Massive Organisation For Students’ Annual Appeal

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30737, 29 April 1965, Page 20

Massive Organisation For Students’ Annual Appeal

The apparently casual and carefree students’ collection of the University of Canterbury has grown into a massive operation. Months of planning have centred on four points: (1) choice of a charity to benefit; (2) marshalling forces to tap every possible source of revenue; (3) publicising the undertaking; (4) ensuring the strictest supervision of all money received.

Next Wednesday’s effort will be the biggest ever made. It will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., involve well over 2000 collectors round the clock, and probably produce more than £5OOO. Arrangements are complete and the organisers say everything now depends on good weather. This year’s collection chairman (Mr Roger Kerr) yesterday outlined some of the preparations, all of which have had to be approved by a variety of official bodies. Independence House

The Adult Cerebral Palsy Society in Christchurch has been chosen to receive this year’s collection. Last year a house at 14 Bristol street, St. Albans, was anonymously given to the society to be a short-stay hostel for adult sufferers in the period between treatment and training and their integration in the everyday life of the community.

This is the first such scheme in New Zealand and, provided more than £5OOO is raised in the collection and the society contributes from its limited funds, the Health Department has agreed to give a subsidy of £3OOO to-

ward conversion, extension, and equipment of the dwelling to be known as Independence House. Mr Kerr said this was a happy choice of name because, in the house, residents would learn independence. This would be the transition stage between institutional care and training, return to home and beginning of employment. Help was vital at this stage. Residents will stay in Independence House for up to six months but two places will be reserved for sufferers normally living at home who will be admitted when parents or guardians are ill, otherwise incapacitated, or on holiday. 2000 Collectors More than 2000 collectors have volunteered to help next Wednesday. At 6 a.m. a large party will go to Lyttelton to meet the steamer-express: at 7 a.m. the collection headquarters in the Civic Theatre will open to distribute tins; at 8.30 a.m. groups will leave to canvass more than 500 city offices which have given entry permits; from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. all forces will concentrate on the students’ proces-

sion route; from 11 a.m. to noon parties will visit armed forces establishments: at 1 p.m. some house-to-house canvassing will be done in outlying suburbs where residents may not be in the city during the day; and at 1.15 p.m. parties will leave to call on 400 factories in Christchurch. Lyttelton, Kaiapoi, and Rangiora. City street collections will continue all day. A New Brighton effort will be made this Saturday. Christchurch blossomed with publicity for the appeal yesterday. Banners appeared across busy streets. 2000 postters went up in prominent places, a film on cerebral palsy was shown in some theatres and slides in others; and student stunts began. Every Penny Mr Kerr said that every penny from the appeal would go to the Adult Cerebral Palsy Society. The Students’ Association would meet all expenses from other capping week revenue, such as capping magazine sales and the students’ revue. Strict supervision would be kept. Every collection tin would be numbered and a record kept of the collector who took it; every tin must be returned with the seal unbroken and proceeds would be recorded by approved helpers: and a roving force of “scouts" would immediately investigate any complaint. “Capping week collection records show a steady increase in public support,” said Mr Kerr. Starting from £BB4 in 1949, the collection exceeded £lOOO in 1952, £2OOO in 1957, £3OOO in 1960. £4OOO in 1961, and £5OOO in 1963. “It would be grand if we topped £6OOO this year,” he said.