RED CROSS WORK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 3 July 1941, Page 6

RED CROSS WORK

ORGANISATION OI VOLUNTARY AID DETACHMENTS ADDRESS BY COMMANDANT-IN-CHIEF Miss G P. Tennent, Commandant-in-Chief of the Voluntary Aid Detachments of the Red Cross Society in New Zealand, who is making a survey of voluntary aids throughout New Zealand at the request of the Dominion Council of the Red Cross, gave an interesting address in the Council Chambers last night on the Organisation of V.AD. 's in New Zealand. Dr. S. A. Gibbs, the chairman of the Nelson Committee of the Red Cross Society. presided and introduced Miss' Tennent. Referring to Miss Tennent’sj distinguished career the chairman said that she was formerly matron of the: Dunedin Hospital. When the war started the Red Cross had sought her services for V.A.D organisation work. Miss Tennent was now Commandant-in-Chief! of the V.A.D movement in New Zea-1 land. Among those who attended were the I women of the Red Cross Transport, the i Nurses’ Association and St. John | Ambulance. Miss Tennent gave a brief outline oi l the history of the Red Cross movement. J which was an international organisation; to which 60 countries belonged. Be- j cause of its international character the j Red Cross was the only organisation, able to deal with information and other! matters pertaining to prisoners of war. V.A.D.’s would be invaluable if New! Zealand was attacked, as emergency j huspitals wojld spring up all over the country and there would he a big short-1 age of trained nurses. They would also be useful >f the country was swept by plague or pestilence. To qualify a V.A,D was required to do 60 hours’ hospital training and to) obtain certificate:; in first aid, home’ nursing and hygiene and sanitation In ' addition to the nursing training there j was ail opportunity for women to learn hospital cooking To this end there) was a course of 40 hours’ training in a | hospital kitchen to be undergone. j Red Cross workers, as a bodv, were! strictly neutral, and were only concern-j ed with sick and wounded, health mat-i ters and disaster lelief. They were all * registered with the Women's'War Ser-i vice Auxiliary, but were unable to pro-! vide comforts, raise money or help the Cross' 1 * antS 1P any Way throu sh the Red I In conclusion Miss Tennent said that! equipment for training V.A.D.'s apart : from the hospital equipment, was neces-l sary in every town. To this end most) towns had Red Cross rooms which re- ■ sembled miniature wards.