ANOTHER OVERSEAS LETTER

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 6, 1 July 1947, Page 6

ANOTHER OVERSEAS LETTER

V’ery many thanks to the members of the Palmerston North Union for the food parcel. It lias come at a most opportune time, as there is so much illness and distress here at present. Many homes are cold, comfortless and cheerless here just now, and their occupants ill in ‘>e(i, so jellies, soup, dripping an<l syrup sjieedily reached their journey’s end in various grateful stomachs. I gave a 211). tin ol syrup to an old man o, 79, who nearly wept for joy, as he is always short of sugar, and has a very sweet tooth. The jellies went to a child and a patient of 50, dying of inoperable cancer. What a God-send the fine flavour was to the child’s parched tongue. She will uie in a week’s time, but w'as delighted w'ith the jelly and one of the sea-meal custards. Soup went to an old lady living in one room, heated only b\ a glimmer of gas. and two sisters ill in bed with cardiac disease and bronchitis no fire and no one to attend to them.

Life is a bit chilly here at present Electricity is cut off from 9 to 12, and 2to 4. There are no lights in the street** at night, and there is very little pressure in the gas. Coal is vanishing, coke hard to get, and logs uncertain. Snow has come, thawed, and frozen again, and winds are of the lazy tvjie that go straight through you instead of going round. So it is very nice to have some warm thoughts from some warm-hearted folk, and some little extras, which have given my patients an extra cheer amidst their troubles. Most of us are grousing hard in true British fashion, it being one way to keep warm by letting off steam. However, we shall fight it through as we fought the rest, and live to laugh at th p queer things we do now. Even your packing was interesting. I read both the “W.R.” magazines right through. With many grateful thanks and all good wishes, Yours sincerely. A GILBEY.

NOTE.—Dr. Alice Gilbey has made such good use of the things sent her. and as she is a member of the B.W.T.A. other Unions might a ! so like to send parcels to her. Address -A, Chichester Street, St. George’s Square, London, S.W.I.