Christmas fund-raisers

In its centrespread Weekender (December 18) wrongly used the title The First Christmas Mass Fund-Raisers. The article, which was unsigned, gives only a partial picture, thus indicating that its author does not know the full facts.

The first mass fund-raisers were the children programmes of Iz-Ziju Salv and Iz-Ziju Frans. Way back in 1952 the programmes had started organising an annual children's Christmas party for the least fortunate. From a very modest 300 children, the parties continued to grow, year after year, and within the full span of 19 years more than 48,000 needy children had been entertained, an average of 2,500 each year.

I was the person responsible for the organisation, including the collection of funds. We did not limit ourselves only to the Maltese children; the Gozitan children also had more than their fair share (250 each year).

Many organisations used to give their full support, including the Department of Social Welfare, which used to supply us with detailed lists on needy families, the Malta Catholic Action, parish priests and many other helpers. All three UK services in Malta used to go out of their way to support our efforts.

More details will eventually be given in a special article that I hope will be published this year, the 45th anniversary. The idea had started when, at the height of the Cold War, Britain had accepted to bring to Malta the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.

Years before Redifussion and PBS, combined, collected the global sum of £1,500 we used to collect much more. In fact, that very same year we collected £8,000. For 19 years, with direct appeals on Redifussion, and the assistance of schools, concerts, KRS, and many others, we exceeded one milestone after another.

Our work did not stop with the organisation of parties in Malta and Gozo. There was also a party for children living in homes (orphanages). In certain cases we used to supply more than ample food for a good Christmas lunch to large needy families. And each and every orphanage received, over and above the party, food for Christmas Day plus some £100-200 each in tangible goods, like heaters, blankets, clothes and communal games.

It was our success, and my pestering Com. E. Hamilton-Hill, that Redifussion also embarked on the programme Ring Us Up. He had been afraid that by running two campaigns one might suffer. This was not the case and in fact I also used to support this second campaign, to show one and all, that all of us had the same aim, to help those less fortunate.

I am not mentioning all this for some personal glory, although I undertook the lion's share of the organisation - I would never have succeeded without the help of literally hundreds of people. Eventually I shall go into detail.

Nevertheless, it was the children's programmes that were the "first mass fund-raisers" in Malta.