“For fifty years since the first branch was established in Christchurch, New
Zealand, volunteers have worked tirelessly to raise funds to help children
in need around the world.”
Save the Children Fund
For half a century volunteers have been a strong force for creating
effective change through raising money to assist the work of the Save the
Children Fund.
"Oh, I'm just a volunteer," was the comment I heard the other day from
someone who was working for the Save the Children Fund.
When I heard that last year volunteers raised $44.000, more than a tenth of
the $369,763 raised by the branch, I decided to try to find out more about
this organisation and the remarkable work of its volunteers.
Establishment of the Save the Children Fund in New Zealand
It was in Christchurch on 30 June, 1947, that the first meeting of the
Save the Children Fund was held in New Zealand - nearly fifty years ago.
Some New Zealanders had been subscribing to the Fund in England, but this
meeting was called to discuss setting up the Fund as an independent
organisation in New Zealand.
Through dedicated networking the support base was widened beyond the city
and branches opened up in areas other than North Canterbury, and in 1952
the Fund set up a Central New Zealand Committee. It is now organised from
a national office in Wellington.
Fiftieth Anniversary
On June 6 to 8 the National Conference is being held in Christchurch, the
birthplace of SCF in New Zealand - an occasion for celebration of the past
and planning for the future.
Aim of SCF
The aim is to support, through SCFNZ, SCF projects for the welfare of
children overseas and within New Zealand - "to relieve child distress and
hardship and to promote the welfare of children in any country or
countries, place or places, without differentiation on grounds of colour,
nationality, creed or sex.." (Extract from the Rules of the North
Canterbury Branch)
The North Canterbury Branch of SCF raises money for such projects from a
variety of sources, with legacies, bequests, and sponsorships providing
much of their income. One important source is the sale of goods made by
volunteers, which in the last financial year contributed $44.000.
This amounts to a large enterprise, but where does Save the Children get
the staffpower and the expertise for the work of such a large organisation?
There are no paid staff in the North Canterbury Branch - only in the
National office in Wellington. All the work of the Branch is done by
volunteers, and the majority of them are 'retired' people. 'Retired' is
rather a misnomer, however, because these volunteers work very hard. The
only aspects of retirement that seem to fit are the flexibility of their
hours and the absence of a pay packet at the end of their work!
Most of the volunteers are women. Over fifty women work in the SCF Shop
selling trading goods supplied from Wellington. Popular items are the
greeting cards and the linen tea towels with the SCF name on them. Profits
from the shop pay the Fund's administrative costs.
Fund-raising events during the year
The main events during the year are the fete held on the first Friday in
November, the stalls held at all available venues, such as the Agricultural
and Pastoral Shows around Canterbury, an annual charity golf match, a
bridge tournament, and a luncheon with entertainment - again all organised
by teams of volumteers.
Distribution of the gifts at the Christmas Tree in the Christchurch
Cathedral
The tree is provided by the Cathedral, and the people of Christchurch
donate gifts at the tree for needy children. It is a band of SCF workers
who each year sort the gifts, repair the toys where necessary, and send
them to appropriate destinations for Christmas. The needy children may be
in New Zealand or overseas.
The unseen force of volunteers creating goods for sale
Some women coordinate the activities of large teams of volunteers who
create hand made goods, run the annual fair and take every opportunity to
sell their wares during the year.
The Work of a Coordinator
I talked to Shirley Rudkin, one of the Canterbury coordinators, just before
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Shirley Rudkin
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she took goods to be sold at the SCF Annual Charity Golf Match. I asked
her how she obtained the skills she needed for her present position and how
she became involved with SCF.
Developing the skills
The first skill she mentioned was communicating with people individually or
in groups. She had gained confidence in communicating in what was largely
a men's world when she worked in the office of her father's timber business
before she was married.
Parent Teacher Association a valuable training ground
Like many women after she had spent some years at home bringing up her
three children she felt that she had lost touch with the outside world, but
accepted nomination for the committee of the Parent Teacher Association at
Rangi Ruru Presbyterian Girls' School where her daughters were pupils.
With this work her confidence grew and she accepted nomination for
president of the Association - an ideal choice as she had been a pupil
herself. She felt somewhat daunted at chairing meetings mostly of business
people, but they were supportive and she soon enjoyed the work.
Shirley is always willing to try something new. While she was on the
committee a new school uniform was introduced, and she cut seventy sets of
patterns for all the major stores who were to have the uniforms made for
sale - excellent practice for the hundreds of articles she has cut out for
Save the Children.
Membership of service groups
As the family grew up the school involvement ceased and Shirley then worked
as a volunteer for the Leprosy Trust Board and joined Zonta, where her
experience in running meetings was used again in her role as Vice President
and President. She has also served on committees at the Presbyterian
church which she attends and it was through church friends that she became
involved in SCF. All these activities were useful training for the
demanding role she now fills for SCF.
Networking skills
A valuable result of being able to communicate freely with people is the
development of networking skills. Since she has become involved with Save
the Children Shirley has used her networking skills to the full. Her
husband worked in the clothing manufacturing business established by his
family, Lane Walker Rudkin, and through him she was able to obtain fabrics.
She has cut out hundreds of items ready for the sewers. She also
approaches other business people for help. Through her contacts she has
been able to organise donations of fruit for jam making, but Shirley has
not been satisfied just to network. She has collected the fruit herself
and frozen it to be made into fresh jam just before the fair. Whatever is
donated she collects in the station wagon which she has bought to make
deliveries easier.
Further networking has brought the chance of SCF stalls at other fairs.
Shirley is ready to move into action when there is a chance to sell. When
the goods are not moving quickly enough she organises lunches or dinners at
her home where people are invited to come with cheque book.
Flexibility
As in all retail ventures the teams have to be aware of market trends and
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Shirley ready to pack the toys for the stall.
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change their output to suit buyers' changing needs. The large number of
inexpensive imported children's clothes available in the shops has meant
that there is no longer a ready sale for these, so the teams have changed
their output. Toys are always good sellers and the teams have produced a
rich variety. A group of Dutch women produces a range of knitted toys
which are highly sought after.
A team effort
Shirley is quick to emphasise that she is just the coordinator and that
without the dedicated teams who sew and knit and cook, the stalls would not
take place.
She also reminded me that although most of the volunteers who work
regularly are women there is a lot of background support from their
husbands. Shirley's husband, Colin, has coordinated a group of men who
have assisted each year in publicising the fair and setting up the stalls,
and in the more humdrum task of clearing up afterwards.
The rewards
Shirley gains immense satisfaction out of the sale of the goods and the
growth in the funds to help needy children. She believes that being
involved and active keeps people young. She enjoys the friendships which
have developed from her community involvement.
The Unpaid Workforce
The Save the Children workers are only one of numerous groups throughout
New Zealand who are supporting voluntary organisations. If you have some
free time do approach one of the organisations needing volunteers, join the
unseen and unpaid work force, use the skills you have developed over the
years, make new friends and help others in need at the same time.
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