THE FRESH AIR FUND

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 9

THE FRESH AIR FUND

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —For many years past you have kindly published in the columns of tho ‘Evening Star’ an appeal from,my father (the late Sir Arthur I'carson) for tho Fresh Air Fund, which he founded thirty years ago. I am making every endeavor to ensure tho continuance of lus work, as I feel sure that his dearest wish would 1 ho that the poor children who live in the dark places of our large towns and cities should not be deprived of the good 1 health and enjoyment which he dispensed to them with the help of kindly sympathisers all over tho wand. For grown-up men and women great poverty is a misfortune, but for little children a tragedy- —a sin. against civilisation. Buring the past thirty years tho Fresh Air Fund has given 4,‘559,660 poor children living in unfavorable surroundings a day in the country. Over four million units of happiness cannot abolish the miseries of the underworld of poverty, but they can at least help to assuage them. Since 1908 67,044 poor children have been tho guests of tho Freeh Air Fund for a fortnight at the seaside or in some health-giving rural retreat. During tho past few years many of the children who have enjoyed this fortnight’s holiday have been the orphaned little ones of our soldiers and sailors.

There is no charity in the case of which so little buys eo much. Fifteen pence pays for a day’s holiday for a child ; £1 defrays the cost of a fortnight's holiday by the sea or in the country for another child; £ls pays for 200 poor children to have a day’s outing, with*’ the necessary attendants" to, look after them, and' for this sura tho day can bo known by whatever name tho donor wishes. Most of u« have the memory of someone who has gone —someone to whom we would like to show honor. There couM bs no better memorial in tho world than to give a day’s happiness to 200 of these little ones. The Fresh Air Fund is not a conspicuous charily. Quietly and steadily it does its work in places whore tho sunshine of life is seldom, if ever, felt. Every penny subscribed goes to the children, all tho expenses of management, being defrayed by the promoters. Thcc aro no barriers of class or creed; the only passport to a Fresh Air Fund holiday is tho need of tho child.

It is ■with deep and grateful recognition of the splendid aid Tendered by your readers to the Freeh Air Fund 1 in the past that I am a (fain appealing to them for assistance. Subscriptions, however small, will be thankfully received and acknowledged by -Mr Kruest Koasoll, lion, secretary of the Fresh Air Fund, 17a Henrietta- street, London, IV.CM.—I am, etc., ■ Neville Pearson. London, January 27.