BIRTHRIGHT ACTIVITY

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30886, 20 October 1965, Page 12

BIRTHRIGHT ACTIVITY

Many Families Helped

The most significant feature of the year ended August, 1965, was the large increase in the number of families and children assisted, says the annual report of Birthright (Christchurch), to be presented to the annual meeting of the organisation on October 27.

Ninety-seven families with 257 children were being assisted, and membership of the society had increased slightly to 47 life members and 145 ordinary members. The increase in the number of families assisted had made great demands on the family assistance committee and counsellors. The executive committee appealed to members to offer their services as counsellors. “Some families require little more than encouragement and advice, but others require more active assistance in financial and other ways involving more time.” The report says families were assisted in many ways during the year. Help included the provision of clothing, furniture and other items, two bicycles, bedding, coal and firewood, arranging holidays, advice on schooling matters and careers, financial assistance for travelling expenses, help with applications for social security benefits and State housing, and advice on budgeting and financial matters.

It was hoped holidays on farms for several children would be arranged this year. Children would also be sent to the Y.M.C.A. camps during the Christmas holidays. As a long-term project the committee had applied for a section in the new subdivision at Pines Beach, and was confident that if it could obtain the section a suitable cottage could be erected to provide holidays for Birthright families.