Newspaper Article – $1000 needed to help run rooms

$1000 needed to help run rooms

The western Hastings sub-branch of the Plunket Mothers’ Club will hold a ball on October 13 to help raise $1000 needed to run the Hinau St Plunket rooms.

“This is our first large fund-raising effort this year and we hope it will be the one and only,” said the president, Mrs K. Jones, today.

“We’ve never held a ball before, though last year we held a fashion parade which raised enough money to have the clinic painted.”

Mrs Jones said they expected about 400 people at the ball. The club will do the catering.

“Many people don’t realise that Plunket exists on fund raising. They think it is run by the Government but it is only subsidised,” Mrs Jones said.

“The sub-branches have to pay for rent, rates and maintenance of the clinics plus part of the nurses’ salaries and the running of their cars.”

Taken for granted

Mrs Jones said too many mothers took the services at Plunket for granted and appeared unwilling to donate anything for the help they received.

“Not many people realise that Plunket attends to a child right up to school age. If mothers had to take their children to their doctor for regular checks it would become quite expensive.”

She said that the Plunket nurse at the Hinau St clinic, Sister E. Leipst, spent two and a half days a week at the clinic. She visited 70  babies in their home each month and saw 100 babies at the clinic. About 40 preschool children attended the clinic each month.

“On an average the Plunket nurse has 210 visits each month.”

Mrs Jones said the more money raised, the better.

“Any money left over from the clinic expenses is put back into Karitane, which is run by Plunket.”

Last year the sub-branch helped pay part of a bursary for a girl to go Karitane nursing.

The area which Sister Leipst covers includes Flaxmere, Camberley and Mahora.

“We are a voluntary organisation, only subsidised by the Government. We don’t turn down any mothers but we would like help in the form of a subscription from the mothers if they can afford it. The usual is a dollar a year. We also have a donation box in the waiting room,” said Sister Leipst.

“Most of the mothers seem very appreciative of the Plunket service.”

Photo caption – Three-year-old Jane Miles is weighed at the Hinau St Plunket clinic, Hastings.  With her is her mother, Mrs J. Miles (centre) and Sister E.  Leipst, the clinic’s nurse.