Blind Attend Christmas Party

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30924, 3 December 1965, Page 2

Blind Attend Christmas Party

Perfume from hundreds of flowers, massed on the stage of the Caledonian Hall, greeted 400 guests and escorts as they arrived for the annual Christmas party of the Christchurch branch of the Foundation for the Blind yesterday. Guests were welcomed by the chairman of the Christchurch advisory committee (Mr I. D. Wood), who said the attendance was a record. “I am pleased to see so many here, but I am not pleased that so many of you are suffering from the affliction of blindness,” he said. The Mayor (Mr G. Manning) said at Christmas people turned to kind thoughts, happy memories and jollification. It was a period at the end of the year for those things which played an important part in the lives of people. He wished there were more such periods in the year. Mr H. J. Walker, member of Parliament for St Albans, said he was impressed with the courage, independence and cheerfulness of those associated with Fernwood. “1 do not want to sound paro-

chial, but St. Albans is a very progressive district and Fernwood plays its full part in this progress. We in the district are very proud of Femwood,” he said.

A cake was cut by the matron of Fernwood (Miss S. Ormsby). Entertainment was provided by Messrs K. Bonniface and A. Reid, and Mrs C. Cogswell. The accompanist was Miss N. Billcliff.