Hertfordshire) and West (Buckinghamshire
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"Settling-in” Process in Evacuation Scheme. (Women’s Work in the Villages)• Women voluntary helpers are playing a big part in the "settling-in" process now in progress in areas which have received women and children under the Government evacuation scheme* Working in co-operation with the local authorities and Ministry of Health officials, Women’s Voluntary Services and the Women’s Institutes are making "personal adjustments" and organising indoor and outdoor activities* One of the main problems has been to provide the mothers with "something to do" 0 Clubs and make-and-mend parties are being started and are expected to prove the best way of linking the visitors with the life of the village* In the Berkshire village of Harwell, for instance, the Women’s Institute runs a club on Mondays and Fridays to which mothers and children are welcomed* Tea costs a penny per head* In one corner of the club a Women’s Institute member looks after the children. In another, newspapers are available for mothers who do not wish to join the sewing party* Many other Institutes are running daily clubs* Another need which is being tackled is for halls or club rooms where the women and children can receive their relations and talk to them over tea. On Sunday - which is "Fathers’ Day" - many cottages are overtaxed both for room and for refreshment So Club rooms on these lines have already been started at Hit chin (Hertfordshire) and West Wycombe (Buckinghamshire). - Communal meals for mothers as well as children -- are helping to relieve the burden on householders* At -1 o 7T/39. St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, the Women’s Voluntary Services have communal set up a communal laundry as well as a kitchen® There are canteens at Berkhamsted, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Dover, Folkestone, Hitchin and many ether places® Another need being met by the Women’s Voluntary Services is for clothing centres to cater for ill-clad children. A considerable number are at work and many more will be started within the next few weeks* Plans are being made by the women helpers to keep the children occupied when they ere not at school® Many of the schools in the reception areas have to work on a two-shift system* The children attend mornings one week and afternoons the next* This leaves still a good deal of time in which they need to be "taken off the hands" of the householder, and as soon as the indoor problems have been settled teachers and helpers are going to develop organised games, gardening parties and outdoor nature work® Play centres have already been started by a number of Women's Institutes« Some of the outstanding successes of the Women’s Institutes and Women’s Voluntary Services workers have "been in A "personal adjustments" 0 little advice and encouragement to either householder or visitor has often brought about a transformation in home conditions® Use of the kitchen stove, for instance, is one problem which has been satisfactorily settled in hundreds of cases® In many areas local Welfare Committees are undertaking the task of talking over difficulties with both partieso Other or the phases "settling~in" process are as follow:- 2 Redistribution - Under the control of Regional Officers of the Ministry of Health, transfers are being carried out in order to smooth out inequalities in numbers of evacuees as between districts. Where necessary the local authorities are moving women and children to more suitable billets. Appeal Tribunals - These have now been established by a large number of local authorities and are hearing householders’ applications. Hostels. A number of empty houses have already been taken over for mothers and children who are ’’special cases”. In many cases local people have made gifts of furniture and other equipment. Medical Treatment. Action has been taken by the medical staffs of local authorities to deal with cases where children billeted on private households have been found to be verminous or suffering from skin and other ailments. Most of the 330,000 Women’s Institute members are giving personal service. Here are some reports from the villages:- BERKSHIRE Harwell (near Didcot). The Institute is running a Mothers’ Club on Mondays and Fridays, 2-4 p.m. Mothers and children are welcomed* Old clothes are supplied "by members and cut up from patterns for children’s clothes,. The mothers sew up the garments, and also knit blankets. Cases for gas-masks are being made out of old material. Shinfield - The Institute has already arranged a tea- for the party mothers and babies. They all came and enjoyed themselves very much - including the evacuation officers. They are now organising a weekly Club in which the mothers will he able to do their own mending* Tea is served at 2d. a time. The members are hoping ultimately to let the Club be managed "by a joint committee of the mothers and Women’s Institute members* 3 Whitchurch - The foster-mothers found that the clothes sent down by the London parents were unsuitable. A member was sent to explain what was needed, and to ask the mothers in London to form a club to make these clothes. Woodley - This Institute borrowed the British Legion hut, and ran a Club. They also have a stall at which new and old clothes are sold, or in certain cases (on the advice of the L.C.C.) given to the mothers. Barley - This Institute is starting a Club. Wargrave - Evacuees invited to monthly meetings. Institute members 3d each for and as paying o tea, acting hostesses for the mothers. They have arranged a special u programme with demonstrations on How to shop and cook in the Country”• Brimpton - This Institute is arranging sewing and mending parties for the evacuees,, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Tver - Daily Club has been opened between 12 and 4. Mothers come there to do their mending, and tea is available. Taplow - The Institute is arranging dancing classes for the children. West Wycombe - A Hall has been engaged, which is opened on Sunday afternoons, where mothers and fathers, who come down from their London, may see children o The Institute members run a canteen. Chalfont St. Giles - Women’s Institute members with other organisations have organised a canteen at the Cookery Centre. Lunch is provided at 3d. a head, and this pays the overhead expenses. Haddenham - Weekly make-and-mend parties are attended by the mothers and children, as well as local members. 4 Downley - The Institute has organised entertainments and a party for the mothers. SURREY. Dormansland - Club for the mothers. Shalford and other Institutes organising play centres for the children. Bisley - The Institute is organising make-and-mend working parties. DORSET. Where the evacuees are mainly school children, Institutes are being advised to see if they can organise help with the mending for those who are housing the children, and also with amusing and looking after the children at week-ends. If there are only a few adult evacuees, they will be asked to join the Institute, as at Halstock. Bridport Women*s Institute Centre has appointed a Welfare Committee. SOMERSET. The Public Assistance authorities are supplying materials for making into clothes for evacuees and Institutes are assisting by forming work parties. WEST SUSSEX. Some Women's Institutes have already invited their evacuees to their ordinary meetings. Several have formed working parties. Chichester - The Institute did canteen work for arrivals. EAST SUSSEX. Chiddingly - A scheme has been drawn up with the approval of the Medical Officer of Health for a Child Care Clinic in a room in the he large Vicarage 0 It will open every day, with a woman doctor responsible. They also have a scheme for entertaining children - for instance, films in the village hall* Visiting among the mothers is being organised by a committee. 5 They are arranging for a sewing Club* in which one person will undertake the cutting out of garments, one member will store the finished articles, and another distributes them once a week to those in the greatest need. ISLE OP ELY. Wisbech - The Billeting Officer wrote to the President of the Women’s Institute asking help with clerical work. She appealed at one of the monthly meetings and twelve volunteers offered their services. They have worked continuously ever since© Ministry of Information* September 22, 1939..