CHRISTMAS FARE FOR PUPILS OF PORTSEA SCHOOL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 4, 6 October 1948, Page 5

CHRISTMAS FARE FOR PUPILS OF PORTSEA SCHOOL

Junior Red Cross ~. k Workers On Job Pupils of the Whakatane District High School have been busy for weeks preparing Xmas parcels for Portsea School, England, the school they have “adopted.” The girls have made eight beautiful Xmas cakes and numerous tins of biscuits. A Red Cross visitor to the school recently saw beautifully-made knitted garments, felt toys, tins of food, and warm clothing being wrapped in decorated Xmas paper. The parcels are being sent by post to ensure arrival by Xmas. Teachers in the various classes are also combining to send parcels to their opposite numbers in Portsea. Whakatane District High School Junior Red Cross members were the first in New Zealand to “adopt” a school in England. They have sent away cases of food and clothing, and have received grateful letters from the Headmaster, staff and individual children. One lot of cases arrived just before the Xmas break-up, and was very much appreciated as the school is in a poor district and was very heavily damaged during the war. Miss Lawes, Junior Red Cross Organiser, recently received a letter from the Headmaster of Portsea, saying a further four cases of food had arrived just in time for their Annual Camp, and would be very welcome in supplementing their meagre rations. Miss Lawes said the headmistress of the Infant School, had promised to send up clothing the children there had collected.