Appeal for funds, December 1915

SAVE the children of England - we need them, every one!

Come with me back into the years past, and let me show you the modest building then called the North Eastern Hospital for Children. A little healing-house; yes, but one doing - even then, twenty to thirty years ago - a grand service in striving to stem the ever rolling tide of sickness among the children of the poor - for Hackney was poor then. Today, there stands, under the name of the Queen's Hospital for Children - for thus the institution was graciously permitted to be renamed in 1908 - an imposing-looking building for all eyes to see in the Hackney Road. But, alas! if Hackney's need was great in those past days, Hackney's need is trebled today, for its population has increased threefold since the hospital was opened, and it is impossible to minister to all the cases that come to it for treatment.

PECULIARLY poignant are the cases brought daily to the hospital. Many little ones of our brave Allies - French and Belgian - are admitted for treatment, which puts a still greater strain upon the resources of the hospital. The urgency of the hospital's existence is shown when I mention that 1,700 children are treated in the ward annually, and about 41,000 in the out-patient department. The hospital has a dental branch, and has 134 beds in London and thirty at its Bexhill "Little Folks" branch. It is a very unhappy report to have to make, that despite its crying need the hospital has no funds in hand.

THE Queen’s Hospital for Children is far reaching in its efforts. An endless stream these poor sick little ones comes from Shoreditch, from Hoxton, from Bethnal Green, as well as from every street and alley and court hard by. Frail, wee babies, poor mites of two and three, boys and girls of ten, twelve, thirteen, they come, and still come, to the kindly gates of the hospital to be healed. Let us not forget that they are future citizens of our Empire, and it is our task to make them healthy ones. It is our duty to save them, for we shall need them, every one.

A SUGGESTION has been made by a youthful subscriber to the Queen’s Hospital for Children, that 5,000 children should each undertake to collect £1, and thus the children of Poverty-land would have their hospital assured to them during this time of great strain and crisis by the help of other children more fortunately situated.

I WISH I could transport all my readers on a magic carpet to this grey home of healing in the Hackney Road. I wish I could take them into every bright spotless ward, where such skill and love and tenderness are given to the tiny inmates. But as this cannot be, I can only say—send what you can to save the children. All contributions will be thankfully received by the Secretary, T. Glenton-Kerr, Queen's Hospital for Children, Hackney Road, N.E.