Birthright Group For Canterbury Formed

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30172, 2 July 1963, Page 15

Birthright Group For Canterbury Formed

Birthright is to be established in Canterbury, a public meeting decided last evening. The resolution was moved by Mr N. G. Hattaway, who also moved that an interim committee of 10 members be set up to form the society and call the first meeting. The meeting was called by the Christchurch Lions Club and Mr J. G. Leggat was chairman. ’ The new society would be neither a branch of the Lions nor an affiliated body, he said. The president of the national Birthright organisation (Mr D. Blundell) said that it was an organisation to provide advice and guidance to families where there was only one parent It helped with the normal family duties undertaken by the missing parent. Although there were marked differences between Birthright and Heritage, Whicti looks after the families of handicapped or dead servicemen, Birthright was, however, a development in civilian life of the ideas and practices of Heritage, he said. Birthright was not a charity for giving away money or goods although this could and did happen. For families with only one parent it provided the knowledge that there was someone to whom the members could turn if they needed help. “In a limited extent only, Birthright helps to bridge thv gap in the families made by the departure, for one reason or another, of the husband or wife,” said Mr Blundell.

Birthright was formed in 1955 and the New Zealand Birthright Society in 1962. It has about 1300 families with more than 4000 children spread over its 14 branches, he said.

The organisation tries to cope with all kinds of problems from deciding whether the children should stay on

at school to whether a plumber should be called in to fix the leak in the roof, said Mr Blundell.

Many families had been deserted by the father. “It is a sad thing but a high proportion of families under Birthright’s care have been deserted. The fathers up sticks and go. Men are just not prepared to honour their obligations, and this occurs over and over again,” said Mr Blundell.

Plan Budgets Helping women to plan and keep to a budget is a common job. “Very few women have any Ideas on working out a budget, especially when their income has been reduced through the death or desertion of their husbands. They have been used to having it all worked put by their husbands,” he said.

Describing the activities of the Wellington branch, Mr Blundell said that every child was given a birthday and a Christmas present. These were very important to children. In addition, the branch paid for at least 100 children every year to have a holiday away from Wellington. In many cases it sent the mothers away, too. Mr Blundell also gave advice on the best way to dorm the new branch. The first requisite was members, then a good secretary, as the movement would pivot about him or her. The third requirement was counsellors for the families, and lastly finance and a good executive, which would be the real bub of the society. Mr Blundell said that the society should not take on more families than its finances would allow. ‘‘However, if you have the support of the community you needn't worry, the money will come in,” he said. With regard to the counsellors, Mr Blundell said that the society must be careful in its choice. “Birthright cannot afford a scandal and you know how quick people are to talk.” A counsellor must understand the family and its needs. He was not required to live in its pocket and spend a lot of time with it. “Some families require a visit once a month, others every six months, it all depends on the individual family and its circumstances,” he said.

In reply to a question of how Birthright got in contact with needy families, Mr Blundell said that they were referred by the Social Security Department, clergymen, and through various other channels.

There was no danger that Birthright would cut across any other organisation. “There is a very definite place in the community for the personal touch and help given by Birthright,” said Mr Blundell. Women’s Place In Birthright Birthright was comprised mainly of men, as one of its main functions was to help fill tbe place in the home where there was no farther, but there was a definite place tor women on the executive. This was said by the president of the Birthright Organisation (Mt D. Blundell) art a public meeting called by the Christchurch Lion's Club to establish a Canterbury branch, last evening. Tbe presence of women was invaluable, Mr Blundell said. The meeting elected Mrs E Blackburn, the secretary of Cholmondeley Home, to the interim committee which is to attend to tbe practicalities of forming tbe new society.