books, 93 tins of dried and condensed milk and about 2500 toys for children pf all ages. The toys were gifts from the Christmas tree in the Christchurch Cathedral at Christmas and from the Junior Red Cross., In addition 16 parcels of clothing were forwarded overseas.

The report quotes from recent letters received from headquarters. Austria, it is stated, is in the throes of the greatest wave of unemployment since 1938, and much help for children is needed there sponsor* ship is urgently sought for a delicate little English boy who is living with his aged and infirm grandparents; unemployment exists in Italy on an unprecedented scale; and disturbing reports come from the country districts of central Greece. The report records the need for continued help to these distressed countries.

Thanks are expressed to all who have helped the committee during the year. Among the many mentioned are the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) and Mrs Macfarlane, Miss L. M. Wilkinson, Mr G. Sandston (representing Christchurcch branch of the United Natiofis Association), Mr Milligan (representing the Junior Chamber of Commerce), Miss M. F. Pratt (a generous benefactor), the Catholic Women’s League, which stores all the committee’s goods, Mrs Grigsby, who has helped with the packing, and Mesdames G. W. Fairweather, Stewart Mair, and Ashley Dean, who helped Mrs Willcox in packing goods for the victims of the flood distaster in England and Holland.