FOOD PARCELS FOR PENSIONERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 63, 6 August 1947, Page 6

FOOD PARCELS FOR PENSIONERS

GRATITUDE IN ENGLAND . It did one good to see the scores of happy faces among Blackburn pensioners when each of those attaining the age of 70 received a food parcel fr6m the people of Australia, says an English paper. The parcels were so packed with good things that it took some of the older receipients, through physical infirmity, all their time to carry them home. Naturally, most of the parcels were picked up by the women folk who have to look after the domestic larder, and quite a number of octogenarians said they would regard some of the articles as an emergency measure for next winter. “If we are called away before then someone else will get the benefit and it will do them good,” said one old woman.

Quite a number of letters have been sent to the Mayor (Mrs Buckley), asking her to convey to the Australian authorities the grateful appreciation of the pensioners for their kind liberality. Each parcel contained syrup, powdered milk, tin of jam, tin of fruit, crystal jellies and other delicacies which today are almost unobtainable here. In all, there were 11 articles, and it was pathetic to see some of the older people break down completely when they saw what they contained. They had not seen some of the foodstuffs since the war.