WORK AMONG WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 89, 10 January 1938, Page 4

WORK AMONG WOMEN

Salvation Army Activities

“My children always tell me that if I had not gone in for politics, 1 should have entered the Salvation Army,’’ declared vivacious Lady Astor, when speaking at the 53rd anniversary meeting in connection with women’s social work in the Salvation Army.

At tin's meeting, writes “The Dominion’s’’ London correspondent, I met for the first time Mrs. Neville Chamberlain, wife of the Prime Minister. She presided at the meeting, and looked very charming and youthful in a black coat and hat. with touches of red. Her speaking voice is very pleasant, and she spoke for quite a long time on the great work the Salvation Army is doing for poor women all over the world. Commissioner Catherine BramwellBooth, who presented the annual report, is a loss to the stage. Her flexible and compelling voice and vivid gestures swept her audience along with her in a tale of cheerful service and help for both souls and bodies. Work among women done by the Salvation Army consists of maternity work, hostels for homeless women, prison and police-court w'ork, and care of children and the aged. Some astonishing figures are quoted in the report.

During last year in Great Britain and Ireland 34,631 women attended the ante-natal clinic in connection with the Mother’s Hospital at Clapton, and 311,722 homeless women were given beds. Officers made 2835 visits to women prisoners and wrote 16,492 letters to women who had passed through their various homes. Particularly wonderful work is being done at. the present time, Commissioner Bramwell-Booth told mo, in providing food and shelter for Chinese mothers and children who have been rendered homeless by the hostilities in the Far East.