SPINSTERS' ENERGY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 83, 4 October 1940, Page 11

SPINSTERS' ENERGY

CLUB'S REPORT ON THE

YEAR'S WORK

Since the outbreak of war the Wellington Spinsters' Club has entertained more than 5500 servicemen, free of charge, 5350 having been guests at the Sunday entertainments at Miss Mildred Harris's Studio. The club is believed by its officials to be the first of its kind established in Wellington after war was declared. These facts and figures were disclosed last night at the club's first annual meeting, held in the studio, Manners Street. The club's main object, it was stated, is to entertain men of the forces, without homes, friends, or relatives in Wellington. Up till December the girls took the men into their own homes. 200 men being entertained in this way. It was not till a request came from Trentham Camp to provide hospitality for 200 soldiers that the decision was made to entertain en masse in one large room. Miss Mildred .Harris's offer of her studio for this purpose was gratefully accepted. VARIED ACTIVITIES. Sixty spinsters belong to the club, which has a long waiting list. Yesterday evening these members met the original 1914 Spinsters, whose work in1 the last war inspired the younger generation to busy , themselves in patriotic activities. Mrs. L. M. Hyams, one of the first group, accepted the presidency of the club on the resignation of Miss Genevieve Wooller, who was married recently. The original Spinsters made a quilt of signatures, which they sent to the ■ first base hospital, and the present club has already contributed £20 from names collected in a similar way, to the National Patriotic Fund. Other activities have included Thursday night meetings for knitting, quilt-embroidery, or the cutting of linen for swabs; work at Trentham Camp when approximately 5000 shoulder patches were sewn on tunics within a week; the collecting of J75 packs of cards for soldiers; and assisting with street days and once at the V.M.C.A. MANY HELPERS. The club is deeply grateful to the following for continued help in assisting to entertain the men:—Miss Mildred Harris, Mesdames Pegg, V. Gray, Cox, Maxwell, A. M. Lewis, A. D. Bayfeild, Chas. McDonald, Willie Dodds (Gisborne), A. Oliver (Palmerston North), T. Andrews (Christchurch), and Miss Eva Moore. Major J. M. Stewart (whose enthusiasm and assistance was the means of the club being officially recognised by Trentham Camp), Major R. Haddow, Captain R. Ross, Lieutenant J. Badams, Messrs. Ackroyd, Press, Roy Washer, Peter Gillespie, E. Harris, T. King, Wairarapa Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd., members of the De Luxe. Orchestra, and all members of the Forces who have-given their services.