Last season, volunteer collectors throughout Britain’s countryside gather 500 tons of rose-hips from the hedgerows, sufficient to manufacture 2,5000,000 bottles of natural rose-hip syrup—equivalent in Vitamin C content to 25,000,000 oranges.

Message After Two Years - Rushden Man’s Brief Note from Jersey
After a silence of two years, Mr John R Morris, youngest son of Mrs L Morris, 10, Oswald-road, Rushden, has managed to communicate with his relatives from Jersey, where he was working as secretary of the Co-operative Society when the Germans seized the Channel Islands. The message is typewritten on a Red Cross form, and reads: “Regret sad news. Geoffrey was much too good in every way to die so young. Please write more often. Love to all.” It is dated October 15th 1943.

Mr Morris thus refers to the death of his brother, The Rev Geoffrey Morris, at Liverpool in air raid in September 1940, and it is presumed that this news has only recently reached him. The reason why he has been debarred from correspondence with his relatives is not explained.

Before going to Jersey, Mr Morris, who is unmarried, was on the staff of the Market Harborough Co-operative Society, and at an earlier period was a clerk in the office of Messrs W H Davison and Co., boot manufacturers, Rushden. After the German occupation of Jersey his mother received one or two brief messages from him, but the correspondence then ceased.

With funds provided by American workers through the British War Relief Association, members of the Women's Land Army visiting London can now enjoy accommodation at a hostel established in Chesham-street.

HIS HOPE—With the hope that it will help him to get home sooner, Tommie Williamson, an evacuee from London who resides with Mrs. R. Warner in High-street, Stanwick, came to our office with 3,314 milk tops.

RED CROSS—Rushden's Red Cross "penny-a-week" house-to-house collection in May amounted to £109 2s. 8d.

FLORAL FREAK—Mrs. Ward, of "Hartswood," Hall-avenue, has plucked from her garden a cornflower stem with eight flowers growing out of one calyx.

POSTPONED—After news that the invasion of France had begun the meetings of the Salute the Soldier Campaign committees arranged for Tuesday evening were postponed until Thursday.

M.T.—Brian Walker (9), of 14, Brookfield-road, Rushden, has collected 1,300 milk tops. Two Sheilas have made a combined contribution of 1,400—Sheila Tite (8), of 3, Park-road, and Sheila Badham (8), of 4, Newton-road.

GIRLS' EFFORT—Three little girls—two sisters and a friend—presented a tin at our office on Tuesday afternoon containing the sum of £1 5s., which they requested we gave to the Red Cross Prisoners-of-War Fund. The three are Irene Cooper (11) and June Cooper (8), of 158, St. Margarets-avenue, and Marie Puddefoot (11), of 9. Rose-avenue. The money was obtained through a competition they ran, with four eggs and other goods as the prize.

PARENTS—On Wednesday evening, after a short business meeting dealing with A.R.P. matters, the Rushden Parents' Association held a Spelling B. under the direction of Mrs. Gilbert, "B" team beating "A" team by a narrow margin.

MEN'S SCHOOL—Councillor J. Allen was the speaker at the Men's Adult School on Sunday, and his subject was "Communication of thought," which evoked a good discussion, Mr. E. Freeman presided and Mr. P. Bridgment accompanied the hymn singing at the piano.

Mr. John White’s Call - Resuming Chairmanship of Fete Committee

(To the Editor)
Sir,—At the request of a deputation that I believe represents the great majority of the people of Rushden and in response to letters I have received from very many people, including secretaries of those charities which have benefited from proceeds of fetes in previous years, I have decided to withdraw my resignation as chairman of the Fete Committee.

It would be to me a matter of very grave concern if any action of mine should detract from the success of the fete, or adversely affect the funds that may be raised. Having made my decision to carry on, I will put everything I can into it to make it a success, and I trust I may rely upon the generous support of the public in endeavouring to make this holiday successful and to raise all the money we can.

A large proportion of the proceeds go to our serving men. Bearing in mind the events of the present week, let us as a community try to show our appreciation of what they have done and of the sacrifices they are now making on our behalf by a wholehearted attempt to raise as much money as possible. But for these men we could not even be contemplating the holding of a fete after five years of war. We have only two days this year in which to raise funds, but with the same co-operation as on former occasions I am hopeful good results may be obtained.

As regards the games, I shall recommend that the fete be carried on as before, and, in addition a very good concert party has been engaged together with several first-class variety artistes, so I can in advance assure good entertainment to those who patronise our efforts.

I hope that there will be no further criticism, unless of a constructive nature that will help towards the success of the fete, which will, as usual, be conducted in such a manner that the susceptibilities of conscience of no normal person could be ruffled. Even if this were so, can we not remember that we have the highest authority for assuming that "charity shall cover the multitude of sins"? With many thanks, believe me, yours faithfully,

John White
“Ferrers Mere”, Rushden
8th June 1944