Cafe Chantant at Aberystwyth

From the Cambrian News, 14th July 1916.

Cafe Chantant.

HELPING A GOOD FUND.

Under the auspices of the local branch of the Surgical Requisites Association, a cafe chantant was held on Wednesday afternoon at the Old Assembly Rooms for the purpose of raising funds to provide bandages for wounded soldiers and sailors.  There was a large gathering and the proceedings were of an enjoyable character.

Mr. A. J. Hughes, town clerk, in introducing Lady Pryse to open the programme, explained that the Association was a branch of Queen Mary's Needlework Guild.  The branch was inaugurated at Aberystwyth in October and there were now eighty patriotic members who had the privilege of joining in that good work, in which they had shown great devotion.  Each working member contributed sixpence a week to procure materials.  The Association had sent to the head office 20,000 bandages which were practically entirely hand-made.  A parcel of 500 bandages was sent every week and a special appeal was being made by the head office for further efforts.  For that purpose more funds were necessary to procure materials and an increase of members would be welcomed. (Cheers).

Lady Pryse declared the function open and was thanked on the proposition of Mrs. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Jack Thomas.

The decorations were admirably arranged by Mr. W. H. Jones, Great Darkgate-street.

Voluntary Help

From the Brecon and Radnor Express, 13th July, 1916.

Voluntary Help.

INCREASED NEED.

IMPORTANT LETTER TO RADNORSHIRE SECRETARY.

Mrs G.M. Moseley, the hon. secretary of the Radnorshire Association for Voluntary Work, has received the following letter from Sir Edward Ward, the Director-General of Voluntary Organisations :—

"Dear Madam,—With reference to the recent circular letters addressed to you regarding supplies of knitted comforts for the armies in the field and hospital requisites for our wounded men, I think it wise to emphasise the point that demands upon my department for all these articles are likely to be very heavy, and, in order to meet them, I must rely upon the re-doubled efforts of the hundreds of thousands of voluntary workers who have so patriotically united for the purpose of working under the central direction of my department.

It will interest all the members of your association to know that enormous quantities of all kinds of comforts have been distributed in each theatre of war to units of every arm of the service and to all military hospitals, both at home and abroad, and, in addition, we have been able to give our gallant Allies very material help.

The demands from camp, trench and hospital steadily increase, and it is only by your splendid work that we are able adequately to meet the urgent requirements of our fighting men at home and abroad.  As an example, one comparatively small demand which I, as Director-general of Voluntary Organisations, have undertaken on your behalf to supply by the middle of August is 50,000 pairs of mittens for the troops in Mesopotamia.  I am confident, therefore, that you will accumulate stocks which will enable me to meet promptly every request.

The demands and necessities for more hospital supplies increase daily.  The hospitals have nothing but the warmest praise for the requisites supplied by you.

In the name of our soldiers, I thank you and all the workers of your association for the splendid response you have made to my appeals on their behalf, and I look to you not to relax your efforts in making both comforts and hospital supplies."

Denbighshire County Comforts Association

From the Denbighshire Free Press, 8th July, 1916.

DENBIGHSHIRE COUNTY COMFORTS ASSOCIATION

The Director General of Voluntary Organizations begs to notify all Associations that it is necessary to make provision for the large number of warm comforts which his department will be called upon to provide in the probable event of another winter campaign and, if hostilities terminate sooner, large bodies of troops will still have to be provided for.

Associations are therefore recommended to commence making and collecting supplies of articles such as Cardigan waistcoats, mufflers, mittens, helmets and hand-knitted socks, so that considerable quantities may be available for requisition by the department for forwarding to the distant theatres of war towards the end of August, and for Western front at the end of September and during October.
Bearing in mind the great increase in our Overseas Force since the close of the last winter campaign, it is certain that the demands in the coming autumn will be far greater than those of last year. There is, no doubt, a vast body of workers who will be willing to devote some time during their summer holiday to making supplies of the articles enumerated. It is only by preparation in advance that Associations can hope to be in a position to fulfil demands which they will be asked to respond to in the early autumn.

The Drill Hall, Denbigh, is open every Saturday, 2-45 p.m., when people can obtain wool, etc for the work.

Pansy Day

From the Halifax Courier, July 1st 1916. 

PANSY DAY.

NEXT SATURDAY'S EFFORT.

There have been many Flag Days and Flower Days during the past year, all for worthy objects, but it is quite true to state that the Pansy Day, arranged for Saturday next, has for its object a cause as worthy as any.  It is an endeavour to collect funds to enable the Mayoress' Red Cross and Comforts Committee to continue the good work amongst our local men on active service.  Thus far it has accomplished a most excellent work, and so thoroughly has it been done that the Committee’s stores are almost emptied. Every one will agree that the work must continue, and the ladies realising this, asked Lady Fisher Smith to undertake the organisation of a special day.  Needless to state Lady Fisher Smith at once undertook the work, and the result is that a Pansy Day is being arranged for next Saturday.

.....

Coming to the details, the Mayoress will have a special stall in George Square, and it is hoped the Military Band from the Barracks will be in attendance.  A further item of interest is that every authorised person taking part in the affair will have an official badge, and no children will take part.  As the details come to light one realises that the organisation is in capable hands, and favoured with suitable weather the effort will be a success.

Perhaps there are some readers who do not know how much has been achieved by the Mayoress's Red Cross Committee.  Dealing with the last six months only, amongst other items 10,261 garments have been sent to the men in the various battalions of the Duke of Wellington's; over 1,000 garments with hospital requisites in addition, have been supplied to St. Luke's and the Infirmary; 6,763 yards of calico, 2,925 yards of surgical gauze for making into bandages, and 1,757 splint padded bandages have been supplied to St. Luke's, whilst a goodly number of articles have been sent to Halifax men in other than local regiments, the Navy, and to prisoners of war.  This is a fine record, and it is impossible to estimate the value of the work done. Pounds, shillings and pence are inadequate.  Finally, the work must go on, and the people of Halifax will, we are sure, rise to the occasion.