Tenth Anniversary Of Fern wood Hostel

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32298, 16 May 1970, Page 12

Tenth Anniversary Of Fern wood Hostel

The 70 residents at Fernwood, the New Zealand Foundation for the Blind hostel in Bristol Street, Christchurch will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the opening of the hostel this week-end. Plans for the hostel, which serves the whole of the South Island, were initiated soon after the Christchurch branch opened in 1948. but it was not until May 18, 1960, that Fernwood was opened. At that stage it provided accommodation for 48 persons. In July, 1968, a new wing was opened, extending the accommodation by 30. Today a special luncheon will be held at the hostel and afterwards a concert will be given by a Christchurch choral group and supporting artists in the George Ashdowne Hall. Tomorrow morning a combined church service will be held in the hall. Guests at the celebrations will be the chairman of the board of the trustees of the foundation (Mr W. Bryan) of Auckland, the director of the foundation (Mr E. W. Christiansen) of Auckland, the supervising matron (Mrs L. Dalziel) of Auckland, the Dunedin branch manager (Mr B. Gifford), the regional trustee for the Canterbury, West Coast( Nelson and Blenheim district (Mr T. E. Turner) and the regional trustee for

the Otago district (Mr H. A. Newall). The average age of the 42 women and 28 men at the hostel is 81 years. The oldest resident, who has also been at the hostel since it was opened, is Mrs L. J. Irvine, aged 98. Miss E. Goodchild came to the hostel three days after Mrs Irvine.