SKIPPER FRANCIS TRUST

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23376, 6 December 1945, Page 6

SKIPPER FRANCIS TRUST

Funds For The Sick And Crippled The sum of £25 has so far been col- j lected in Timaru by "Skipper” W. W. . Francis, of Dunedin, who is head of j the Skipper Francis Fund for the sick and afflicted. Himself a cripple, he has devoted his life to raising funds for people in like straits, and throughout New Zealand he has become well known as the author' of “skipperisms.” “Let the afflicted remember the brave never despair," a typical “skipperism,” appeared on cards which were pinned to 205 bunches of flowers procured by ! Mr Francis and distributed amongst I hospital patients at Timaru yesterday i afternoon by Mrs Francis, who acts as her husband’s business manager in the matter of street collections. If it | can be arranged. Mr Francis hopes to organise an outing for cripples while he is in Timaru. | “I would like to point out that the I Skipper Francis Trust Fund is a leg- | ally constituted fund and every penny ! is accounted for,” said Mrs Francis yesterday. Many people appeared to be under the impression that the collections made by her husband were unofficial. Mr Francis, a Welshman, was the composer of “Australia Will be There," a nopular song of the Great War. All the royalties from that song, totalling more than £500.000 were devoted to charity. Before becoming a cripple, he was an enthusiastic athlete and long distance swimmer. Once he swam the Bristol Channel, and he held a championship mile title.