DR. BARNARDO’S HOMES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 21 June 1940, Page 3

DR. BARNARDO’S HOMES

NEED FOR HELP I The local representative of Dr. Bar- ' nardo’s Homes has received the follow- j ing letter from the New Zealand secre-

“You may be interested to know that the income last year showed a decrease of £50.000, almost all of which occurred between the outbreak of hostilities and the close of the year, 31st December. During the same period expenses increased almost £15.000 due chiefly to three reasons; having to evacuate over 2.500 children, provide air raid shelters and blacken out thousands of windows, and being faced with a sharp rise in the general cost of living. Also many more applications for admission were received, and no doubt the Homes will t play a large part in helping to care for the little refugees from Holland, j Belgium and France as well as our own little victims of the war.

“You will. I know, realise how serious this all is and how it is more than ever necessary that we should endeavour to increase our contributions from New Zealand throughout these critical times. If the little children of Nelson will continue to help us as they have so splendidly done in the past, they will be doing a very real and vital bit of war work, which will be deeply appreciated at Home. If only all our members could be prevailed upon to spare Id per week regularly, taken over a year, their collections would mount up to a considerable sum. I know many children help most generously, but there is a [ great number who could do so much i better. It always seems to me that | the children in this fortunate land j have a great dealt of pocket-money, and ; if they would only give a little them- , selves and not ask their parents for money for their boxes, they could do | so much. “But I am afraid you will be thinking; I am not grateful for all our kind; friends at Nelson do. if I say any more. Believe me. I really am most grateful, but so many children joint the League, receive their magazines and boxes, and we never hear of them again. It is those whom I should like to get in touch with. “I know that many calls are being made on everyone 4ust now, not only

for patriotic purposes, but for deserving local charities as well, but even so I hope the children’s cause will not suffer. as their need is so urgent. “With best wishes and our warmest thanks for your own kind help and interest, which we deeply appreciate.”